raji

The ramen, at the level that can survive the ramen war in Japan, is probably the first in Manhattan. *** As for the ramen broth, do you guys all drink it up?? Don't take the movie Tampopo too seriously... ← Depends on the broth, doesn't it..... a good tonkotsu broth, a sheet of snow outside, I will grab the sesame grinder, sesame oil, vinegar, and chili oil and drink every last drop....

As you can see there's a lot of competition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKDpSuorPi8

That's obscene. I'm willing to pay a bit extra for comfort food prepared really well. But unless they sprinkled truffles and gold dust onto it, how do they get off charging that kind of premium? Booo

Doc, neither Raji nor I were directing our comments to you. The comparison between Setagaya and Momofuku was made by chetlemon.Sorry for the confusion! ← ditto!

Apples and oranges! ← Agreed 100%. It's not a valid comparison, especially in light of the fact that Chang makes no bones that his ramen is not Japanese style. ← I'm not comparing the two as I have never had Chang's, but I think it is certainly valid to compare them as far as flavor and overall culinary satisfaction. One may in fact be a "better" dish than the other regardless of authenticity. For all I know Chang's may be even better, Japanese style or not, though that would be an incredible feat. ← Thank you doc for the pics and report!!!! Next rainy day, I am THERE. Ramen is so perfect on a rainy day. Well, I still haven't had momofuku's ramen (ducks) but take for instance, Udon - I love both Korean and Japanese Udon but I only compare Japanese Udon to other Japanese Udon.... Likewise, I believe the shortlist to compare Setagaya to is Menkuitei, Menchankotei, Santouka, and perhaps Minca or Rairaiken? I used to eat Santouka on a regular basis in Japan so I'm kind of a devotee... I never went to Setagaya and I hope I like it, I'm just a curmudgeon perhaps because I had the luxury of being picky. Imagine a place where you can have your burger prepared 100X more different than perhaps NYC alone, and that's Japan and it's assortment of ramen shops, styles, chains, and choices. It's absolutely mad.

← I've got to get around to reading that book, but from the information I've been presented from it, it's more about American sushi, especially as he trained at the LA sushi academy.. and that is to say that the number of authentic, step-into-Tokyo places has increased fourfold in NYC in the past 5 years or so (which I attribute to smartasses like myself spreading the gospel and increasing demand, because the population of Japanese nationals has certainly not increased fourfold) , where you won't find California and Spicy Tuna rolls on the menu, so I don't call these places American sushi restaurants... nor would you find a sushi chef at the authentic places younger than perhaps his mid-thirties and more likely in their fifties, as you are really supposed to apprentice a long time before taking the reigns of a sushi bar. Which is also to say that I still say the rice and fish and vegetables are moreso the hallmark of a good sushi roll, crisp nori should just be a nonissue. A good sushi bar with their s*** together, for table orders, you'll hear the sushi chefs summon a waitress and the roll will be delivered at a semi-jog, so you are talking about a different of 10 or 20 seconds... the negitoro will live I think this debate is more of a matter of ordering moreso than the huge sacrifice of sitting at a table. For many, the only true way to eat sushi is omakase and that can only be accomplished at the bar in front of a master sushi chef, so that will never go down at a table. At a table you have to rely on yourself while at the bar you can rely on the chef, and there is probably where my opinion is really skewed... I'm pretty familiar with most types of fish they'll get over here, know what's good and in season, and can put in a really well-informed and balanced order, so much so that i'm always asked to order for everyone no matter the company. I'm NOT tooting my own horn, just saying that plopping down at the bar makes a bigger difference if you're relying more on the chef's knowledge. At the end of the day, of course I always prefer sitting at the bar because only the chef knows the relative quality of what he's got as well as stuff that might not show up on the menu, and moreso because I like getting to know the chef, it's very interesting once you've dealt with sushi chefs with different regions across Japan - one from Kyushu might have very different tastes and specialities than one from Sendai. Anyway, obviously the true connoisseur must sit at the bar, but it's possible to order smart from a table. Try ordering in rounds than all at once. Don't get so many rolls, that's a uniquely American thing anyway, maki rolls are ordered here faaaaaaaar more than Japan. Try ordering temaki which should be delivered in a little wooden stand. And if you're stuck at a table and your waitress is snoozing on your order, find another sushi bar! This is all of course if you are stuck at a table, but many situations demand it, and the family dinner is a much different experience than the big-ticket omakase, isn't it? One thing that rubs me the wrong way is the foreign press's obsession with Tsukiji and tuna auctions and that one particular Tsukiji sushiko that every foreigner MUST go to... the trends of modern Japan are completely ignored. Yes there are many 12-seat sushi bars all over Japan, but the customers who can spend $120 on an expense account have dwindled; Japan has been in a controlled recession for over 15 years now. I've had the full gamut of experiences going over there, from the full expensed junket to just barely getting by, but most "normal" Japanese can't afford more than $50 perhaps, even on a Friday night. And the cities have seemingly trended towards larger operations where cost-cutting is possible and several dedicated chefs serve the bar and yes, tables. I sit at the sushi bar far more often in the US than in Japan. That's probably because it's still more of a niche thing here, whereas in Japan, everyone eats sushi, and it's everywhere from the convenience marts and department stores to the conveyor belt and $1-plate shops to the big high-capacity operations to the tiny wallet-busters. But at the end of the day, the fact that I'm at a table hasn't proved so much a problem because the service is precision and swift....

You mean the Chiyoda next to Cafe Zaiya? Aburi sushi isn't that uncommon, it's just a matter of the sushi bar owning a blowtorch... You went to Midorizushi in Umegaoka or Shibuya? when did I recommend it to you? sorry if I forgot

Apples and oranges!

At a really good sushi restaurant, you shouldn't have to.... and what if you are 4 people and want to catch up with eachother rather than the sushi chefs? I think it's great to sit at the bar to order omakase or at least a la carte, and especially if you are alone or 2, but a lot of times in NY, I see prime sushi bar real estate wasted by a couple where, usually the female, "doesn't eat raw fish". Also, the best sushi chefs operate with such speed and dexterity that just 2 of them can serve an entire restaurant and not sacrifice quality on the platters going out to the tables. But I think for the type of people who post and read here, I agree with you FG. As for the list, it's crap. It hasn't been updated since around 2004, but even it WAS 2004, the order is pretty random. The comments make the author look pretty n00b. Well if this draws the riffraff away, all the better. Nobu has great, Japan-sized sushi, which seems small for NY. I've had really great sashimi there as well. But sushi is not their focus, so sometimes they don't have the turnover that sushi restaurants have and I'd call the top-ten sushi places better...

You are absolutely right about the dry rubs, but that's usually what I order from there. That's the 2nd time I've gotten sub-standard Memphis Dry-Rubs from there, out of more than 2 dozen visits, and I'm going to write it off to huge lines that day. The other time as well, the restaurant was way over-taxed, and my theory is that these were hastily put together to put up with the demand and perhaps didn't get the same care and attention that they usually do. Usually, the dry-rubs have a delicious spice-rub crust while the inside is moist and succulent. I tried your beef rib and yes that was damn damn good. I really want to do the Whole Pork Butt or one of the other big pig gigs with you guys - that's where more of the award-winning stuff lives...

Oh I remembered one place - really damn good authentic Mexican and tex/mex http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2003/07/1...ota_GOAT_tables Fresh gaucamole done tableside, this place is really a find...

blech About Saigon Grill, it's crackered-up (americanized), for sure, but still everything is well prepared and fresh and it's just a damn tasty restaurant. But you might join the boycott. I dunno for cheap eats on the UES, I'd venture north for all sorts of latin food ← I'll admit that I tend to first assess Vietnamese restaurants by their pho. Pho Bang and Nha Trang, although not great, have significantly better pho than Saigon Grill. the rest of the menu I'm not so familiar with... ← their pho? phoooorget about it!!! Actually the pho hotpot place pho32 is not bad for pho, although it's run by koreans and inauthentic. otherwise, yeah nha trang. no it's all bout their Bo Luc Lac. I could eat that shit every day for a month

blech About Saigon Grill, it's crackered-up (americanized), for sure, but still everything is well prepared and fresh and it's just a damn tasty restaurant. But you might join the boycott. I dunno for cheap eats on the UES, I'd venture north for all sorts of latin food

raji, I haven't been to Chanto in almost a year, I think. They used to have fabulous desserts when Seth Caro (sethro on eGullet) was Pastry Chef there. How are their desserts now? And what about their savory dishes? I liked them, but the star of my meal was the King of Kimchi. I assume they're still making that? ← I still have never been there. But my friend has, and liked it much, and I trust him innately, he owns 30 restaurants in Japan. Another friend of mine did the interior design - definitely a nice room!!!!

Yeah most of those are in Soho, although closer to Houston - WV proper can get pretty touristy........ I figure anyone named "epicurious" can wander below houston a little, it's still closer than Gramercy or Nolita....

WV proper can get pretty touristy........ I figure anyone named "epicurious" can wander below houston a little, it's still closer than Gramercy or Nolita....

If you are up for Asian foods (Nathan's soooo provincial :-p ) you might try - Surya for Indian food, altho hike it to Devi for 10X better - Woo Lae Oak for Korean - Kittichai for Thai - Rockmeisha for ramen, izakaya food - Chanto, En for Japanese classed up izakaya - Ushiwakamaru for sushi - Omen for Kyoto style Japanee food Japanese food may be my focus but if I didn't find so much BAD and FAKE Japanese food outside of Japan, with so many fine examples in NYC, I wouldn't be so persistent... Also, if you can get a burger @ Corner Bistro, a slice at Joe's, also could try a burger at BLT Burger

Yeah I thought it was a prawn, actually, but couldn't tell for sure from the photo... Kanpachi is a tastier relative of the "hamachi" yellowtail, easy to remember because they sound alike Kanpachi (greater amberjack) and amaebi (small, sweet shrimp) are 2 highly seasonal fish carried usually at the more authentic places and are 2 that I always ask the chef for Yeah toro is always the most popular... to be honest after years of sushi-eating I grew a bit away from fat tooth and found different plateaus of flavor, appreciating the shiromi (all types of white fish) more....

Hatsuhana does not appear on enough lists but the 2 locations are easily in the top 10 in NYC. I'm glad that they stay off the radar, stay authentic, don't get caught up in the hype Is that their 9-course omakase? I see: Negitoro with _real_ wasabi Tamago and cooked salmon? Uni Salmon Maguro Kanpachi? Hamachi? Ikura don Unagi don

If there is a constant turnover of ramen orders than Momofuku's ramen may actually be very good albeit "new-style". Pizza is to New York as Ramen is to Tokyo. There's a place on every corner, many are open 24 hours, it's a great snack, quick lunch, and when you're smashed. There's a lot of BS places and then theres intense competition at the top. But back to my first sentence, one of the main ingredients of top pizza and ramen places is a constant turnover that keeps the ovens/broth hot and ensures your pizza/noodles have not been sitting around long if at all. That's why the best ramen you can do is in Manhattan is probably lunchtime @ Menkuitei, Menchanktei, Saburi, when it's piled with Japanese officeworkers...

Ramen Setagaya? I have to check it out personally, I've heard some great things about it. But ramen comes down to a matter of personal preference. Unfortunately in NY, there aren't enough strong places to experience this dynamic, but in Japan, it is, OK, what am I craving, misoramen, shioramen, hakataramen, chyasuuramen, etc. etc. So this new place might have a great shioramen but I'm more of a tonkotsuramen kind of guy back to your original point, I wouldn't compare momofuku to authentic Japanese ramenya

I'm not surprised that I offended someone and I apologize.. I'm not judging based on only fast food, and I should correct myself and state that, in my experience, a restaurant has been tasty despite being kosher. I don't think I said that being kosher would make a bad falafel, but in my experience hasn't made a good one either. I know it's a touchy subject, but let's be real here; how many restaurants are discussed on this board and are kosher? (and correct me if I'm wrong, but I mean in the supervised sense, not in the looser reform definition...) You know, that's pretty offensive. Judging all kosher dining based on fast food places like Kosher Delight is pretty ignorant. It's like saying all American food sucks because you think MacDonald's is nasty. ←

Sounds great! and I have an Ushiwakamaru dinner coming up soon - perhaps next week - PM me

Many a time I have to host friends from across the pond who bemoan that they can't find a good curry once they're nice and smashed. I have to explain that most of the Indian food in Manhattan is not made from people from the same region. For instance, all the 6th street restaurants are run by Bangladeshi's and is not good. Just doesn't taste authentic. Last night, after explaining the rules of baseball to my Welsh friend for 2 hours, we hit Jackson Heights, and although I wanted South Indian, he wanted "a good curry", which I don't exactly know what means but I took Mayur's recommendation and hit Kababish - you know it must be good when it's packed with North Indian's and Pakistanis For $13 we stuffed ourselves on a chicken tikka masalas, 2 garlic naans, basmati rice and salad, ending with a couple chais. Very very good - he agreed this was better than most in London. So, while Jackson Heights does not offer FINE dining, by exploring a bit you can certainly piece together the best of every single Indian regional cuisine at more "hole in the wall" restaurants... I've been exploring more as a Mets season ticket holder and have been able to get great south indian, north indian, kebabs, and that in between.... thanks for the reccos Mayur

Sorry I was talking about Kosher restaurants that serve the Orthodox Jewish community in general, which I wouldn't go to for falafel as there are plenty of places that specialize in falafel with much better results...