A Little Bit of East Village in the Upper East Side

Ever since Saigon Grill indefinitely shut down its Upper East Side operations, I've always complained about how the UES lacks great value Asian food. There's always Wu Liang Ye and Ooki Sushi, but it's nothing like the East Village, where you have so many options for comfort Asian food all around you.

But it's like God answered my prayers, because literally, mere seconds away from my apartment, opens up this Japanese restaurant called Naruto Ramen. An authentic Japanese place, too, along the likes of Rai Rai Ken and Setagaya, not like that Teriyaki Boy or those other commercial sushi places on 2nd Ave.

The space is small but warm. You sit down on stools along the bar while the chefs cook their food right in front of you. The ramen is so satisfying on a cold winter day...you have the option of the Naruto Ramen, the Miso Ramen and the Curry Ramen. I usually get the Naruto, because I think the soup is soy based, and I like my broth to be light, whereas the miso tastes a little heavier and spicier, and I'm sure the curry is the worst so I steer clear of it. The noodles are the right fresh chewy consistency, I wish they would just give some more! They also sorta skimp on the pork, nobody's as generous as Momofuku, but it's ok, you can supplement your meal with some very tasty gyoza, chicken teriyaki, fried rice or karage (fried chicken). They are all very solid and hit the spot. When my sister visits me on her breaks, she eats here almost every day, has tried all these items and hasn't stopped since!

I'm so happy that I don't have to take the 4/5 all the way to Astor Pl and wait so long when I have random fresh ramen cravings (which is pretty often!!) It's like I never have to step foot in the East Village ever again--although I don't think Naruto has pork buns on their menu, yum...

Naruto Ramen
596 3rd Ave. (between 89th and 90th)
Rating (out of 5 stars):***
Style: Fast Japanese
Prices: $10
Summary: A little bit of the East Village ramen joint in the Upper East Side--nothing beats that!!