Boru Noodle Bar

Not your typical ramen, but some thoughtful fancy cooking going on here! Thoroughly enjoyed my meal and look forward to my next eating there.

If you’ve ever questioned kale and its purpose here on earth, Boru has your answer. Their kale salad is a beautiful balance of earthy, nutty, acidicy, and creamy. Their Brussels sprouts are sweet, salty, crunchy, and bursting with flavor. My friend had the fall squash vegetarian ramen and I had the miso ramen. Both were bursting with the right amount of flavors with smooth mouthfeel. Always try the egg! Soft boiled perfectly. There’s awesome artwork on the walls and a simple small menu that’s bursting with flavor. Try it. You won’t regret how delicious everything is.

For a Asian fusion/​ramen bar in Newport, this isn’t bad. But compared to other ramen bars, it isn’t great either.
I tried the short rib ramen with mushrooms. Their meat is quite plentiful and delicious, and I like the texture and elasticity of their noodles. However the broth, which is what makes ramen ramen, really fell short for me. It was under seasoned and lacking in flavor, although it vastly improved with the addition of hot sauce that I begged from the order counter. My friends also got their Thai tea, which they said was too sweet. The ambience is also trendy, but too dark. I felt like I was eating in a cave.
Overall, this isn’t a bad place to eat. It’s Newport, after all, which isn’t known for Asian food. But their ramen still has a long, long way to go.

Excellent ramen. I had the short rib. Mushroom broth was flavorful and delicious and noodles have good texture. Place is cute and has a really nice vibe.

Another Unilocal find!
Seeing some of my fellow Unilocalers rave about this place, I was hopeful it would live up to expectations. And while it wasn’t quite NY-​quality ramen, it’s pretty darn good (and excellent for New England).
They had a mussels special that was a nice mix of fresh mussels with a light sauce. My only complaint is that it was almost too light on the spice. And maybe a bun on the side to sop up all that sauce that was hiding at the bottom. It’s also hard eating it with chop sticks…
The spicy miso ramen was nice and I loved the quality of the noodles.
The room is a bit small and it’s counter service (tip or no tip) but overall, it’s a great little place to mix up your Newport food.

The food is good. The brussel sprouts and calamari were AWESOME. The noodle bowls are pretty good but not earth shattering as I had hoped. Still worth trying.
The big downside was the awful smell. In my opinion, it Smelled like a dirty bathroom or kitchen. I really couldn’t get past it: s

Boru noodle bar is surprisingly authentic for homesick Asians like me. The last thing I would expect vacationing in Newport, Rhode Island would be Asian cuisine, but I found great braised pork buns similar to those found back home (with an American twist though) and ramen with a great kick on my mouth. All in a last minute rush at 4pm to visit the bar. How can I not love this place?

SO SO SO GOOD! The spicy miso ramen is amazing, we ate here a few times a week while staying in Newport for 3 months. Everything on the menu is excellent, can’t recommend enough!!!

Interesting atmosphere with lively music and amazing food. These noodles rival momofuku and might be better in some aspects. The steamed pork buns are delicious as well. The cooks put their love into each bowl. Highly recommended

Really hard to beat some warm ramen on a cold New England night. Excellent wings and I had the house ramen. It was fabulous — I don’t have a single bad thing to say about their food. Seems a little pricey, but it is Newport after all. We stood around at the front for a minute or two not sure if we should sit down or order at the counter. The cook working the kitchen up front gave us no help despite our apparent confusion, so we were in the process of seating ourselves when the cashier finally came out and we realized we had to order at the counter. But other than the initial confusion, it was a super enjoyable meal and I would definitely recommend!

After reading a lot of the reviews, and finally eating here today, I was overall disappointed. I ordered the spicy miso ramen, which I’ve had at numerous Ramen houses around the world, and for some reason their version has a sweet aftertaste/​tinge to it. I’m pretty sure this is a no-​no. Also, charging $ 13 for a bowl of Ramen is a crime (unless it is incredibly good, which this was not).

Truly a tiny gem of the Broadway scene. First of all, thank you Boru for being open during our mini-​blizzard to serve us warm ramen! It was lovely to watch the snow blow around and wreak havoc through the giant picture window in the rear dining area. Which, by the way, we would not have known about hadn’t the super friendly server made us aware of it.
My husband and I shared the basil chili wings (yum) and the fall squash ramen for lunch. There was plenty for both of us, and trust me, that man can EAT. Tons of flavor and large ramen servings. In case you were planning to booze, I believe they are BYO. Reasonable prices as well.
*Just a note, this place is not prissy. It’s a casual, low-​key kind of place.

Sub par & disappointing. My group ordered two spicy miso ramen, one house ramen, chicken wings, pork belly buns, and a kale salad. I’ve had my share of authentic ramen from LA, Vegas, and Boston. Nobu isn’t comparable, but I can forgive lack of authenticity — the taste just didn’t deliver. Needless to say, no one in the group was impressed by the flavors to finish the ramen. The corn had a strange sour, almost spoiled taste that ruined everything. The seasoning of the chicken wings wasn’t balanced. Pork buns were decent, at best.
The atmosphere and location of the restaurant was nice. Portion size was adequate. I wouldn’t revisit.

I had been to many ramen places operated by Japanese owners in San Francisco Bay Area, so it was interesting to see a ramen place at Newport. The chefs were not Asians, but the ramen was okay. One can easily identify it as not authentic ramen, but I think it was actually okay.
It was ~$ 12 for the house ramen which would be a bit more expensive than in SF area. But again Newport is a tourist trap the majority of the time of a year.

Boru Noodle Bar. (3 stars)
Spicy Miso Ramen was filling and had a depth of flavor I enjoy in a Miso Ramen broth. The broth had a buttery texture which paired well with the kick of chili oil infused into the broth. The noodles were chewy and held up to the thicker broth (vice shoyu base). I enjoyed it!
However their Kimchee was inedible (way too sour! and I’m used to eating Kimchee)!! This is the kind of Kimchee one would use to make Kimchee stew! (very fermented!!)… [I eat Korean food very often (and am part Korean) and have eaten all over Korea…]
I enjoyed the Yacht Club sodas which are made in RI! Root beer definitely hit the spot!!! The staff (of 2 — host and chef) was very friendly and I’m hoping they add a few more choices of ramen broth… But I would go back to Boru if I was in RI again. Maybe Boru will consider making a Tan Tan mein (it’s a spicy sesame based broth)!!
ASIAN FOOD IN MIDDLETOWN, RI IS VIRTUALLY NON-​EXISTENT! So I was so happy to find this place! There are about 15 seats (which includes the table and stools right next to where the chef is preparing all the meals)… Parking is limited but if you go at the off peak times that shouldn’t be an issue.

There was construction in the area, so the location was slightly off-​putting. We were expecting a slightly upscale, well-​endowed ramen house. So when we got in, and it was more like a small hole-​in-​the-​wall, we started questioning the Unilocalers.
Then we tasted their brussels sprouts, and our fears dissipated immediately. We knew, it would all be perfect. The pork buns were ridiculously good. We loved their pork ramen and the rice noodles. The staff were extremely kind and helpful. Good people.
The chef was there, and we thanked him for a fabulous meal. He said that if we loved ramen we should try Meyers and Chang in Boston. We did, and Boru wins the ramen contest.

I have had better ramen but I guess context is important. Sunny and diverse Newport cannot be held to the same ramen standards, and by most standards of food in general, Boru is a great place to grab a quick lunch or dinner.
The ramen ranges between $ 10 – 20 and the portion size is medium veering a tiny bit towards small; enough to fill most people, but might just leave you wishing for more if your current trendy diet happens to be «eat things until youre full».
I had the pork belly noodles and I must say i thought the pork belly was delicious. It was incredibly tender; alas there were only two pieces of pork which I guess ends up being better for my cardiovascular health– thanks boru for watching out for 40-​years-​from-​now me! The noodles were unremarkable and in all honesty run of mill asian supermarket dried egg noodles in all likelihood. the broth and sauce for their dishes in general veer to salty, which I guess ramen often is, but it makes the soup mostly undrinkable.
the line seems to get longer past 6, but we were there at a little past 5 and it was nice and chill
Oh and the place is not very vegetarian friendly, which i guess is just a tip, not a knock.

Quick and tasty, don’t leave Newport without visiting Boru Noodle Bar.
Good ramen is hard to come by around these parts. Quaint and intimate, Boru makes satisfying your cravings easy. Bursting with addictive flavor, these bowls come with crisp veggies and perfectly cooked meats or fish.
Lately I’ve had an intense love affair with the «chicken sesame noodles». Spicy sesame dressing, blistered tomatoes, and scallions — it’s the perfect snack during these dog days of summer. The «seared tuna ramen» is another favorite. The chilled noodles, gochujang, and wasabi slaw make it the spicy and savory. You can never go wrong with the «house ramen» –a floating half-​egg atop sliced pork belly and chunks of napa cabbage? It goes down, oh so well.
Pricing ranges from $ 11 – 15. Seating is cozy but by the end of Summer 2015, Boru plans on adding 20 seats after expanding into an adjacent space. They also plan on adding a proper bathroom in which «an average person can actually fit».
Escape the annoying tourists and show these guys some love.

Really amazing! Great food, fun, quaint, and a SUPER NICE staff. The Spicy Cashew Ramen, after the first bite, I knew in my heart that it was the type of food that you wake up in the middle of the night craving. Really. It’s 2 a.m. was that a bump in the night? Is there an intruder? No. Something is wrong somewhere. I can feel it in my soul. Should I call and check on my parents? No. That would really piss off Mom. What’s wrong??? OH. MY. GOD. I know! I know! I need some Spicy Cashew Ramen! Seriously folks, it’s that good.
By the by… there’s an appetizer called Crispy Brussels. Even if you typically hate brussel sprouts. Just get em’, you’ll thank old Lucy.

I really liked this little place! It felt cozy and tucked away, and the ramen hit the spot on a chilly night. We were really just looking for a snack, because we were eating our «real» dinner in a couple of hours, but in Newport, I feel like I need constant refueling because there’s just so much good food.
We shared a ramen that is no longer on the menu, but I’d recommend it if it comes back. It was almost mediterranean in style, with tomatoes, zucchini, and string beans. We also shared their crispy brussels sprouts which were out of this world. I kept sneaking extra bites when I thought the BF wasn’t looking.
It is small, so I would not come with a large group. Also, we were moved from a table to the bar-​type seating on the side after we were seated (to make room for other people), which wasn’t terrible, but don’t be surprised if it happens. The ramen-​getting is not a super fast process (which maybe translates into better food, in this case), so just don’t expect to run in, have a bowl, and dash back out.