Handmade ramen shop Oiistar opened its doors nearly a week ago, introducing dishes like savory 18-hour pork broth and duck-filled steamed buns to the eager palates of Wicker Park. Given chef Sunny Yim's mixing of French and Japanese flavors with traditional Korean dishes (like French kimichi soup with melted provolone and a creme brulee dessert), diners were initially skeptical of the menu. However thoughtful food impressed the ramen-hungry bunch and, aside from minor issues with service and pricing complaints, customers have warmed up to the noodle place. Here's the early word on Oiistar:
The Good News: On Yelp, a customer is dazzled by the service. "we got in and was very impressed by the greeting staff.the food was outstanding!?i had the duck buns d-lishios, my wife a huge bowl with ramen noodle and she killed me on the way back home how good it was. The atmosphere very friendly, chefs super, and not pricey !" [Yelp]
The Great News A DNAInfo commenter is wowed by the flavors: "Been to Oiistar twice now and have not been disappointed! Worth the drive for us "suburbanites". From the fresh Oii salad for appetizer, the rice bun delicacies with either pork, duck, or portabella mushrooms, all with savory sauces and micro greens, to the main course ramen bowls, this food is amazing. Delicious, complex flavors come out with every bite." [DNAInfo Comments]
The Dude News: Emporium bartender Adam Export instagrams: "Oh, y'know, just two dudes getting down on some classy ramen. @ Oiistar" [Instagram]
The Overbearing Staff News: A Yelp reviewer recalls a bad experience: "The pork ramen entree was piss poor, and left a strange fermenty-miso film in the back of my throat that made me nauseous all night. The staff was nice, but wanted too much feedback on the food. It was uncomfortable because I would have felt terrible being frank with them." [Yelp]
The Noise News: One Facebooker finds the atmosphere alarming: "The noodles and broth were both fantastic -- it's worth visiting for that alone. It was very loud, so if you're in a large group conversation can get tricky unless you're cool with shouting." [Facebook]
The Okra News: DNAInfo reporter Alisa Hauser tweets her meal: "okra never looked this good. at #wickerpark @oiistar pic.twitter.com/t5vycNH3" [Twitter]
The Dessert News: Thrillist suggests: "If you're feeling something sweet try the creme brulee with espresso caviar, a far more reasonable alternative to the fishy kind, especially if that second byproduct of your education was not a hefty paycheck." [Thrillist]
The Music News: One Yelper raves about the place's selection of 90s hits: "Wicker/Bucktown needs a place like this (yeah, I know Takashi has/had ramen, but only on Sundays). All the 90's hip hop and rap that was playing was a good touch. It's been awhile since I heard Ain't No Fun and early Tupac." [Yelp]
— Ashley Mason
· All Oiistar Coverage [~ECHI~]
· Oiistar [website]