Location: Minca Ramen Factory on E 5th between Ave A and B, closer to B - it's reeeeaaaally far east, folks! (note: 5th St looks like it ends on 1st, but you can cut through the apartment complex's park and continue east)
Edibles: one each of the pork and shrimp gyoza; miso ramen (#9) for me; shoyu ramen (#4) for Edward
Musings: This place isn't quite as perfectly delicious as I remembered from before. Then again, I broke up with someone the last time I was here, so maybe it's the taste of sweet, sweet freedom I'm remembering. ;)
The pork gyoza were wonderful. The skin was silky-thin, the filling was yummy and there's a lovely crunch from the caramelized bottom. The shrimp ones were not as good. I liked the idea - a whole shrimp wrapped in a dumpling with the tail sticking out - but the shrimp were overcooked and tough and the gyoza tasted overwhelmingly of ginger.
My ramen's broth was very rich and complex. It got a bit salty towards the end, but I still drank most of it. The noodles were perfectly al dente and the various toppings (seaweed, half a stewed egg, bamboo, bean sprouts, sliced pork, corn, etc.) were high quality across the board. The shoyu broth is clear where the ramen broth is enigmatically cloudy, but it's also very flavorful and robust.
I think the ramen at Minca stands head-and-shoulders with Momofuku Noodle Bar and Ippudo, and I believe (I couldn't verify for Momofuku) it's cheaper than both. I'm looking forward to a lot more visits in the cold months to come.
[Postscript: Happy birthday, Allie!]
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