Uncle is a ramen restaurant located in the Highlands, next door to Highland Tap & Burger. Even though it’s been around for a few years, it’s still very popular and crowded. A large group of friends and I went on a weekday night, and had a 2 hour wait, which was expected, since the restaurant isn’t that big. It has a cozy neighborhood feel to it with wooden paneling on the walls and great lighting. When I told a friend that I was going to Uncle, she said that I needed to get the chicken dish that had a cloudy broth, but she couldn’t remember the name of it. You can imagine the waitress’s face when I asked her what that was. Luckily, the menu is small, with only a few specific items in each section, and there is only one option for chicken ramen (Spicy Chcken Ramen).
We were quite hungry by the time we got inside, so we ordered some edamame to hold us over. I’m so glad we did, because it was by far the best edamame I’ve ever had. It had garlic, serrano, miso powder, and lime on it. They were perfectly cooked, with fantastic texture and flavor.
Some of my friends ordered beers, but were disappointed when they all came out in bottles. Another friend ordered a Moscow Mule, which came out not in a copper mug, but instead in a regular glass. A few of us got wine, which was perfectly enjoyable.
Now, onto talking about the ramen: Oh my goodness. Everyone was impressed with the ramen. Having never had ramen at a restaurant before, my only experience with it had been the $1.00 ramen you buy at the store and add to boiling water when you’re a poor college student. This is nothing like that, and well worth the $14 average dish cost. (This is especially true because I have a small appetite and was able to bring home the leftovers and eat it for 2 other meals.) Each bowl was bursting with flavor in its own unique way. The Spicy Chicken Ramen had more earthy flavors, with sesame, scallions, and bean sprouts. The Kimchi had deeper flavors with pork, Korean chili broth, and cabbage. The duck had richer and sweeter flavors, with apples and arugula. All ramen dishes were served with noodles and a soft egg on top. There was a large discussion in our group of whether the Kimchi or Spicy Chicken was better, but all agreed that it was very delicious and a great experience.
Uncle– 2215 W. 32nd Ave Denver, CO 80211