Minca

It's getting chilly! Which means I'm entering my soup phase...I swear somtimes I will have soup for lunch and dinner several times a week when it's cold outside. There are a few great markets around Morningside Heights which make this possible. But I just got a wonderful package in the mail from my mom with an immersion blender in it--which means I can finally make my own soups! And dips, and smoothies, and...I'm so excited! I have no microwave, no cuisinart, no toaster oven, but I do have an immersion blender? One step at a time until I get out of college kitchens...

One of the soup varieties I love in fall and winter weather is ramen. There are tons of ramen shops popping up all over the city, all competing for title of most authentic or richest, porkiest broth. I'll have to try a ton more to be a true judge, but I like to think I know when something tastes really good, good enough to blog about at least. Minca was really good.

Minca is an intimate place with an open kitchen on the Lower East Side--it kind of feels like you're eating out of someone's home. The menu is pretty straightforward, with some appetizers and then an abundance of ramen choices, centered on different kinds of broth and noodles. I like the fact that you can make youre own combinations, though at the same time I'd like to be able to trust in the restuarant's combination and go an authentic route. The choice was easy for me--bring on the pork! But for those who want something lighter, there are chicken based broths, or vegetarian options. You can also choose a miso or soy-based broth as well--basically, any kind of ramen you want, you can get.

I chose the basic pork broth ramen, which comes with slices of pork, fermented egg, nori, and slices of wild mushrooms. When it arrived the bowl smelled so rich and earthy.

The broth had all those components that a nice strong pork broth should--the saltiness and the rich, meaty tinge to it. I like my ramen to be like an asian beef stew. This ramen was also distinctly garlic and onion flavored, which I liked. The mushrooms were also really nice because they not only added flavor but a crunchy texture which complimented the soft noodles.

I also ordered a side of kimchee, half of which I ended up pouring into my soup. I've had kimchee ramen before and loved it, but I wanted to try the ramen as is beforehand and add it in to my liking. I was tempted to order a spicy version of my ramen but I withheld, because I didn't know just how spicy it would be. I'm glad I did because then I was able to add my own amount of spice with the kimchee--with the pickled cabbage flavor as well. It was a great combo.

My friend ordered the spicy basic ramen, which was also really good, but a little too spicy to eat a whole bowl of that night. It just depends on my mood. Her ramen came with corn, which was an interesting addition I hadn't seen before. But it was a welcome addition.

My meal seemed steep at $9.50 for the ramen and a bowl of kimchee for $4.50, but since the bowls are HUGE (you could easily share one), I only ate half and took the rest home. So in reality, two full meals for $7 each isn't that bad.

All in all Minca is a great ramen find.

Minca
536 East 5th Street
Between Ave A and B
NYC 10009

(Another location with the same menu, called Kambi, is located at 351 East 14th St, between 1st and 2nd Ave.)

Later,

Nosher