Matsugen, Ramen, and Ten Bells Query

Y

Yule Kim

Yule Kim
I was wondering if anyone has been to Matsugen recently. I want to go because I love soba, but I have heard the food has gone downhill since its opening and a friend of mine was fairly dissatisfied with her service when she went there last month. I was wondering if anyone had a better impression of the restaurant as of late.

I'm also thinking of getting some ramen since it can't be had in DC unless I go pan-Asian or Cup O'Noodle. I heard good things about Rai Rai Ken, Setagaya, and Ippudo. Anyone have any other suggestion or have a preference for one of the three listed?

And for added fun, I'm probably finally going to stop by Ten Bells and was wondering if anyone had a particular recommendation for one of the wines they serve by the glass. I was thinking of the Michel Tete Julienas, but I noticed it was the "Ten Bells Cuvee." Is it any different from the regular Tete cuvee, or is it basically the same?
 
originally posted by Yule Kim:
Matsugen, Ramen, and Ten Bells QueryI was wondering if anyone has been to Matsugen recently. I want to go because I love soba, but I have heard the food has gone downhill since its opening and a friend of mine was fairly dissatisfied with her service when she went there last month. I was wondering if anyone had a better impression of the restaurant as of late.

I'm also thinking of getting some ramen since it can't be had in DC unless I go pan-Asian or Cup O'Noodle. I heard good things about Rai Rai Ken, Setagaya, and Ippudo. Anyone have any other suggestion or have a preference for one of the three listed?

And for added fun, I'm probably finally going to stop by Ten Bells and was wondering if anyone had a particular recommendation for one of the wines they serve by the glass. I was thinking of the Michel Tete Julienas, but I noticed it was the "Ten Bells Cuvee." Is it any different from the regular Tete cuvee, or is it basically the same?
Click to expand...

Ippudo. Scratches the Hakata style itch. Also get the wings. Platonic form.

The BiB we get of Tete is a slightly different cuve than what goes into bottle. At least that's what we've been told.

The ten bells is my favorite wine bar east of 7th St. SF.
 
I really like Matsugen, it is the best soba I have found in the New York, and I think the place is really underappreciated.

Everything about Ippudo is good except the quality of the pork in the ramen, for which one thing, Momo has the edge. And Setagaya is decent. I actually think that on a good day, Setagaya has a depth of flavor to the broth that is superior to what is offered at Ippudo and certainly Momo. Each place has what it has, all in, I prefer Ippudo. But it is not underappreciated, and you will wait.

At any rate, just to say and plainly state the obvious, the quality of the ramen and soba in NYC is not on par with Tokyo, even in the cases of chains based in Tokyo.
 
One of my favorite dinners to have when it was cold and crappy out, was some ramen at Rai Rai Ken. This was about five years ago and I believe a lot has changed in the number of noodle joints around. Last time I went back, I had some ramen at the place (I forget the name) on 5th b/w A & B, next to Le Gamin. Thought it was good. But, Rai Rai Ken holds a special place in my heart (not a large space mind you, it's a very tiny place).
 
I went to RRK for lunch a few times when I worked in that area, and I have to say, I'm not feeling the love for the place that is often expressed.

Actually, the ramen at no sign place in Tudor City is good in a home cooked way.

The ramen in Koreatown is always to be avoided.
 
Well I certainly will give Matsugen a try, if I can convince people to go with me. I've been on a pretty intense soba kick recently, and I have a hankering for the real stuff. (I type this as I eat the best soba available in DC: some store bought soba I'm swirling in bottled soba sauce).

The Ippudo pork buns look amazing (though I hear they are not quite as good as Momo). That is probably enough for me to go there over the other places. I'm planning to go for lunch, so hopefully the wait won't be as bad.

And I agree that ramen should always be avoided in Koreatowns. I think the general rule is to avoid all Japanese food in Korean restaurants, with the possible exception of tempura.
 
Hey...I accidentally walked into Ippudo for an early-mid-afternoon lunch on the way back to my hotel. Didn't research it, didn't know a thing about it. And I didn't remember the name of the place until now, looking at the layers on Google Maps.

It was awfully good.
 
Rai Rai Ken is alright, but with Momofuku so close, there's no real reason to go there. I tried going to Ippudo on Saturday, but there was an hour wait. Another great ramen place is Menkui Tei, in mid-town. I actually like their broth maybe a smidge more than Momo's, but I like Momo's toppings better.

Honmura An used to have the best soba in town, but they've been closed for a few years now.
 
Soba ya is fine. They have in my view a tendency to overgarnish. Lots of elements in each dish. The agedashi tofu at Soba ya is a study in contrasts to that same dish at Soba Koh. I think lots of garnishes is a successful method of drawing attention away from the finer points, like the texture of the noodles, the temperature of liquids, or the quality of tea served. In those aspects Soba ya does not excel. Those for me are important considerations. The other thing about Soba ya is that it is more expensive than it feels. The price difference between it and Matsugen for soba isn't that much, as Matsugen is a restaurant that feels more expensive than it is. Soba Koh is the least expensive, has interesting specials (not true of the other places) and has this really great Canadian noodle option, which has great texture and which you can sub in to the normal soba preps for a bit extra. Matsugen is the most well rounded of a restaurant, with decent beverage options, a nice interior, and some better than average sushi. And I genuinely like the soba there. Also, the tea is decent.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top