Udon West Review
If you’re in New York and you’re ever in the mood for udon, look no further than Udon West in the East Village. If you’re not familiar with udon, it’s a thick wheat noodle that’s popular in Japan. It’s generally served in a hot broth, but there are cold udon dishes as well. Udon West serves up some of the best udon in town in a small but cozy space. Of course, there are other dishes on the menu besides udon, but I’m a creature of habit, so I can only speak for a few menu items. Here’s what I like most about eating at Udon West.
Udon with shrimp tempura
What To Expect
As I already mentioned, the restaurant itself is pretty small and it’s also pretty popular, so if you go during peak dining hours, expect to wait to be seated. Keep this in mind if you plan to go with more than one or two other people; there are two tables in the back and stools at the counter, so generally the smaller your party, the faster you’ll be seated. With that being said, service is usually pretty quick, so if there is a wait, the staff does a good job of serving customers quickly so they can get in and out. Udon West is a cash-only establishment, so make sure you hit up the ATM before you get there.
Fried Squid
What To Order
The udon is obviously the specialty at Udon West, and you can have it prepared however you like. On its own, it’s served in a hot, savory broth with scallions and naruto (a type of fish cake that has a pink spiral pattern). I prefer to add shrimp tempura to mine; my partner likes to get his with tofu and fried fish cakes. There are several combination plates on the menu: my favorite is the spicy tuna don set, which includes a bowl of udon and spicy tuna over rice. The udon in this set doesn’t come with shrimp tempura but you can ask them to add it. This set is pretty filling and more often than not, I end up taking some of the tuna and rice home with me. I’ve also tried the Karaage (fried chicken) set and the chicken was pretty good - nice and crispy and flavorful. However, I generally prefer the tuna don set. The Ikaten don set (fried squid) is also a good choice if the first two don’t tickle your fancy.
Karaage (fried chicken)
Best Deal In Town?
We usually end up spending $10 to $15 (before tip) per person at Udon West, which is a pretty good deal considering how filling the meals tend to be. This makes Udon West a great destination for those on a budget. Now that winter is officially here, there’s no better time to make your way to Udon West. A hot bowl of delicious udon is the perfect way to escape the harsh New York winter weather. If you prefer to take your udon to go, you can ask them not to cook the noodles, just pack them separately from the broth. When you get home, combine the two and let the heat from the broth cook the noodles. If you get a chance to try Udon West, let me know in the comments.
Spicy Tuna Don Set (my personal favorite)
Udon West is located at 11 St. Marks Place, New York, NY 10003