Best Miso Ramen and Gyouza in Manhattan

[LPShanet]

There has been quite a bit of discussion about the relative merits of Setagaya, Santouka, Minca, Ippudo, etc. as the top ramen joint in the area. However, a friend of mine who spent quite a bit of time in Japan is interested in having the best miso ramen he can find in NYC, and I wasn't sure which place to lean towards, as I've mostly had the shio at Setagaya, and the tonkotsu (akamaru modern) at Ippudo. Would love to hear whom anyone feels has the best iteration(s) of miso ramen in NYC.

[kathryn]

Time Out NY says Sapporo.

http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/re...29/raging-bowls

[Noodlebot]

Agree w/the Sapporo rec.

[alwang]

I personally like Menchanko-tei.

[raji]

Ohh Kathryn you and I both know that people on here are not getting recommendations from TONY.... that said, Sapporo has for the most part sucked since the 90s, cheap ingredients prepared by a low-wage staff. But that's one of their best dishes, just the best dish of a bad place.

I'm not a misoramen guy, but last time I was in Ippudo, I was with a good friend from Setagaya-ku in Japan (yes, the same Setagaya - I personally was not a fan of theirs in Tokyo and felt they never delivered on their promises in NY, but that's for another thread - and my buddy agreed that they sucked harder in NYC) and claimed that Ippudo's misoramen was just about the best he'd had in NY. Worth a try would be Menkuitei and Menchankotei's midtown locations, and downtown, perhaps rairaiken to be honest.

Of course better to be had at Santouka @ Edgwater. Open already, bastards!

[stealw]

Should go try for yourself and make the decision. Quite similar argument for steaks or bbq, everyone has their own personal preference and would fight for what they believe.

[LPShanet]

Ohh Kathryn you and I both know that people on here are not getting recommendations from TONY.... that said, Sapporo has for the most part sucked since the 90s, cheap ingredients prepared by a low-wage staff. But that's one of their best dishes, just the best dish of a bad place.

I'm not a misoramen guy, but last time I was in Ippudo, I was with a good friend from Setagaya-ku in Japan (yes, the same Setagaya - I personally was not a fan of theirs in Tokyo and felt they never delivered on their promises in NY, but that's for another thread - and my buddy agreed that they sucked harder in NYC) and claimed that Ippudo's misoramen was just about the best he'd had in NY. Worth a try would be Menkuitei and Menchankotei's midtown locations, and downtown, perhaps rairaiken to be honest.

Of course better to be had at Santouka @ Edgwater. Open already, bastards!

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Thanks, Raji. While I'm at it, where have you had the best gyoza experiences? And I'd like to second the hurry up on Santouka.

[Fat Guy]

I haven't had the miso ramen at most of the places mentioned above, but have enjoyed it at Naruto Ramen on the Upper East Side.

[newbie21]

Ippudo gets my vote. Yum!! Blasted 1000 mile distance!!!

[raji]

Thanks, Raji.  While I'm at it, where have you had the best gyoza experiences?  And I'd like to second the hurry up on Santouka.

Gyouza in the context of Ramen, or gyouza even from non-ramen places?

When Setagaya first opened, I openly begged them to start offering gyouza and soon after they actually did, and those were pretty good. Rairaiken's too.

Some of the Chinatown (ramen and gyouza, are after all, Chinese imports) places are better on execution and because they are high turnover but suffer because of low-quality ingredients.

I really like Mandoo at some places in Koreatown and the pan-friend mandoo (gunmandu) are pretty much the same thing as gyoza - as could be considered turkish/afghani mantoo and those are served with yummy yogurt and meat sauce.

I've been forced to eat Rickshaw a few times and that absolutely sucks, skins are wayyyy to thick

Most gyouza come out of the freezer anyway. There recently an epidemic in Japan because a bunch of imported Chinese gyouza were making people sick.

Gyouza often show up on izakaya menus with nonstandard fillings, and those are the ones you want to go for because that means they're probably house-made.

Yakitori Totto features house-made gyouza, and those are probably the best I've had in the city.

There is now a chain of restaurants in Japan that are gyouza-only restaurants (gyouza are usually the realm of ramen-ya),which I happened to be taken to by my friend's wife last April in Shimo-kitazawa, and those are probably the best I'd had in the world (close second was in Shenzhen, China), as they should be as a gyouza-only restaurant with extremely high turnover in one of the better culinary neighborhoods in Tokyo. Before this gyouza-focus, I would normally ask a Japanese dining buddy which ramen-ya happens to have awesome gyouza, and just walking out of a train station you could see which ramen-ya had people seated who were all ordering their gyouza since it is always pretty obvious, and I expect as the ramen competition heats up in NYC, so will the gyouza.

Edited October 4, 2008 by raji (log)

[dabestspooner]

Hakata Tonton makes very good gyoza

[weinoo]

Gyouza in the context of Ramen, or gyouza even from non-ramen places?

When Setagaya first opened, I openly begged them to start offering gyouza and soon after they actually did, and those were pretty good. Rairaiken's too.

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I've seen them making the gyouza fresh at Rai Rai Ken...the wrappers are certainly not house made, though the gyouza themselves are very good.

[raji]

Hakata Tonton makes very good gyoza

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containing collagen?

[dabestspooner]

Hakata Tonton makes very good gyoza

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containing collagen?

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yes small bits