Ramen War Ravages the East Village

Long known as a go-to last resort for broke and hungry college students, ramen is finally demanding a little respect from the New York City dining scene. Forget the dried noodles and dubious beef-powder flavor packets of yore—ramen shops across the city are now offering the dish in all its piping-hot, freshly made glory.

Hardcore fans complain that ramen in Manhattan can’t compare to Japan, where chefs take years to perfect their secret recipes for ramen soup. Miso (soybean paste), tonkotsu (pork bone), shoyu (soy sauce), and shio (salt) are the most common soup bases, but each region of Japan specializes in a different version and each chef develops his own variation on the theme. Then there’s the noodle part—noodle-making is considered an art, and ramen chefs must carefully craft noodles with the right texture and bounce to complement their soup.

Trying to make the perfect bowl of noodles may be compared to a quest for the Holy Grail, but luckily for us, ramen chefs are bringing that quest stateside.

Today marks the official opening of the first American branch of Hakata Ippudo (4th Ave. at 10th St.), a popular ramen chain in Japan and the latest to enter the aptly dubbed “ramen war” currently raging in the East Village. But how does Ippudo stack up against its three closest neighbors, all favorites on the ramen scene? In the spirit of competition, we investigated.

Hailed from the beginning, Ramen Setagaya (1st Ave. at 9th St.) was also the first American branch of a Japanese chain. Setagaya’s strongest suit is its unique shio broth made with sea salt, dried scallops, dried anchovies, two different kinds of seaweed, and a host of other high-quality ingredients that blend to create a complex, round flavor. Other elements of the dish are good but less impressive than the soup—the noodles are a bit wiry and the pork meat, if you can find it between the pieces of fat, can be slightly chewy.

Down a couple blocks from Setagaya is its rumored nemesis, Momofuku Noodle Bar (1st Ave. at 11th St.), owned by critics’ darling David Chang. Those in the Setagaya camp accuse Momofuku of not being authentic, but Chang isn’t aiming for authenticity—instead, Momofuku gives you clean flavors and superb ingredients. At Momofuku, pork from Niman Ranch is the star of the show, and both the pork belly and the leaner cuts of neck are unbelievably tender and juicy. The noodles are fresher than Setagaya’s, but the broth—though pleasant—is unremarkable.

Rai Rai Ken (10th St. at 2nd Ave.), the third contender, offers an intimate ramen experience with a cramped interior and stools facing the ramen chefs. This pint-sized shop isn’t afraid to get a little creative, and here you can choose between shoyu, miso, seafood, or curry broths. Meaty, thick noodles and robust soup make Rai Rai Ken’s ramen the most like comfort food, and although the dishes are not quite as subtle or nuanced as the others, its ingredients come together to form a simple, well-rounded bowl of satisfaction.

So where does our newcomer Ippudo fit in? Ippudo’s posh, modern interior and mixed-cuisine menu (they offer caprese salad and other such anomalies) might cause some to brush it off as another hokey fusion restaurant, but don’t let the accessories fool you—this ramen shop means business. Ippudo’s special tonkotsu broth has a deep, smoky pork flavor but isn’t heavy, and the thin ramen noodles manage to be delicate and springy at the same time. One bowl comes with two tender pieces of Berkshire pork, a little on the thin side but big on flavor.

If Ippudo keeps up the good work, the ramen war in the East Village is bound to get a little more interesting.