Raku - City of New York

After a long night of drinks, we made a stop here and we were not disappointed. The duck udon warmed my soul and it was seasoned perfectly, not too salty but plenty of umami. The tempura is fried nicely and the karage was a perfect crispness. We also got a katsudon to share which was the worst of the items but it was still decent. Service is very friendly, highly recommended!

I got the oyako don and it was delicious! It was packed with flavor without being too rich and the rice was perfect. It really filled me up for $18. My server was attentive and helpful. The indoor space is small but there's plenty of outdoor seating with fans. I went around 12pm on Saturday and it didn't really get busy til about 12:30. Overall, highly recommend Raku.Vegetarian options: Plenty of substitution options for vegetarians.

The best udon ever. So bouncy… so tasty…. Tried to come back here on our last day in NYC and it wasn’t open. I didn’t stop sobbing till I got back to SydneyFood: 5/5

I’ve been going to Raku for around five years now. They serve the best udon in the city, with some of the best tempura to boot. What’s even more impressive is that they’ve maintained the same quality over the years. It’s gotten to the point that, when it comes to udon cravings, it’s Raku or nothing.For first timers, I highly recommend the ebiten udon to get a taste of the restaurant’s style. Eat the noodles one at a time. I jokingly describe it as savory boba.The udon has a supple, bouncy texture that can only come from being freshly made in-house. Most Japanese restaurants that serve udon—but not exclusively udon—use the frozen stuff in supermarkets. Raku is one of the few that make their own udon.It’s not only the texture of the noodles: everything else is flawless. The broth is a perfect balance of fishy, salty, and sweet. Other restaurants Americanize the broth by making it too sweet; Raku’s broth is the way it should be. The tempura is light and crisp without being oily. Any excess oil is absorbed by the paper it sits on. And, they provide umeboshi as a palate cleanser in between bites in case we are starting to get tired of the bowl of noodles.Raku offers vegetarian options, but the broth feels so unsatisfying in comparison that I’d recommend a cold dipping udon.

The cold noodles and fried chicken was exceptional. The warm udon textures are too soft to my liking but the cold noodles are more bouncy and not too soft with great flavor. Space is a bit overcrowded.Food: 5/5