What You'll Get
Called the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan is perpetually bathed in the half-light of dawn, waiting for the sun to finally win its tug of war with the moon. Enjoy Japanese fare in the comfort of New York's diurnal day-night cycle with today's Groupon: for $9, you get $20 worth of traditional Japanese ramen and more at Ramen Kuboya in the East Village.
A longtime student of the art of ramen making, founder Hiroshi Kubo selects his ingredients with all the care of a chess master choosing which game show to watch next. Using salt, sugar, and wheat imported from Japan, Kubo makes every noodle in-house for use in a bevy of flavorful menu items. Prospective noodle-slurpers can start their meal with a selection of appetizers, including the edamame, served with four types of blended sea salt ($4). For main-course-sized hungers, steamy ramen soups include the miso ramen, featuring two types of miso, house-made char su pork, bean sprouts, half a boiled egg, and scallion ($12). Those prepared to fight off feral, roaming pandas might opt for the bamboo-topped Kubo-chan soy-sauce ramen, a soy-sauce-flavored mixture of noodles and broth topped with pork, scallion, and half a boiled egg ($11). Those who, like whirlpools, can never seem to suck enough liquid nourishment into their interiors can choose from a selection of soft drinks ($2) as well as a Japanese tea service ($2).
Reviews
Five Yelpers give Ramen Kuboya a four-star average:
- Quick service, small and quaint atmosphere. – Judy L.
- The service is extremely friendly and very sweet. – Richard a.
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires Jan 24, 2012. Amount paid never expires. Limit 3 per person. Limit 1 per table. Must use in 1 visit. Tax and gratuity not included. Not valid with other offers. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
About Kuboya
Just because on some nights you might find chef-owner Sammy Kubo playing jazz drums at Kuboya doesn't mean that his focus is split. Even as he keeps rhythm for the delight of crowd, he still oversees a kitchen at work crafting steaming bowls of ramen and other Japanese staples. The soups are loaded with char-siu pork or chicken, crisp veggies, and miso or soy-based broth. Other homestyle menu items include katsu curry, takoyaki, and salmon onigiri. The eatery is cozy, too, with exposed brick walls and woven cane chairs with woven backs.