After what seemed like 4 months of waiting, but really was something like 1 month, Ramen Setagaya is open for business. I couldn’t believe it. Aya and I were planning to get a bite to eat at a local curry house tonight, but when we heard the news, we were at the door…

…along with everyone else. However, clearly in this case, good things come to those who wait.

Shio-ramen was, well, salty. At first it was a bit too salty, but then as I made my way toward the middle to the bottom of the bowl, my palate seemed to adjust and what was left was a nice, somewhat smoky flavor. BTW- kaedama (extra noodles after you’re done w/ the first bowl) is only $1.50. I’m glad we got it today as I can’t see how they’ll continue to sell it at that price. I give it 2 weeks before the price goes up or it comes off the menu entirely.

Tsukemen was much less salty and more mild. I think if I hadn’t had the shio ramen first, I would’ve enjoyed this more.

In both cases, the noodles were a bit firm, but were definitely a pleasant texture. I look forward to having too much ramen at a place too close to home for many nights, days and months to come. Did I mention they were sold out of product at 8:30PM?  I think all of the people who were absolutely sick of terrible ramen at Momofuku came out of the woodwork to give the NKOTB a try.  There’s probably enough ramen business to go around between good ramen and bad ramen.
On a related note, Cecel cafe crepe has undergone some changes: they now offer small portions for about 50% off the original $6-$7 price. This is a welcome addition as the small size is appropriate from a dessert and wallet perspective. They got rid of the refrigerator w/ crepe cakes, but I hope they still have some kick in them.
It’s good to live on my block. The two block radius, within which I live most of my non-work life, has gotten much more interesting over the past year. For instance, right across the street, a new wine/food bar is opening (Graffiti) with a grand total of ~10-12 seats. Previous occupants of the storefront space haven’t fared well over the past 4-5 years, but there’s always hope: the radius seems to generally be supportive of the foodstuffs (sorry share, we knew ye too briefly). I only hope others feel the same way.