Dine Out : Momosan Ramen & Sake

Momosan Ramen and Sake in Murray Hill is Masaharu Morimoto's first ramen focused restaurant. The name comes from one of the former Iron Chef's nicknames in the kitchen. Punctuated by whitewashed brick and dark wood details, the modern and relaxed space features an expansive bar area that offers an extensive range of sake brewed from different regions as well as sake based cocktails. The seating options include counter seating by the entryway and booths as well as communal tables in the back. The ramen centric menu puts the focus on four versions of traditional ramen - Tonkotsu, Tokyo Chicken, Tantan and Tsukemen that can be customized with a choice of toppings. A variety of appetizer options are on offer with everything from edamame, sticky ribs and a soft shell crab bao to a crispy pig ear with a Japanese mayo aioli.

We went during lunch and took advantage of their lunch sets which includes a choice of small ramen, a small don (rice bowl) and side of small pickled cabbage for $16.50. We also added a kakuni bao for $3. There is also an option to add two gyoza for $3. This is a pretty good value for lunch in midtown for the amount of food you get. The braised pork belly in the kakuni bao was meager in size but it had a nice texture and the lettuce, mustard mayo provided a tasty combination of flavors. The bun itself could have been a little less thick and doughy in my opinion. The zuke don with soy marinated tuna, nori, scallion was fresh and well balanced and the curry don was hearty and comforting. We both opted for the classic tonkotsu ramen, with wavy noodles served in a hearty pork based broth, topped with pork chashu, soy marinated egg, spicy mustard leaf, wood ear mushrooms, toasted nori and homemade garlic oil. The rich and flavorful broth played off the chewy noodles perfectly and the tender slices of chashu just melted in our mouths. The ramen is the star of the show here as it should be. The service was pleasant and efficient. This place is a solid option for quick and casual dining in midtown and we'd definitely return to try some of their specialty ramen options at dinner. They serve a peking duck ramen as well as a gyukotsu ramen made with a beef rib that's been  braised for seven hours.

P.S. Chef Morimoto was always our favorite on Iron Chef Japan. The original show was so much better than the American ripoff which is cheesy AF.

Thank you to everyone for the kind words of encouragement on my last post. It is something that we will get past but it it always seems like things get more difficult before they get easier.

Momosan Ramen & Sake
342 Lexington Avenue
New York City
646.201.5529
$ - $$