Best NY Ramen
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I can vouch for Rai Rai Ken. (I live across the street) The ramen dishes are somewhat coarser than Momofuku (and I agree about the latter's upscale pretentions) but still solidly satisfying, especially in cold weather. The pork could be a little better grade sometimes. Chicken isn't bad. The noodles and broth are "authentic", probably the same ramen you would be served at noodle shop in Tokyo.
Momofuku is obviously better for a date but if a girl likes Rai Rai Ken, then she's the one for you!
Momofuku is obviously better for a date but if a girl likes Rai Rai Ken, then she's the one for you!
Darn it, all this take about Rai Rai Ken is making me hunger for it. Geesh!
As for finding miso paste, I guess you can find it anywhere in Chinatown right? I never thought of that before. With this economy I'll be having more ramen noodles at home. Then again, the more I save, the more money I get to monger with.
As for finding miso paste, I guess you can find it anywhere in Chinatown right? I never thought of that before. With this economy I'll be having more ramen noodles at home. Then again, the more I save, the more money I get to monger with.
There are several Japanese grocery stores around town. There's one on Third Avenue between 9th Street and 14th Street on the east side of the block. There's another on 9th Street between 2nd & 3rd Aves. upstairs on the second floor. There used to be another one on 43rd between 6th & 7th Aves. — haven't been by there for a while, so I don't know if it's still there. There's one on Mulberry Street just south of Canal. I'm sure there are others, too.
As for finding the miso paste in the store, it's usually in the cooler, because it's a live culture so it has to be refrigerated. Basically, it's fermented brown rice, if I remember correctly.
As for finding the miso paste in the store, it's usually in the cooler, because it's a live culture so it has to be refrigerated. Basically, it's fermented brown rice, if I remember correctly.
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The dish you get at these ramen bars is not something you sould easily make at home simply because of the economies of scale -- too much prep for the small quantities required. Though called Ramen, the noodles are the least important part of the dish. At Sapporo, for example, you have the choice of several flavors of soup (miso, shio, shio bata, sesame, curry and others) and in addition to noodles, you get two kinds of pork (sliced and ground), two kinds of fish cake, corn, bean sprouts, scalions, spinach, seaweed and more. I suppose you could go to a salad bar and pick up the ingredients so you didn't have to wash and slice them yourself, but why bother when you can get the real deal prepared by an experienced cook for under $10.
I used to make ramen soup for lunch all the time. Steam some veggies, chop up some scallions, mix some miso and soy sauce together -- the whole thing takes under 15 minutes to prepare. You could grill a chicken breast and add a couple of slices, too, and save the rest for dinner. It's not rocket science.
That said, I still prefer to go to Momofuko.
That said, I still prefer to go to Momofuko.
There's a newer Ramen place down the Avenue from Momofoku - Ramen Setagaya - which I think is an outpost of a Japanese chain. Every Japanese born person I've spoke with about it strongly prefers Setagaya, but obviously due to the authenticity factor (both are crowded and beyond). From what I understand, while Setagaya wins for authenticity and noodles, the quality of the ingredients at Momofoku is superior (which is entirely predictable given what each of them are, both philosophy and lineage wise).
I've never gotten the impression that Momofuko was even trying to pretend to be an authentic Japanese noodle joint. In fact, I believe David Chang's background is Korean. That's not to say that there aren't other, excellent and more authentically Japanese noodle places in the city. There are. I just happen to enjoy the food and atmosphere at Momofuko.
If the size and ethnicity of the crowds are any indication, then the newly opened Ippudo on 4th Avenue, between 9th & 10th must be pretty good. Has anyone been there?
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ippudo-ramen-new-york
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ippudo-ramen-new-york
The problem with the Momofukus is that they look like cheap places, but since they serve real ingredients cooked by real chefs they charge something like what real restaurants charge. (Still less than they would if they operated more traditionally, though.)
To go to a place like that and judge them on their bok choy strikes me as a bit ridiculous. It's like going to Luger's and saying it sucks cuz the salad isn't that good.
To go to a place like that and judge them on their bok choy strikes me as a bit ridiculous. It's like going to Luger's and saying it sucks cuz the salad isn't that good.