Since the demise of
Honmura an, our noodle forays have mainly focused on the East Village, generally
Sobaya,
Soba-koh, and
Minca. Yet this new contender, Setagaya, deserves particular praise for both its intriguing broth and classic style.
Setagaya surprises the ramen aficionado with its distinctive and authentic flavor. You won't find
gyoza or much else aside from ramen on the menu here, though a starter of
Edamame or nicely-pickled
Oshinko are possibilities. Setagaya is all business, and here you will not spend hours contemplating your bowl or tarrying; instead, think authentic working-class luncheonette: eat it and beat it, because the line of hungry souls milling about only grows longer with every bite you take.
At Setagaya the possibilities boil down to having your California-made noodles served
Tsuke-men (aside) or within your soup. Four money,
Tsuke-men seems a wise choice, for the lukewarm and fascinatingly-complex broth relies on a combination of mollusks, meat bones, Rishiri seaweed, and a distinctive Vietnamese salt plus a cooking process right out of the cult-classic movie
Tampopo. Chunks of char-grilled pork float in your bowl, and dipping the cool noodles in this broth allows you to reach a certain mental state just short of nirvana. Several well-known Japanese beers are (when available) augmented by lesser-known brews, and for entertainment a flat-screen television monitor further evokes
Tampopo with its continuous broadcast of Setagaya chef Maejima engaged in ramen-cooking competitions.
