Ramen Quest: Ramen Setagaya, East Village

Happy April everyone! It's been a crazy, busy two weeks from taking care of my sick boyfriend, taking care of his home while his parents were away, taking care of myself, working, school, birthday celebrations, and etc. I finally have room to breathe for now that his parents are back, he's not sick anymore - just allergies, and project deadlines for class are a month away.

I've been really behind in blogging for this blog and Big City Little Adventures and Yelp, so now it's time to play a little catch up until I suffocate myself with my final projects, so you're going to see a lot of long overdue posts, but please don't judge or be disappointed.

Mid-January, I met up with Waz of Let's Nom Nom for lunch in St. Marks/East Village. I've heard mixed reviews about Ramen Setagaya, but I wanted to try it out and see how it was for myself. We met up after the lunch rush which was perfect because it was very empty, spacious, and soothing at Ramen Setagaya.

Deep Fried Squid

I ordered the Deep Fried Squid as an appetizer for myself. It was definitely deep fried and crispy, just the way I like it. There was also some kind of tartar sauce accompanied with the squid. I can't recall any other ramen joint having deep fried squid or octopus on their menu, but at least the ones from Ramen Setagaya didn't disappoint.

Vegetable Gyoza

Waz had the Vegetable Gyoza as an appetizer and it looked perfectly pan-fried, but according to her post - the filling was a little soggy and bland. It didn't sound like it was her cup of tea.

Vegetable Ramen

Waz ordered the Vegetable ramen and at a good price, only $8.95! The vegetable ramen looked vibrant and healthy compared to what I had. I also found that it was interesting that they included tomato in the ramen, not a typical ingredient in ramen.

Shoyu Ramen

I got the Shoyu Ramen which was $8.95 (for lunch) which is topped with bamboo, scallions, onion, seaweed, egg, and pork. This bowl of ramen looked very harmonious and inviting. I was afraid it would be salty like other ramen I've had at other joints before, but it wasn't a salty case here. The broth was flavorful, but not salty which I enjoyed. The noodles were cooked al-dente, just the way I like it. The egg was runny and perfectly boiled to my liking as well.

I haven't been back at Ramen Setagaya since having lunch here with Waz,  but I've told Will how tasty the ramen was and what the experience was like having ramen in the day time. It was definitely a more delightful experience than having ramen during dinner.

Overall, I really liked Ramen Setagaya and I am glad I gave it a chance and I definitely hope to return soon. I've recently learned there's a location in Williamsburg and Fort Lee, so will definitely have to mark those on my ramen quest. This location definitely deserves another visit and love from me.  

Service: 80%

Food: 85%

Taste: 90%

Likelihood to return: 90%