

The Tavern is another new space being renovated by all star team Vic Christopher and Heather LeVine of Lucas Confectionary and The Grocery fame. They’re making a ton of progress, and while it’s not quite finished yet, they opened the doors during this weekend’s Victorian Stroll to offer something I’ve been looking forward to for quite some time: a pop up ramen shop they called Tavern Noodle. Let’s take a look.

Food

I’ve been talking #ghettoramensunday and getting the Confectionary/Grocery to do a Ramen Night with Chef Nick Ruscitto for a while now so it was a nice surprise to see this come to fruition. (Yup, totally taking credit here.) They sold out of some 300+ cups ramen within a couple of hours, and since I was traveling this weekend I missed out. I was lucky that the chefs managed to whip up a little something for me from what was still kicking around when I arrived later in the day and for that I am extremely appreciative. The miso broth had a ton of flavor, the soy egg had a beautifully soft yolk on the inside, and the kale was surprisingly standout. Not pictured is some incredibly spicy, but tasty pickled radishes done in the style of kimchi. I was a huge fan, and surprised by the amount of heat because it was more on my level rather than for a broader audience.

ramen. (pork shoulder | soy egg | sun noodles | massaged kale | nori | miso broth)



Update: For clarification, this is a 32 oz. cup (and it was plenty of ramen).

pork bun. (pork shoulder | cukes | scallion | hoisin)



soy egg.



Drink

While they do not have a full bar yet at The Tavern, they were offering some cocktails, beer, and wine to go along with the day’s offerings. I’ve been on a cocktail kick lately, so I tried both offered. It was a tad cold in there, and between the hot buttered rum and the ramen I had warmed up nicely. The sake punch was very melon heavy and I could have used a bit more alcohol to it.

sake punch. (asian fruit | ginger | sake)



hot buttered rum. (vanilla | butter | dark rum)



Atmosphere

Vic is carrying over the reclaimed theme that’s so prominent in the Confectionary and the Grocery. It’s still beautiful, and I still love everything about it. There’s quite a bit of work to do on the second floor where the full bar will be but the downstairs has shaped up nicely.

Chefs Nick and Matt.





Supplies.





Loving this spray painted stock pot.



Unexpectedly, the DJ spun 2000s rap (50 Cent, Ludacris, etc.) the entire time I was there. This made me quite happy.



Open kitchen.



The future service bar.



Cleanup.



Overall it was a really nice experience. I’m hoping they make the popup Tavern Noodle a regular thing and I’m looking forward even more to when they open up the full space at The Tavern. As always, I wish Vic, Heather and the rest of their crew the best of luck on their new venture!

UPDATE: Looks like Tavern Noodle is returning on December 18th at 5PM. To those who missed out, get there early!