Raku

I am so incredibly excited to share this new restaurant with you guys! I met my dear friend J in Beijing and we've had many fun and crazy adventures in the motherland. He moved to NYC from Toronto a couple months ago and switched from his consulting job to opening up the best udon shop ever! I'm so happy to see all his hard work come together and hope you will all check out this place!

I initially came for the soft opening and noticed that there were some small tweaks that needed to be adjusted. I've been here twice after the official opening and everything has been STELLAR. The shop has hand pulled udon delivered from Japan 3 times a week and it's some of the best udon I've had. I know I'm not the only one who thinks so as you can see from these Yelp reviews! Apart from the delicious bowls of udon, the appetizers and rice dishes are also delicious! Please excuse the discrepancies in lighting - I combined photos from various visits!

Kiriboshi Daikon - Simmered Dried Radish 
The daikon is crunchy and seasoned perfectly. It is such a nice refreshing start to the meal with its sweetness and umami flavor. 

Chicken Tatsuta-age - Marinated Fried Chicken
The fried chicken is super juicy and the exterior is very crispy and not greasy at all. The kewpie mayo dipping sauce also has a nice kick to it! 

Agedashi Tofu - Deep-fried Tofu
An extremely Japanese appetizer done right. Soft and silky tofu inside with a fluffy and crispy coating. 

Atsugiri Bacon - Thick-cut Bacon
The bacon has such an incredible flavor. It has a lovely smokey element and also bursting with umami. I did not eat the fat but J said that it tastes great when you eat the entire piece with the fat and the leaner portions. I think it would be even better if it was grilled more to render out the fat and perhaps achieve more crispy bits (I love everything extra crispyyy)

Katsudon - Deep-fried Pork Cutlet and Egg Rice Bowl
Mmmmmmm I love this rice bowl. The onions are cooked until they are soft and sweet and the egg is creamy and perfectly incorporated into the sauce. The katsu is also able to maintain its crispy exterior and is lean but still tender. 

Niku Udon - Beef Short-ribs and Tripe 
Ok yes finally I talk about the udon. The soup for the niku udon is BOMB DOT COM. The soup for the other udons (except the egg and curry I think) is a clear dashi broth that is also delicious, but this beef soup is just next level. It is so rich without being heavy and has such depth of flavor. The short ribs are cooked over night and melts in your mouth. The udon has the ideal texture of being chewy and silky smooth. This dish is definitely a home run! 

Raku is definitely a must visit! Especially in these chilly winter months. You will be so satisfied and I can not recommend this place more!

Raku

342 E 6th Street

East Village 

New York

NY 10003