Hey there! Welcome to the first edition of Tasting With Thomas. As an avid connoisseur of dining atmospheres, interesting flavors, and a good sweet treat, I’m excited to explore and share the affordable eats that New York City has to offer. For this first edition, my friend Eres and I made our way over to Kyuramen’s Columbia location to enjoy some creative Japanese cuisine.

As we ducked into the warmly lit eatery off Broadway Ave, Eres and I were instantly attended to despite the apparent business of the Friday evening. From the minimalist, Japanese style decorations to the private booth seating arrangements, the atmosphere of the restaurant was the perfect prelude to the notable dining experience that was to come.

We started our meal off with two Thai iced teas. While I personally was trying the drink for the first time, Eres had already proclaimed her status as a “division one milk tea critic”. After a good shake, we stabbed our straws through the plastic lid and took a sip of the refreshing milk tea. Even with Eres’ tenured taste for Thai tea, she described the drink as “Not too sweet but not too sophisticated. It’s that classic Thai tea flavor that can never disappoint.”

After working up our appetites with our drinks, we were ready for the generous variety of platters and entrees that Kyuramen had to offer. After some consideration, we decided to taste the Honey Comb and Yakitori Platters first. Between the chili garlic edamame, lobster & chashu salad ball, tamago egg, shrimp tempura, eel unagi, scallops, and seaweed salad, we had an incredibly diverse array of flavors to indulge in. Shockingly, those were only the bites in the Honey Comb Platter! Eres and I especially loved trying the more savory flavors like shrimp tempura and eel unagi while routinely cleansing our palette with the fresh seaweed salad. 

The Yin-Yang Bowl and the Seafood/Eel Kamameshi dishes were our main entrees for the night. The innovative design of the Yin-Yang bowl aesthetically incorporated two different broths and toppings, making it the perfect choice for customers sharing their meal. As a pescatarian, I appreciated the opportunity to enjoy the same dish with Eres without sacrificing my dietary restrictions. Both Kamameshi dishes were beautifully presented with skewers of shrimp, prawns, and eel stuck into an unsuspectingly deep dish of sushi rice, egg, and spring onions. The bottomless base of rice was the perfect compliment to the salty seafood skewers we got to pick and choose from.

We concluded the dining experience with the cutest presentation of tiramisu that I’ve ever seen. What’s more, Kyuramen had put their own Japanese twist on the conventionally italian dessert by flavoring it with matcha instead of espresso. We were delighted to taste the distinct herbal tones of the matcha paired with the light mascarpone cream. “ I loved that it wasn’t too rich or heavy, but more airy and sweet”, remarked Eres as we set down our spoons with satisfied smiles.

As we stepped out of our booth and back onto Broadway Ave, we couldn’t wipe those smiles off our faces. Reflecting on the delicious flavors, the aesthetic presentation, and the welcoming hospitality had us in an afterglow of appreciation throughout our walk home. We didn’t just have a good meal, we had a good experience.

Written By Thomas Stewart, 03/01/2025

Author Bio: Thomas Stewart is an undergraduate student at Columbia University pursuing studies in creative writing and human rights in an effort to utilize media as a tool to vitalize our communities. When Thomas isn’t off overthinking in his journal, you can find him on campus volunteering for the local Housing Equity Project, organizing for the Black Student Organization, or playing a jam session at Columbia University Records club. Ultimately, his love for all things creative prevails throughout his life.

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