Ramen is all the rage in NYC that one tends to ignore the other great noodles that’s Japanese cuisine proffers. A good bowl of udon can be just as satisfying and is so much harder to find.
TsuruTonTan, an Udon chain from Japan, recently occupied the space that previously housed the iconic Union Square Café.
The name itself is derived from sounds that have to do with the making of udon.
“Tsuru”—The sound of slurping noodles
“Ton”—The sound of kneading and shaping udon
“Tan”—The sound of cutting udon
Serving gargantuan bowls of udon at prices that match, our meal here was a mixed bag. The menu is rather extensive and confusing. We tried a few of the appetizers and didn’t think much of them at all.
I would skip them completely.
I would stick to the Udon, which is made fresh in house daily. You can choose the broth you want and choose from thick or thin noodles. Mind you the bowls are huge and you are not allowed to take your leftovers with you – so order mindfully.
Here is some of what we ate: