Rai Rai Ken + Basta Pasta NYC

I was thinking about this long and hard.  Code struggling leads toward ramen night?  In conclusion.  No matter what, everyday is a ramen night! 

After Ippudo experience yesterday, I was checking out Yelp and @goramen to see where I can go next.  Totto is closed for cleaning.  Yuji ramen might be tons of people (it is around noon time).  I thought I give Rai Rai Ken a try.  

While walking there, I have passed by Satagaya Ramen (Tokyo Chain) and Japadog (japanese hotdog).  Quite surprised that it is quite empty at noon time.  Sitting at the bar in front of Mexican chef, I started to wonder the quality.  The server is prompt to order my food and I have put in Tsukemen with hot noodle.

From looking, it is tasty, starting from the noodle to the side dishes.  I like the chewiness of the noodle and how it mesh with the dipping soup, which is combined tonkotsu and checken bone.  The side of vegetable and menma were less of a quality.  I did not finished those sides.  

Later in the day, my cousin and I hit up Japanese Italian Basta Pasta on the west side of town. Yellowtail carpaccio with mango sauce.

Hands down with the Linguini al Ricci de Mare, which is pasta with uni.  Both my cousin and I got this dish.  The red and white sauce mashed perfectly with the uni.  The basil gives it an extra spice emphasized uni taste.

There were a lot of people in Basta Pasta.  Make sure to reserve! 

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Rai Rai Ken 

218 E 10th St
(between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave) 
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhood: East Village

http://www.yelp.com/biz/rai-rai-ken-new-york

Basta Pasta

37 W 17th St
(between Avenue Of The Americas & 5th Ave) 
New York, NY 10011
Neighborhood: Flatiron

http://www.bastapastanyc.com/