Ippudo

Jon and I went to Ippudo for a late (thanks to the wait) dinner on Friday night and I think I may have found my favorite NYC pork buns. I've tried Momofuku's and I've had Fatty Crab's (twice!) but as far as I'm concerned, they both pale in comparison. The pork on the Hirata buns at Ippudo is much more tender and less fatty than their more famous counterparts. The steamed buns themselves are also softer, less tough, like biting into a delicious, warm pillow. But what really got me was the sauce. I can't put my finger on it but there's something in there that's evocative of a Bic Mac. I think it's the mayonnaise combined with the slice of slightly limp, barely green lettuce. And I gotta say, even having not eaten at McDonald's in years, I found it simultaneously provocative and comforting.

That's not to say that I wouldn't have preferred to swap the lettuce for cucumber but just that all of the elements when combined were so delicious and appealing that Jon and I ended up starting and ending our meal with them. We had a second order for dessert.

Of course, I can't forget to mention that sandwiched in between the two bun orders was an incredible bowl of Akamaru ramen. Rich, porky, umami-y - it just kept getting better as the flavors blended together, each one heightening the taste of the other components, never competing. The one bowl along with the buns was plenty for the two of us.  Unfortunately, we also ordered the black cod which was dried out and unappetizing.  So much so that I didn't finish my half of the dish. 

Nonetheless, if only it weren't so obnoxiously loud there, I could eat at Ippudo weekly.