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Corktown’s
Ima Noodle Bar

LINDSEY SHAW SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

I

t’s pronounced “Ema,” like “mom”
ths
slurping for joy! The silky savory broths
in Hebrew.
are made overnight for 12-14 hours.
Situated on Michigan Avenue
You can literally sense all the good
in Detroit’s Corktown neighbor-
vibes and energy that were put into
hood, you will find the little gem of
making them.
a modern-style Japanese noodle bar
The golden curry dish makes you
called Ima. Casual in its demeanor and
go mmmm at first bite as the silky
unassuming in its exterior appear-
warm curry delights you from the
ance, you may accidently drive by it
outside in. The golden curry dish is
the first time you go. Keep an eye out
bright and colorful with in-house
for the sign adhered to the building at
pickled and root vegetables sur-
the corner of Michigan Avenue and
rounding your protein of choice
Vermont Street.
atop a mountain of steamed rice
It’s one of those chef-driven restau-
with nori and hemp seeds.
rants with a boatload of
Don’t be dis-
soul and flavor stuffed
appointed that
into a 900-square-foot
the boombap does not
space. Chef Mike Ransom
have a hot stone bowl
puts a creative spin on
beneath it — it will be
signature udon noodle
delicious!
soups, rice bowls, curries
Whether you are first t
2015 Michigan Ave.,
and small plates. His
or
last to order, you can
n
Detroit
recipes are foolproof and
guarantee
the
flavors
and
nd
(313) 502-5959
provide the consistency of
quality
will
remain.
There
ere
imanoodles.com
your favorite new neigh-
is street parking available
ble
borhood joint.
on Michigan Avenue. Ima
ma
The menu is friendly to the spicy
is a wallet-friendly restaurant where
friends, vegetarian or vegan friends,
you don’t have to sacrifice a high price
ce
and even the gluten-free friends. The
for a highbrow flavor. It’s open daily:
menu is divided by sections such as
Monday through Thursday 11 a.m.-10
Snack + Share, Noodles, Rices and
p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11-11; and
Add-Ons. If you are a picky person, you Sunday noon to 10.
could have a heyday of a meal just by
It’s a walk-in style restaurant,
choosing several add-on options.
but you can make reservations for
Let’s get straight down to it — the
parties of six or more. Get ready y
his
must-haves include the Jicama shell
to make new friends because this
[Ima] tacos and Lobster Udon and
spot hosts communal tables sup-
Golden Curry with Tofu. Inside
ported by industrial chic chairs
hairs
the Ima tacos your lips will be graced
as well as window seating g with
with wakame slaw, green chili hot
high-top bar seats. I would
ould recom-
sauce, toasted corn, shiso and the
mend going with a small
mall group of
added protein of your choosing (spicy
people. The popular
ar restaurant is
shrimp, roasted tofu, garlic chicken,
busting at the seams
ams with custom-
smoked pork loin or avocado). Even
ers since the day
ay it opened in 2007.
the obligatory green salad is elevated
Recently Chef Ransom announced
ening a second location
and is known as “goddess greens,” aka
he will be opening
hts. Go get out of the
baby romaine, radish, jicama, avocado,
in Madison Heights.
furikake, with miso goddess dressing.
house and get yourself f a bowl of noo-
The noodle dishes will have you
dles at Ima! ■

Ima
Noodle
Bar

62

November 1 • 2018

jn

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