Jenny: Just another day in New York City. Cool, cool. All right.

Rasheeda: So sorry.

Jenny: That’s okay. We got this. This is the local flavor – ambulances, motorcycles.

Rasheeda: You’re gonna get it all with me today. So sorry.

Jenny: No, we’re ready. Okay, so we’re chatting – it’s August 29th, the week of Labor Day for our audience.

Jenny: It’s upon us – the end of summer. The air in New York City is starting to feel cool and crisp in the morning and still a little summery in the afternoon.

Rasheeda: Yeah.

Alex: That means crying every morning, but that’s okay.

Jenny: I know. It’s nice. I like fall in New York.

Rasheeda: Mixed temperatures.

Jenny: Mixed temperatures.

Rasheeda: Mixed temperatures for sure.

Jenny: Yeah, and it’s U.S. Open season in New York, which is always super fun.

Rasheeda: Oh yes. You can see all of that on Instagram – everyone going and seeing all the good food and the options from chefs.

Jenny: Yep.

Rasheeda: Mm-hmm.

Jenny: And all the good drinks and excitement. The fall feels have us at the perfect time to talk about food, flavor, and the future of ramen.

Rasheeda: Mm-hmm.

Alex: Fall openings.

Jenny: Yeah – and New York.

Rasheeda: Yes, for sure.

Jenny: And all the openings.

Rasheeda: I’m so excited for this conversation.

Jenny: Always.

Rasheeda: And I think I’m about to eat after this really fast too.

Jenny: I know, we have to stop.

Alex: I’m hungry already – this is going to be tough, but we’ll soldier through.

Rasheeda: We set ourselves up for sure.

Jenny: Oh yeah.

Alex: We’ll make it through.

Jenny: It’ll whet the appetite. For our audience, we record at noon – perfect timing right before lunch.

Rasheeda: But…

Alex: Already hungry.

Jenny: And today – yeah, we’re always hungry.

Alex: Can we do a quick update before we get into flavors? Where are you now? What’s happening?

Rasheeda: Sure, yeah.

Alex: What’s new at the shop?

Rasheeda: So this is the first week of the OG team. I literally ran over to record after checking on the space. Everything’s going great. The walls that needed leveling for cabinetry are done, plaster is going up, and the arches have been pulled down more – they look dreamy from the window.

Rasheeda: We’re confirming the realistic counter spacing – how it feels in real time, especially with the floating counters on the wall, making sure I can move comfortably between the cooking area and the guest bar.

Rasheeda: We’re also checking code requirements for inches and flow through the tiny space. Today, I confirmed the exterior façade painting and limewash colors – I’m so excited for those details. It’s been straightforward – no “ifs” or “buts.”

Rasheeda: The team said, “Ra, do what you do – show us your movement so we can see what space you actually need.”

Jenny: Very cool. Did you have to redo the service run-through with these new contractors like before?

Rasheeda: Yes – just so they understand this flow. The Bowery Market was more triangular; this space is rectangular. Having me role-play the layout helps because of how short I am, honestly.

Rasheeda: I told them, “Think for me, not for yourselves.” It really worked out – and fast.

Jenny: What happens if you hire a really tall team member?

Rasheeda: They won’t have to reach as far!

Alex: Thank you.

Rasheeda: We joked about it, but the goal is to make everything work for someone between my height and average height. I’m five feet – maybe 4’11” now – but the space has to work for all of us.

Jenny: Your presence is bigger than five feet.

Alex: You present taller.

Jenny: Definitely.

Rasheeda: Okay, I’ll give myself a little grace.

Jenny: There you go.

Rasheeda: So tomorrow, they’re finishing plastering the arch and reinstalling cabinets. Then I’ll confirm where the three-compartment sink goes and which side the hand sink will be on. It’s all about seamless flow.

Rasheeda: Having real measurements on paper eliminates gray areas. The space is small, but when you maximize it intentionally, it won’t feel small. We’re role-playing everything – even winter coats and bulky clothes – to make sure it works.

Jenny: Now that your new contractors are fully in and working, I know you pushed your timeline back a few weeks. How’s that feeling now?

Rasheeda: It’s good. We’re aiming for mid-September completion. The delay is mostly for my schedule – I want a full month alone in the space before opening.

Rasheeda: So from October 1 to November 1 feels right. Something always happens, so I’m being realistic and building in a buffer.

Jenny: We love an under-promise, over-deliver situation.

Rasheeda: Exactly – let’s be real.

Alex: If you don’t have to rush, why rush?

Jenny: Five weeks was still fast for a restaurant build.

Rasheeda: Yeah, but now we’re on the “realistic bench.”

Jenny: Perfect segue to today’s topic – how you build your menu. When you first dreamed up the menu, what story did you want it to tell about you?

Rasheeda: The opportunity to build my menu started with tradition. I wanted to stay true to ramen’s roots – miso, shoyu – so people knew I was doing this out of love and respect for the culture.

Rasheeda: But over time, I realized my personal flair was muted. I started asking myself, “How do you stand out?” That’s when I began merging my world with ramen.

Rasheeda: My first fusion bowl was collard green ramen. It connected Southern slow cooking – bones, fat, smoked meat – to ramen broth. It launched during Thanksgiving 2021, and people loved it.

Rasheeda: Pot liquor is common in Southern cooking – you drink it, freeze it, reuse it. I used it as a ramen broth base mixed with shoyu. The texture was silky, the flavor luxurious. Collard greens with soy egg, sprouts, and scallions – it worked.

Rasheeda: Then came the chopped cheese ramen in Harlem – a hit. It merged the bodega sandwich world with ramen.

Alex: I need to know – how does that even work?

Rasheeda: Think French onion soup. That was my reference. It’s beef-based, with bread and cheese. I made a powdered cheddar spice to melt into the broth, giving it a velvety texture.

Rasheeda: Then I layered chopped cheese elements – lettuce on top (like bok choy in Asian soups), beef, fat – everything blending into the broth. It gave this New York-meets-Tokyo experience.

Alex: Okay, I’m hungry now.

Rasheeda: Same! But yes, the chopped cheese bowl was my green light. From there, I built confidence that I could tell stories through flavor.

Rasheeda: I learned that fat affects slurp speed – thicker broths (like miso) pair with thicker noodles, lighter broths (like shoyu) with thinner ones. I visited Sun Noodle and learned so much. They suggested I switch from wavy to straight noodles for shoyu.

Rasheeda: I was nervous to change something people loved, but they were right – it worked better visually and texturally. Now I only use straight noodles for my shoyu bowls.

Jenny: So all your bowls use the same noodle?

Rasheeda: Yes – it streamlines cost and consistency. The only exception is summer bowls, which are cold and brothless, where I use wavy spinach noodles for texture.

Jenny: And will you bring back the collard green and chopped cheese bowls?

Rasheeda: Yes – as specials. My core menu is breakfast-inspired “Asa ramen,” always with shoyu base and straight noodles. The toppings tie Japan and New York together – breakfast ramen that feels like both cultures.

Alex: Will the menu change from breakfast to dinner?

Rasheeda: No. “Breakfast” is more symbolic – an homage to Asa ramen’s morning origins and our early hours.

Rasheeda: Each bowl shares a shoyu base, but I change the oils to alter the flavor – bacon egg and cheese uses lard oil for rich smokiness; steak and soy egg uses citrusy yuzu-chimichurri oil; BLT has tomato broth; egg drop uses sesame broth; and my new maple sausage bowl has a sweet-and-savory balance.

Rasheeda: It’s one base broth, many oils – that’s how I make variety in a tiny space.

Alex: Smart. What about add-ons and increasing check average beyond one bowl?

Rasheeda: I’m adding broth cups and bao buns. People love my broth so much they asked for it as a drink!

Rasheeda: You can order a small five-ounce broth “beverage,” or get soy eggs and bao buns as add-ons. Think double-egg plating with different flavor profiles – everything egg, lox egg, bacon-egg-and-cheese egg.

Rasheeda: Bao buns come in matching styles – bacon-egg, lox, everything. These small bites give guests something while I prep their ramen.

Jenny: Can people pre-order those or order on-site?

Rasheeda: Reservations will include pre-ordering, but the window will sell bao and broth cups only – no ramen, at least at first.

Jenny: Will broth cups have flavor options?

Rasheeda: Yes! They mirror the bowls – citrus, sesame, umami, spicy, and espresso.

Alex: Espresso?

Rasheeda: Yes – espresso shoyu! Savory-sweet, soy milk foam on top – like a ramen version of a latte.

Alex: Amazing.

Jenny: Are you worried this adds complexity to your workflow?

Rasheeda: Not really. I’ll focus on ramen; my assistant will handle the window and bao. We’ll treat it as a separate stream at first to see what works.

Rasheeda: I predict the window will do really well – foot traffic is huge.

Jenny: What’s your R&D process like for these new ideas?

Rasheeda: It’s intuitive. I start with familiar foods and translate them into soups. Broth is always first. Then I test oils to see how they interact. The toppings come last – they’re familiar but reimagined.

Rasheeda: I test combinations constantly – adjusting fat, citrus, ginger, heat – until each oil defines its bowl.

Alex: Any experiments that didn’t work?

Rasheeda: Shrimp and grits ramen! I thought it would be a hit, but the grits sank instead of floating. Visually I wanted this beautiful floating layer, but it just didn’t work with a light broth. Maybe someday with miso or tonkotsu.

Alex: Still in development.

Rasheeda: Totally. I’ll bring it back one day – RIP shrimp and grits, for now.

Jenny: Another challenge – your menu sounds so good it’s hard to pick one bowl!

Rasheeda: That’s the hook. I want people to come back. Space is limited; I can’t do tasting flights. But regulars understand why – it’s just me in the kitchen.

Jenny: I may have booked three bowls once…

Rasheeda: Don’t say that too loud!

Alex: VIP treatment!

Jenny: I think I booked extra seats just so I could try more.

Rasheeda: People do that all the time – one person, two reservations. It’s fine. My system can handle it.

Jenny: Just come back, people.

Alex: Are you prepping daily or batching ahead?

Rasheeda: Always a day ahead. It’s part storage, part freshness. If something happens – someone’s sick, I’m covered. My rhythm is Tuesday prep for Wednesday, Wednesday for Thursday, and so on.

Jenny: Let’s talk pricing. How do finances work with so many premium toppings?

Rasheeda: I stay aware of margins but also consider the neighborhood. East Village is ramen central, but my bowls are topping-heavy – six to nine toppings versus the usual three.

Rasheeda: So my bowls range $25–$32. Some say I should charge more because portions are generous. But I want accessibility. When egg prices skyrocketed, I didn’t raise mine. Customers prepay weeks in advance – I couldn’t go back and ask for more.

Jenny: We’ve done the same – sometimes you just take smaller margins.

Rasheeda: Exactly. Some chefs told me to raise prices, but I want value and trust. My pre-order model helps – no waste, no guessing. Everything is calculated from real data.

Jenny: And your average guest check?

Rasheeda: Around $50 per person at Bowery Market. People go all in – they’re excited, not price-sensitive. It’s part of the experience.

Jenny: And for the new broth and bao window?

Rasheeda: Still figuring it out. I’ve been benchmarking bao prices around the city – they range wildly from $5 to $15. I want to land in the fast-casual middle.

Rasheeda: Eggs are trickier – some restaurants charge $12 for deviled eggs! I’m not doing that. My broth will be $5 for five ounces – simple. The bao and eggs will stay approachable.

Jenny: I think that’s smart.

Rasheeda: It’s about what people expect for casual dining in New York – around $20 for a great sandwich or bagel. Bao should feel equivalent.

Rasheeda: Ultimately, I’m pricing for total experience – not per item. It’s about the “ticket,” not the math.

Jenny: And broth flavor upgrades are an easy upsell.

Rasheeda: Exactly – $1 per upgrade, $2 for espresso.

Jenny: Makes sense.

Rasheeda: People pay $10 for a matcha!

Jenny: I know – I bought my daughter one this morning.

Rasheeda: Exactly. So if someone can grab a $5 broth cup on the go, they’ll come back the next day too.

Jenny: All right, we’ll update next time once pricing’s final.

Jenny: I’m officially starving now. Next time, we’ll talk about how you make the sale – the tech and tools behind the counter.

Rasheeda: Sweet.

Jenny: We’ll have a guest from Square joining too – can’t wait.

Rasheeda: Perfect.

Jenny: So exciting. We’re in it now.

Alex: Thanks, Ra.