YUJI Ramen

8/21/2014

Great imaginative ramen.

But this location is CLOSED

There's a bar-b-q opening up in its existing spot

7/18/2014

Very delicious dry ramen! And in a food court of all places. I was only in NYC for a few days and I'm so glad my friend recommended this spot for one of my meals. Definitely worth coming here - it's small enough to have a mini meal in between main meals. It's quick and I felt completely comfortable sitting there on my own and eating (as most people were - seemed like a very lunch-work-break kind of spot).

COST: $11 total for one mazemen, a small but filling lunch for one!

THE WAIT: None around 3pm on a Monday.

MAZEMEN
* Bacon & Egg (smoky bacon, poached egg, kale. $9) - 5 stars
pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/yuji…
The noodles were on the al dente side, and they were perfectly chewy noodles, just the right texture! I loved the dry sauce (which was still pretty heavy, in a good way), the fatty and slightly crispy bacon, the very smoky smell and taste, and the runny egg yolk.

Menu: yelp.com/biz_photos/yuji…

• 

  Lunch menu (Monday 2014-06-23)

  Lunch menu (Monday 2014-06-23)
• 

  Bacon & Egg (smoky bacon, poached egg, kale. $9) - 5 stars (Monday lunch 2014-06-23)

  Bacon & Egg (smoky bacon, poached egg, kale. $9) - 5 stars (Monday lunch 2014-06-23)

7/4/2014

More of a fusion pasta stand than a ramen shop.  

Mazemen, the brothless noodle dishes Yuji is known for, was seemingly created by a person who was confused about his love for Italian pasta and Japanese ramen.   It was almost as if the state of his mind was in a...maze.  Ok, not really.

The noodles here are the thicker type.  The mazemen are consistently made al dente, and are flavored with oils, as well as the toppings that you mix in with the noodles.

The Salmon and Cheese Mazemen my favorite dish on their limited regular menu.  It is bursting with flavor, the combination of ingredients really is fusion done right.  The cured salmon adds a distinct flavor to the creamy cheese and really stands out, and balances out really well with the savory oil flavor.  

The Bacon and Egg Mazemen includes is topped with a poached egg and a bacon that is more similar to Chinese style bacon than something you would buy from Oscar Mayer.  Also flavorful, but lighter than the salmon/cream dish.  It is not bad, but given the choice between the mazemen on the regular menu, I would pick the the salmon/cream one almost every time.

They also have brothed ramen that is rotated on a daily basis.  Was not totally impressed the one time I ordered this here, I'm pretty partial to tonkotsu.  

Definitely worth coming here for their brothless noodles.  Just a random thought, it wouldn't be bad if they offered other noodle options like penne or linguine.

9/6/2014

This whole foods location on houston street has been closed but don't worry since they have a storefront not too across the Williamsburg bridge. 150 Ainslie St. Brooklyn NY... They still serve their signature kazeman style noodles on mondays and tuesday I believe. On the other days they serve a very simple but authentic japanese style meal that is both healthy and super delicious. Enjoy !

5/20/2014

"put your phone down and just eat it already!" the chef said to me.

Sure, I could do that... But I wanted to rub it in the faces of folks back home that I made it to Yuji. I had told some friends to hit up Yuji after discovering it on some ramen blog. My friends didn't make it, but they really wanted to try it still. When I told the guy behind the counter about the blog post, his interest was piqued.

HAH!

Yuji is a great destination for noodle lovers. I am a fanatic. With that gotten out of the way, I should mention that Yuji is not your typical ramen served in a hot broth (although they do have ONE on the menu daily). So don't come here expecting tonkotsu broth and then bitch about it sucking. Their style is known as mazemen, which I would call a "dry" ramen. It's not completely dry, there is a tad bit of sauce/broth at the bottom and you're meant to mix it all up.

I went for the uni mazemen. It had beautiful al dente ramen noodles, uni, shiso, nori flakes, orange zest and a small amount of shoyu. It was incredibly flavorful, sweet, nutty, little punches of citrus from the orange zest that would cut through the density of this. A noodle and uni fanatic dream come true. A gf of mine had the salmon and cheese mazemen which sounds gross but it was amazing. Cured salmon, cheese and lemon mixed with al dente noodles. Think Asian pasta!

Delicious.

• 

  Uni mazemen

  Uni mazemen
• 

  Salmon and cheese mazemen

  Salmon and cheese mazemen
• 

  Uni mazemen.

  Uni mazemen.

6/12/2014

Yay! I love Yuji Ramen. On the second floor of the Whole Foods on Houston, it's a tiny and tucked away from all the usual ramen craze. They mostly serve mazemen, which is a brothless ramen, although they have a daily shoyu ramen as well.

When I was there, I ordered the spicy tuna mazemen the first time, and the uni miso mazemen the next time I went. Although the portions look really small, they're actually quite filling, and perfect for a snack or a meal for a small person. The noodles are much thicker than the usual ramen noodles and they hold onto flavor like no other. So although there's just small spoonfuls of thick broth poured over the noodles, it clings to each noodle like... um...tight hugs? I got a poached egg both times, and it was such a good decision. I usually like to take the first bite of a poached egg before mixing it into everything so I was surprised when it was cold! But once mixed, it got warmed up by the noodles and was oh so good. It added and extra layer of silkiness and creaminess to the noodles that made it all the more satisfying.

Both times, the items I chose were specials and they were amazeballs. Perfect explosions of flavor. The spicy tuna mazemen was delicious and flavorful - although not what one would necessarily call spicy - and the uni miso mazemen was heaven. I had a huge seafood craving when I was eating it, so that delicious brininess of the uni really appealed to me, and it was just so smooth and delicious. Yum! Just typing up this review is making me hungry.

Definitely my go to spot when I'm in the area. Even when I'm just passing by, I'll usually drop in and grab a bowl. Seated on the counter, they create that perfect snack for you (or meal if you're crazy and each like a bird), and then you continue on your day, perfectly content. This place is definitely one of my faves.

7/14/2014

Living in New York means u spend at least $15 for a meal and trat least $50 for a decent one.  This place is great with $10 food and also goooood food!!! The omakase/specials changes all the time, and usually they are all great.  They will also accept custom made orders if you go there often enough.  The owner is super friendly and will remember you on first name basis.
I like the mazemen there a lot, the classic bacon and egg, and uni (when it's in season) are all great. The squid specials there is delicious as well.  The only compliant I have is that sometimes their staff are not very consistent with portioning. I have gone there often enough and noticed that there is this one person who gives significantly less compare to others (which sucks when she's the person making your order....)

4/30/2014

I first heard about Yuji Ramen on Kickstarter. They were obtaining funding for their pop up shop back then. Now, they've settled down at Whole Foods on Bowery and is hands down the best part of the Whole Foods food court. I've always been a little curious, but now I've finally made the time and trek to give this place a shot.

First of all, their portions could be considered small, depending on your appetite. But then again, you're in a food court so you can sample all the spots around Whole Foods. The plus side is that you don't have to wait in line to get a seat. Just snag a spot at the counter, order what you want, and you're good to go.

Value-wise, you have to go with their combo. For $12, you get a choice of noodles, tsukemono, and mugi-cha. For my noodles, I decided to opt for the bacon & egg mazemen. When my noodles came out I too was a little taken aback by the smaller portion size. Nonetheless, I wasn't going to let that deter me from having a solid meal. After mixing my bowl of noodles, I took a bite and boy was there some intense flavor. The egg gave it a creamy texture, while the crunch from the bacon helped serve as contrast to the chewy noodles. I particularly liked the noodles because they were a little on the firm side, as opposed to your extremely squishy noodles. In a mere matter of minutes, my bowl of noodles was devoured and I was left craving more. Their tsukemono is solid enough as an add on, but it's definitely not the star of the show. Same goes with the mugi-cha.

All in all, I had a pretty solid experience here at Yuji Ramen. The taste was on point, and price-wise, it's not too bad in the grand scheme of things. If you're thinking about it from a portion and price perspective, two bowls here roughly equates to the price and portion of a bowl at Ippudo. Lastly, luckily, this place does take credit card, so don't worry if you don't have enough cash.

• 

  Bacon & Egg Mazemen

  Bacon & Egg Mazemen

5/9/2014

When I moved to New York four months ago, I needed to find a place to curb my Ramen fix. I tried a few throw away places - nothing noteworthy. Then I found Yuji Ramen. Great Ramen, great employees. What's not to like?

After a great bowl of Mazemen last week, I left a five dollars tip, of course expecting it to go to the lovely staff. However, I found out through friends that Yuji doesn't give their employees the daily tips. It goes back into the business. Wait, what? Is that legal? I'm pretty sure it's not.

I run a high profile food blog and was hoping to give Yuji a glowing review. After learning about their sketchy practices, I'll be turning my many foodie friends away from Yuji Ramen. I would rather my friends and I support a business who treat their employees with the respect they deserve for their outstanding customer service.

4/15/2014

Yuji has been on my list. After my cousin raved about this place, saying it's "the best" ramen he's ever had... I knew I had to come.

Based on the reviews and pictures, I ordered the uni mazeman. Was so excited to dig in, but bleh. It was too salty, too heavy, too chewy, too overhyped.

2 stars for the ramen being picture ready and quick service.

5/20/2014

For ramen, broth is the number one ingredient. NYC has so many good ramen places and honestly, after a while, the ramen all seem kind of the same and it's small things that make them stand out or not. Yuji ramen really stands out because it doesn't have broth!

They offer ramen mazemen style and I come to appreciate it very much. The flavors come together very well and when I eat it, I don't feel the broth is missed. I've tried their bacon and egg and spicy tuna. Both are good! Ingredients are so fresh. Their noodles are springy and delicious. Portions are small though.

5/21/2014

This was a good find!!

I love the concept, the food was delicious and its super affordable.

Don't underestimate the "this is a small portion" look because it is rich and it fills you up.

The chef/cook/server was knowledgeable, friendly and informative...

Will certainly go back in the future..

4/22/2014

bacon and egg.. yummy.. but tiny.

I'M STILL HUNGRY!

6/6/2014

Not a big fan of the ramen broth where I favor a more oily/thick blend of flavors.  Maybe I'm just partial to tonkotsu.  The broth was too light and lacking flavor. The fish in the soup were just ok, nothing different than what you can get down the street at Congee Village.  I did like the noodle where it's very dense and Q as I ate the ramen.

Noodle: 9/10
Fish: 5/10
Soup: 5/10

Bacon and Egg Mazemen was much better.  The sauce was flavorful and with just the right amount of slippery-ness (making up words these days) as you eat it.

Noodle: 9/10
Bacon: 10/10  (could use more and who doesn't love bacon)
Pouched Egg: 8/10  (I prefer the type of egg you get a Ippudo)

Portion was small but the at $9, it's about right considering other establishments are at $13-17 depending on where you go.

• 

  Tsukemono - picked market vegetables

  Tsukemono - picked market vegetables
• 

  bacon toasting!

  bacon toasting!
• 

  bacon and eg mazemen

  bacon and eg mazemen
• See all photos from C L.

3/30/2014

Nothing to go nuts for. I knew Yuji was supposed to be good but I found the daily shoyu kind of bland. The broth is at least. Not soy sauce y or salty really. It is nice that they give you a seafood topping of choice- either baby mussels (so cute) or bluefin tuna (an oily white fish actually).  It also comes with your scallions, nori and basic Japanese spices.  The ramen itself also is just ok. Kind of gummy and not what you would get at most places in terms of quality.  I got the combo which comes with a pickled vegetable salad (this was awesome- not too pickled, crispy and fresh vegetables), and cup of hot barely tea (also good).

The service was nice though - quick and seating was available at the bar at 4pm ok Sunday. You can pay with credit card (hey it's whole foods) and expect plastic ware. $15 after tax and tip.

1/9/2014

I cannot understand what all the fuss is about for this ramen. I was digging through all the other reviews, and I believe Shoichi N.'s review below in quotes mimics my sentiments exactly.

"Frankly very disappointed. Served in a paper bowel, tiny potion, healthy but unexciting flavor. I hate how people rip off non Japanese eaters with the wrong ideas.
Oh well."

The portion was tiny. When did 9 dollars for an unsatisfying lunch become a good price? I think the place appeals to people who want to be hipsters and are unsure of what a good ramen is supposed to taste like. The ramen was served in a fro-yo cup for crying out loud.

3/9/2014

Had somewhat high expectations coming here but unfortunately, they weren't met.

I got the MACKEREL RAMEN which was the DAILY SHOYU. Was DISAPPOINTED with PORTION SIZE and PLATING. The ramen was in a SOUP CONTAINER. What, no proper bowls? Even though this is an eatery inside Whole Foods, this ISN'T A FOOD TRUCK. There's seating so yes, I would like for my ramen to be in a bowl.

Everything was cooked perfectly but the fishy smell was too strong for my liking. It overpowered the broth so it took me forever to finish the soup.

Chef Yuji was really nice and accommodating. He explained his dishes and recommended what he thought was best suited for our palettes and appetites.

I might give this place another try and order the Bacon and Egg Mazemen since that seems to be so popular.

FYI SECOND FLOOR OF HOUSTON WHOLE FOODS

9/9/2014

I just went to the new Yuji Ramen today (150 Ainslie St).  I was very pleasantly surprised.  Coming from a Japanese background ramen has a very special place in my heart.  I have never tried mazemen.  I admit I was initially skeptical since I am a fan of ramen in broth, but I am sold.  It is endless what you can do with this type of ramen and Yuji makes some truly inspired dishes.  The bonito sashimi appetizer was extremely fresh and delicately garnished with edible flowers.  The noodles were firm and substantial, just the way I like them.  The uni ramen was topped with a considerable amount of sea urchin which I really appreciated.  Yuji and his team are masters of building flavors and I love their creativity.  The space is cozy and although not huge, it suits the purpose of this unique shop well.  The decor is sleek and clean.  It reminded me of being back in Japan.  We thoroughly enjoyed dining at this spot.  As we walked out of the restaurant we noticed Yuji outside arranging fresh flowers for the vases for the tables.  He regarded us warmly and thanked us.  I am all for these small businesses where every team member works extra hard to provide a great product to the community.  The waiter even came outside to offer to take a photo for us when he noticed from inside that my sister was getting her camera ready.  Really amazing service.  He was so sweet and attentive, and we really appreciated his consideration.  Bravo Yuji Ramen!  We will return soon for the Japanese breakfast special which sounds very intriguing.

1/3/2014

Another reason why the Bowery Whole Foods is the best... Yuji Ramen.

I've never tried the Omakase, but YUJI Ramen is great for a quick, light and tasty meal.  The portion sizes are on the small side, but for $9 it's not bad.  When I'm hungry I just order two and end up spending as much as I would at some of the trendier Ramen shops around the city and getting about the same amount of food.

The Daily Shoyu ramen is solid, I wouldn't rave about it, but the Mazeman style ramen that you can't find very many other places is excellent - especially the UNI mazeman ramen - don't miss it!

3/30/2014

After hearing about this food counter at the Houston street whole foods, I had to give it a try. Knowing that there are sometimes long lines, we planned to go at a bit of an off time (3pm on a Sunday) - immediately seated at the counter.

I tried the uni miso mazemen, the spicy tuna mazemen (with a poached egg), and the salmon and cheese mazemen, shared among two people. I enjoyed the texture of the noodles in all three dishes.

Uni miso: there were quite a lot of uni bits which were nice but they were not the best grade and not very fresh. Still not too bad though and would try it again.

Salmon and cheese: my favorite one, with a nice touch of lemon.

Spicy tuna: definitely need the poached egg. I would have preferred the tuna to be raw instead of cooked though. The chili adds a nice kick.

The serving sizes are paltry for the price paid. The uni miso dish was $11, and the spicy tuna and salmon cheese were $9 each. Poached egg and extra ramen noodles cost extra. I could definitely devour two on my own. I left still feeling a bit hungry.

• 

  Tiny but oh so tasty

  Tiny but oh so tasty

1/29/2014

I'm a pretty big fan of nyc ramen (ippudo, totto, jinya, hidechan), and I was incredibly impressed with yuji ramen.

fair warning, what you're getting is mazemen, which is a broth-less ramen.  though I was initially skeptical, the uni (sea urchin) mazemen and chicken/poached egg mazemen made sure that I left a happy camper.  as you can imagine, the consistency of sea urchin and poached egg make the brothless ramen pretty saucy and savory.

what's particularly impressive is the noodle itself.  after speaking with our waitress, I learned that the noodles have been recalibrated and specially prepared for yuji ramen only.  they are great - just the right amount of chewy.  I could have had a third bowl, but i guess i will wait until my next visit.

12/1/2013

Frankly very disappointed. Served in a paper bowel, tiny potion, healthy but unexciting flavor. I hate how people rip off non Japanese eaters with the wrong ideas.
Oh well.

11/29/2013

Love love love!  I love the Mazeman at Yuji, never had anything like it!  Think of it as pasta, served al dente, with a little bit of sauce.

The portions are small, which is not necessarily a bad thing.  Order two bowls for yourself if you want a full bowl of noodles.  Small portions also gives the ability to try more flavors.  On our first visit we ordered the following flavors.

Uni Miso - My favorite.  The portions of uni were pretty generous. Sweet sweet uni deliciousness, how can you go wrong.  I hope this is a permanent addition to their menu.
Spicy Tuna (with Egg) - Order this with egg, break it and mix it into the dish.  A sudden sweetness appears and this dish is delicious.
Bacon and Egg - Pretty good

Shoyu Ramen of the Day: Seafood.  I was very disappointed in the ramen itself, but the seafood broth was delicious.  I feel that this dish is all about the broth.  You will be disappointed though if this was the only thing you tried.

I think their strong points are in the Mazeman, and now that it is a permanent member to Whole Foods food court, I feel like I can pop in  and grab a small bowl of noodles before I go grocery shopping.

• 

  Uni Miso

  Uni Miso
• 

  Spicy Tuna with Poached Egg

  Spicy Tuna with Poached Egg
• 
• See all photos from Tina Y.

7/22/2014

I love love love Yuji ramen. I go here whenever I want something good, but still healthy. When I feel like indulging, I'll the salmon & cheese mazeman but most of the time, I get the shoyu for the FISH! GAH! That fish is the real MVP. On top of the great food, I love the staff. There's one particular guy there who is super friendly and nice, not to mention h-o-t. His name is Andy and he always wears a hat (I think he's shy) but one day I secretly hope he'll serve me a bowl of shoyu with his number hehe.

12/5/2013

Yuji Ramen is an awesome little place hidden away on the second floor of a Whole Foods. All the seats are along a counter, which was about half empty when my friend and I came for dinner around 7:15pm on a Wednesday night.

The menu isn't very extensive - there are only 4 ramen options - but they specialize in mazemen, a brothless type of ramen. In addition to the dishes printed on the menu, the two specials of the night were spicy tuna and uni miso mazemen. I decided to go with the spicy tuna, which the chef recommended with a poached egg ($1 extra). Our mazemen came out in surprisingly small paper bowls, with all the toppings laid neatly on top of the noodles. The sauce was oily (in a good way) and was made creamier with the egg mixed in. The little bits of tuna weren't very spicy, but were flavored quite well. Overall, it was delicious, though not that filling because of the small portion. For a full dinner, I'd recommend getting two bowls.

Each bowl is $9, and you can also add certain toppings (such as a poached egg or whatever the special topping of the day is) for a dollar or two more. For $12 you can also get a combo of ramen + tea + a side of pickled vegetables.

• 

  Veggie miso mazemen

  Veggie miso mazemen
• 
• 
• See all photos from Michelle L.

4/20/2014

Discovered this place when I could only eat vegan!
Felt in love with there Vegetable Noodle!!
So good!!!
I don't eat fish but Yuji will help you If you want to try one of there fish dish!

• 

  Miso Roasted Vegetable for me :D

  Miso Roasted Vegetable for me :D

2/21/2014

I think this is a very neat concept but the execution on my first experience was not great.  The noodles were cold even though I saw the cook pull them out of the pot.  I'm not sure why that would be.  The egg was tiny and there was hardly enough yolk to cover and warm up the cold noodles.  Tuna was also not the greatest piece.

The counter staff kind of acted busy(even thought they were not) and avoided me after my food was served

I definitely like broth better

7/12/2014

Excellent. My new favorite ramen place in nyc. We had their daily special with mixed broth. It was like "OMG". We also had the bacon egg kale (no broth) and the salmon, cheese, lemon (also no broth). The latter was my favorite of all. Perfect balance of flavors. Complex and yet simple. Highly recommend.

11/4/2013

I was very fortunate to try the omakase menu here (and be interviewed for Tokyo Broadcasting Station's segment on Ramen, airing November 5!).

The 7 course menu was certainly very interesting. And that's the best way to describe my dining experience here. Yuji is a very, very creative guy and experimental with his food, and I was able to benefit from it. But some courses of the meal left me scratching my head as I tried to justify the fact that I am eating ramen. More so, it seemed like Japanese styled pasta dishes.

Yuji is a seafood guy. All the food used some sort of uni, black squid, mussels, salmon, salmon roe, monkfish liver, etc. And some of them, oh my god, I did not expect to get such flavor from them.

He opened up the dinner with a salmon and cheese ramen dish. By simply looking at the dish, you knew that the dinner was going to be different from your typical ramen meals. It had a touch of familiarity of ramen with its noodles (despite no broth, hence "mazemen"). But as the meals progressed along, things got very interesting. Black squid ink pasta with salmon roe, to uni based ravioli, I want my sun noodles, not pasta! haha, but I still kept an open mind and was intrigued to see what Yuji had in store.

For example, things to look forward to when having Yuji's omakase (if you are fortunate to grab a reservation): Akimo (monkfish liver that's pureed), "the foie gras of the ocean" as Yuji described it. Pure delish. The collagen of plain shoyu ramen broth that you mix with the noodles was good too.

However, Yuji ended the night with a ramen dish that consisted of mussels and a french press. Don't want to spoil the rest, so you go eat it! This was supposed to be the finishing crescendo of the meal, but I wasn't left too impressed. Perhaps it is because I found other dishes from the meal much better.

Would I come here again? Yes, though I would only come to try their a la carte menu.
Is Yuji and his staff awesome? Doubly yes.
Enjoy your meal fellow yelpers, just be reminded that you're eating good food, since his ingredients come from directly below!

• 
• 
• 
• See all photos from Daniel L.

10/24/2013

Can't say enough good things about this place. 5 stars plus on yuji's creativity, service of him and his staff, and the great ramen dishes. Be prepared to wait weeks in advance for the omakase 6 seat ramen tasting. We lucked out as seats were available last min. via their facebook page.

It's a great fusion of his trained italian pasta making techinques when he was at roberta's and his ramen skills which is his bread and butter. Don't expect broth ramen as this is lightly sauced noodles ramen. 8 prepared dishes and i was well full at the end. Favorites were the uni ramen, the uni ravioli, the smoked muscles ramen, and even the inventive pear dessert.

Every dish was explained well and its quite a show as you sit at the bar and watch the ramen being prepared. It definitely feels like a homey environment as yuji and his staff are quite friendly and great service. I'll be back again for each seasons different seasonal ingredients tastings. As well will be back for the ala carte menu as it changes with seasonal dishes such as the spicey tuna or soft shell crab ramen.

• 
• 
• 
• See all photos from Kevin C.

10/30/2013

I can't decide if I liked it or loved it. Loved the toothsome ramen itself, and I feel like my tastes have been answered with this new mazeman craze that is apparently hitting NYC (ramen with little broth).

I had the bacon and egg, which the name downplays the fact that it is pork belly and an egg on top with bonito flakes. The tongue-in-cheekiness reminds me too much of breakfast, which is something I'm averse to at ramen time. Despite this, I had faith and ordered it - and it was Good. Also had the uni ramen, which tasted even too uni for me - I respect that.

Portions are small, but they are also $9. Great price for a light, rich meal in the overpriced mecca that is Whole Foods.

Seat yourself, tables are like the "good ones" in your college library, even with power outlets at some of them. This seems like a great alternative for spending massive amounts of time in to do work. I didn't even see a hint of staff harassing computer-keepers, and at Tuesday night it wasn't too busy, loud, or quiet in any distracting way.

I was in such a good mood afterwards that I went to the beer section in Whole Foods and bought a hard cider. I think this was my first purchase in Whole Foods ever. I won't purchase more because it's it's too big of a company, but the selection is undeniably "best-in-the-city".

1/9/2014

The price you pay matches the bowl of ramen that you'll get. $9 for a small bowl of ramen.

I went with the bacon egg mazemen. Mixing in cubed pieces of bacon with the running yolk of an over easy egg? Creamy with just the right amount of salt (from the bacon) = instant goodness. The bacon cubes had the perfect proportions of meat and fat, which I appreciated a lot (no super grease for me, please!). And the thick cut of the ramen noodles worked out perfectly for this dish. The mazemen added a nice firm texture because of its fresh preparation. Oh, and those scallions and bonito flakes topped it alllllll off!

I think my only complaint was the small amount of broth that was in my mazemen - it added a tad too much salt for my liking. Had it had less sodium content, I think it would've made the dish more enjoyable. But overall, I did still like Yuji's style.

Not your typical ramen joint since it's located on the 2nd floor of Whole Foods but worth trying out =)

5/21/2014

After going to Ippudo and Kuboya in the East Village this place really does not compare.  for the price, it is extremely expensive for the small amount you receive.  The broth was alright, nothing really stood out.  I was just very disappointed in the volume as well as the quality.  Bummer!

2/9/2014

Don't be fooled by the food court appearance, it's better than that.

Bacon & Egg Mazemen (the brothless ramen) is the most popular, which is real good. Chef mentioned her favorite was the salmon and cheese Mazemen, which I must come back for. Noodles have a nice texture, and I love a good soft boiled egg.

Wish it was served in a non-whole foods compostable bowl. Is compostable waste really more green than washing dishes?

• 

  Bacon & egg mazemen, brothless ramen. Noodle texture was very nice and firm, sauce bathed everything nicely.

  Bacon & egg mazemen, brothless ramen. Noodle texture was very nice and firm, sauce bathed everything nicely.

10/19/2013

To all you Yuji haters out there...pbbbt!!!

"it's too small a portion!" maybe you should go on a diet or visit Japan to realize you're fat.

"it's too expensive for what they give you!" maybe you should not live in Manhattan

the bacon and egg mazeman ("to mix"), is a great combination of smoked bacon, great chewy noodles, and a perfectly runny egg.

unique. no other place serves ramen like this.

this is a place where quality triumphs over typical American quantity.

9/20/2013

Total b.s NY Cheap Eats article writing this up. Yeah, it's cheap because it is THE tiniest freaking cup of soup you could ever be given -- for almost 10 bucks -- so size taken into account  -- it ain't cheap!
More like a rip-off.  The broth was pretty good though and the noodles, honestly I couldn't tell the difference between them and the really good noodles I sampled in the Asian supermarket earlier that day.

Luckily I found a good dollar slice joint afterwards to fill up on.

11/25/2013

It's a hit or miss kind of ramen place.

On our first visit, there was no more ramen, so we were resigned to the mazeman.
The mazeman can be really satisfying; I've had the veggie miso one and it had a wonderful balance of flavor / texture. My boyfriend had the kale & bacon which he really enjoyed, so we decided to go back.

On our second visit, he ordered the daily ramen without knowing what it was (the sign was faar to the left). I ordered the uni mazamen, which was pretty tasty, but also a bit too musy at times. He got the daily ramen which had chunks of fish and was a "turkey pork lamb" based broth. Unfortunately, he grew up in a landlocked area and doesn't care for seafood, so I ate most of his. The noodles in the ramen were unimpressively bland, the fish overcooked and flavorless, the broth hearty but weird.

So he ordered the kale & bacon mazeman, only for it to arrive with a mound of fish flakes atop of it (which was not there last time). I tried my best to pick them off, but the fishy taste was there and half of the noodles were really cold, so it was pretty unappetizing. No one bothered to ask how our food was or wondered why we had 2 bowls of noodles left, uneaten. I wish they had marked which bowls had which exact ingredients, or had bothered to ask how things were.

3/9/2014

I come here once a week to fulfill my weekly craving!  
I've had everything (they have a small menu but it's all good!)

My favorites (descends in order of preference) :

Bacon and soft boiled Egg Mazeman - brothless
Spicy Tuna Mazeman with soft boiled egg - brothless
Daily Shoyu (usually with hake)
Uni Mazeman - 2 bucks more since it's Uni - brothless

Noodles are the perfect texture and chewiness!  Portions are a little on the small side.

Tried the combo one time and wasn't too impressed with the pickled vegetables so won't be doing that again.  
Ambiance is lacking.... but hey it's the second floor of Whole Foods so what do you expect.  

Best lunch find under $10 bucks though!

Service is attentive and clean. They never let my chopsticks touch the table!  Got to love the OCD in me.

2/7/2014

First off, Ramen is probably amongst my all-time favorite foods. Because of this, I'm usually bias in favor of Ramen, but this might have been amongst the worst bowls I've ever had.

PROS
- Great location -- 2nd level of Whole Foods Market.

CONS
- Ramen was served in one of those small frozen yogurt cups.
- Flavor was mediocre at best.
- Smallest portion of Ramen I've ever had.

If you're looking specifically for some good ramen, DO NOT come here. You will be disappointed, given there are so many better options in NYC. If you're shopping around Whole Foods and decide you just want a snack, yeah sure, it won't hurt you, I promise.

8/26/2013

This soon-to-be-permanent pop-up restaurant at Whole Foods is absolutely awesome. I really do think that the partnership between WF on Bowery and Smorgasburg is ingenious - never again do I have to travel across the East River to Williamsburg on Saturdays and fight the lines for a bowl of hipster noodles and some locally concocted sweets. I'm glad that Yuji Ramen is here to stay, and totally excited to see what other interesting items they will start rolling out from the kitchen.

The current regular menu is short and sweet, offering three different broth-less mazumen and one shoyu broth-based ramen. I really dig that they combine some familiar American flavors and ingredients with the traditional Japanese preparations, making for the perfect comfort food. The bacon and egg mazumen was just this - a healthy portion of crispy fried bacon and a perfectly poached egg with just a sprinkle of kale atop beautifully al denta, eggy noodles. The noodles are slightly wider than any ramen I've had, almost resembling fettuccini, only a little chewier and springier. The bowl of salmon and cheese mazumen I polished off was delicious and quite refined; the ingredients may sound slightly weird but it was perfectly balanced in flavor with thick slices of house cured salmon and a creamy cheese sauce, all tied together by lemon zest, a sprinkle of kombu and a drizzle of savory oil.

While the little paper bowls they serve the noodles in may look on the dainty side, I found the portions to be just right. The flavors are bold and the noodles chewy enough that you're pretty satisfied after just one serving. Of course, you can also add the pickles and a cup of cold barley tea to make it a "combo" for just 2 bucks more. While I found the pickles to be slightly boring given that they weren't really seasoned or spiced, its ability to refresh the palate in between bites of rich noodles was appreciated.

Now I just have to make it back for the test kitchen omakase dinners.