Tiny Minca Delivers a Taste of Real Japanese Ramen
If there’s a crowd waiting outside the bright orange vestibules, you’re in the right place. It might be a weeknight but recently Minca — short for Minca Ramen Factory — was still packed and visitors had about a 20-minute wait. Located just two blocks below Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, the Japanese ramen spot is nestled on East 5th Street between Avenue A and B, and while tiny it’s a strong draw for anyone craving authentic Japanese-style ramen.
On this particular night, Kirsten Park and her roommate, Madison Schneider, both 20, were waiting patiently while staring at their phones, excitedly talking about which ramen they were going to pick once inside.
“It’s such a small space here, that’s why there’s usually a wait whenever I come but it’s completely worth it,” said Park, a frequent visitor. It was Schneider’s first time and she was eager to see what the buzz was about.
Founded by Shigeto Kamada, a native of Japan, Minca has been serving mouth-watering, traditional Japanese-style ramen since it opened in 2004. The house-made noodles can be thick, thin, wavy, as well as made from whole wheat or bean, for those who are gluten-free. The bowl is then topped with tender, juicy meat, egg, seaweed and several vegetables. The broth itself is made from substantial amounts of pork and chicken bones, along with seaweed, dried bonito, and dried shiitake mushrooms imported from Japan for a special authentic taste.
Minca’s history goes back decades. According to the restaurant’s website, Kamada was first inspired by ramen in his early twenties when he moved to Tokyo. At 28, he moved to New York in 1981and spent years reading ramen cookbooks — as well as watching ramen television shows — to perfect the noodle dish for his customers.
Inside Minca, which is cramped yet cozy, customers can actually see their ramen being cooked. During winter months especially is when the line outside Minca extends even further; everyone seems to want to get their hands on a warm bowl of ramen. At this cash-only restaurant, the most popular dish is a classic pork-and-garlic-broth ramen, but you might consider ordering the crispy pork gyoza dumplings to eat beforehand. Vegetarian options are offered too.
“I love the fact that the bowl is so big and filling, unlike the other ramen places I’ve tried in the city,” said Katryna Gayol, a customer who was recently sitting near a window at the restaurant. Eating ramen in New York City can sometimes feel no different from eating a freeze-dried cup of noodles from the grocery store, but at Minca in the East Village, it’s as authentic as it gets.
