Karakatta
3 min
230 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012
$$
Courtesy of Baoling Pu
This is a traditional Japanese ramen restaurant. The store is so tiny that you may not even notice it when you pass by. However, this is one of me and my Japanese friend's favorite ramen places in New York! They have many types of signature ramen, such as Spicy Ginger Stamina Ramen and Tonkotsu Ramen. At the same time, it's also vegetarian-friendly, as it has Taka's Vegan Ramen and Spicy Veggie Curry Ramen. You'll definitely find a ramen that's right for you here!
I personally love the Spicy Ginger Stamina Ramen with the spiciest level! Their soup base is rich and flavorful with minced meat, and it comes with cabbages, grilled pork belly, and soft-boiled eggs. Their ramen is also very chewy. This combination makes each bite a fiery and fulfilling experience! By the way, the portion is very large compared to other ramen spots. I often can't finish a whole bowl by myself. It's technically two meals for the price of one, making it an excellent deal for both quality and quantity!
Top Thai Greenwich
4 min
235 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012
$$
Courtesy of Baoling Pu
This is the first restaurant to incorporate "halal" into Thai cuisine. Its extensive menu offers many homemade cooking style Thai food, such as Papaya Salad, Tom Yum Seafood Noodles, Top Thai Curry, Pad Thai, etc. They also provide a Lunch Special starting at $10.95 from Monday to Friday. Usually, I love to choose Thai Green Salad as my appetizer and Tom Yum Noodle as the entree. If you like seafood and Thai food's sour and spicy flavors, you definitely can't miss this Tom Yum Seafood Noodles! Their ingredients are really fresh, including mussels, squid, shrimp, and mushrooms. You can even taste the hints of various spices in the broth, such as lemon leaves, lemongrass, galangal, and more. It is definitely not the taste of Tom Yum Instant Noodles you buy in the supermarket!
Sobaya
14 min
229 E 9th St, New York, NY 10003
$$
Courtesy of Baoling Pu
Speaking of Japanese food culture, we cannot fail to mention soba noodles, which have been a staple in Japan for many years. Soba noodles, ramen noodles, and udon noodles are known as Japan's three major noodles. In Japan, making noises while eating is considered rude, but making noises while eating soba noodles is considered the standard way to eat soba noodles! I particularly like Sobaya’s soba noodles, which have become part of the MICHELIN Guide 2023 selection! Their soba noodles have a very chewy texture. After the soba noodles are served, it is recommended to put them directly without dipping anything in the first bite. In this way, you can taste the freshest aroma of buckwheat. Then you can add a little bit of the green onion and mustard on the side into the soup, and then dip a handful of noodles and eat them. It tastes very refreshing! It’s perfect to have a bowl like this in the summer in New York!
By the way, if you eat from 12 PM to 3 PM, you can order the lunch set, which is very cost-effective! There is a Sobaya Bento Set ($27.5) on Monday, an Original Curry Rice Set ($18) on Tuesday, a Donburi Special ($18) on Wednesday, a Soba Special ($20) on Thursday, and also an Everyday Lunch Set ($21).
Kimura
13 min
31 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003
$$
Courtesy of Baoling Pu
I go to Kimura once a week because I really love their Collagen Nabe! Someone might ask what Collagen Nabe is. This is a type of Japanese hot pot that features ingredients rich in collagen, such as pig's trotters. It usually comes with beef intestines and all kinds of vegetables. Beyond this, Kimura offers many authentic Japanese foods, like sushi rolls and sashimi. Fun fact: Kimura also offers a kind of sushi roll named "NYU Roll"! Â
Every time I visit, I start with a Yuzu Miso Salmon and a glass of drinks, and then wait for the Collagen Nabe to be served. You would never expect that such a small hot pot contains six kinds of ingredients, including pork collagen, chicken, Kurobuta pork belly, cabbage, leek, and tofu! I like to eat the original flavor first because you can taste the fat of the meat and the sweetness of the vegetables. Halfway through eating, I recommend dipping the garlic oil and chili oil. They bring a pungent, aromatic kick that enhances the savory notes of the meats and vegetables, creating a moreish complexity!
Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao
12 min
15 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003
$$
Courtesy of Baoling Pu
The essence of Xiaolongbao lies in its "soup." It is not easy to make Xiaolongbao with thin skin, fresh filling, and thick soup, but Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao has done it! I ordered a Xiaolongbao named Lucky Six Soup Dumplings containing six different fillings, including crab meat, black truffle, scallop, chicken, Shrimp, and pork. For those who are trying Xiaolongbao for the first time, here are the correct steps and methods to eat:
â‘ Pick up the Xiaolongbao and place it in a spoon (this is to avoid the loss of soup, and the soup is the essence);
â‘¡ Bite a small opening on the top of the Xiaolongbao and drink up the soup (be careful not to burn your tongue with the hot soup);
â‘¢ After savoring the soup, according to your taste, dip the Xiaolongbao in an appropriate amount of ginger, vinegar, and chili oil, and eat it!
Senya
15 min
109 1st Ave., New York, NY 10003
$$$
Courtesy of Baoling Pu
This Chirashi Bowl allows you to eat seven different kinds of seafood in one bite! Put the wasabi puree into a small dish, pour the soy sauce, stir, and then pour the sauce back into the bowl. With one bite, you will taste salmon sashimi, tuna sashimi, sweet shrimp, sea urchin, caviar, perilla, sauce, and rice in your mouth. The sea urchin melts in your mouth, the salmon is rich in oil, and the salmon roe bursts in your mouth! All kinds of seafood have different tastes and textures, and I promise you will be surprised with every bite! I know you are worried that Japanese food tends to be small and exquisite, but Senya's portions served are generous, the ingredients are fresh, and the price/performance ratio is very high! Please don't miss it!
AOI Kitchen
14 min
320 E 6th St, New York, NY 10003
$$
Courtesy of Baoling Pu
The traditional omurice is made by wrapping the rice in a half-cooked egg omelette and then drizzling it with ketchup. However, there's another way that's even more enticing: placing the tender omelette on top of the rice, slicing the omelette, and letting the soft, runny egg envelop the rice completely. Yes, this is the method used by AOI Kitchen! The silky egg coating with warm sauce, paired with crispy fried pork cutlet and plump rice grains, just thinking about it makes me hungry again!
Sweet Rehab
10 min
135 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012
$$
Courtesy of Baoling Pu
Lastly, don't forget to finish off with a dessert! I ordered the Lemon & Yuzu Tart along with Marco Polo Tea, and they make a perfect pair! The Lemon & Yuzu Tart is a classic French dessert featuring a flaky, buttery crust. The custard, tangy yet rich in citrusy notes from lemon and yuzu, provides a vibrant counterpoint to the sweetness. Topped with a light meringue and served alongside a dollop of cream, this tart offers a wonderfully complex palette of flavors! Marco Polo Tea, a blended black tea infused with spices and fruity aromas, is also the ideal complement to this delightful dessert!