Soho foodies get out your chopsticks and run to the grocery store, of all places. The second floor of the Whole Foods Market on Bowery now has its own Brooklyn version of Benihana that may be Manhattan's best-kept secret. Tucked away above the supermarket madness, Smorgasburg legend Yuji Haraguchi and his small fleet of chefs have been quietly making the yummiest mazemen (broth-less ramen) at this pop-up stand since March, sourcing ingredients from downstairs. Mazemen is a traditional Japanese dish served up with local twists: you have the option of Salmon and Cheese (it doesn't get more BK than that), Bacon and Egg, Miso Roasted Vegetable, or the Daily Shoyu Ramen. I came in at lunchtime after skipping breakfast, so I was craving the breakfast sandwich variety.
Yuji is a ramen master, and his chefs know what they're doing when he's not around. They whipped it up in record speed and delivered a bowl that was almost too beautiful to touch. I eventually poked my chopsticks into the egg and let the yolk run over. The thick noodles were gooey and chewy, and the addition of baked kale added a surprising, smoky touch that was complemented by strips of thickly cut bacon and papery Bonito flakes. I slurped it up in a few minutes, feeling as though I was getting in touch with my Japanese roots and eating pasta carbonara at the same time: win-win.
WHOLE FOODS MARKET
95 E. Houston St.
New York, NY 10002
MAP
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Letting the noodles soak it up
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Mid-devour
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I splurged and went for the combo, which for $3 extra gets you a seasonal Tsukemono salad and iced Soba tea.
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Yuji is a ramen master, and his chefs know what they're doing when he's not around. They whipped it up in record speed and delivered a bowl that was almost too beautiful to touch. I eventually poked my chopsticks into the egg and let the yolk run over. The thick noodles were gooey and chewy, and the addition of baked kale added a surprising, smoky touch that was complemented by strips of thickly cut bacon and papery Bonito flakes. I slurped it up in a few minutes, feeling as though I was getting in touch with my Japanese roots and eating pasta carbonara at the same time: win-win.
WHOLE FOODS MARKET
95 E. Houston St.
New York, NY 10002
MAP
Letting the noodles soak it up
Mid-devour
I splurged and went for the combo, which for $3 extra gets you a seasonal Tsukemono salad and iced Soba tea.
