Porchetta, Hair Mates and Ippudo: an Afternoon in the Life of an Idle President of Vice

I went to the East Village today for a haircut. On the way, I stopped by Porchetta for a plate of pork, beans and greens.

But I am totally lying. I went to the East Village specifically for the Porchetta plate. People have been raving about this place. I had to check it out.

But the plate left me hanging. The pork and the beans both seemed underseasoned. The burnt ends were good, but I only had a few pieces to savor. And the portion was less than generous. At fourteen bucks, I consider this neither a bargain nor some kind of ecstatic foodie experience.

So I found myself unsatisfied, but also just a few blocks from Ippudo, which supposedly has the awesomest ramen in the city. The thing was, I had an hour to kill before Ippudo opened for dinner at five.

Fortunately, Hair Mates was on the way, and they were taking walk-ins. An hour and forty bucks later, I emerged with fabulous hair and an even greater appetite for porky noodles.

I was the very first dinner guest at Ippudo. The entire staff greeted me as I was seated at the supa trendy-looking counter. I ordered the Hakata Classic. It came in a smallish bowl, but I was not looking for something huge. The rich broth was opaque with porkiness. Lest I miss the point, succulent slices of pork belly topped the noodles. This, too, was fourteen bucks. Not a bargain, really, but definitely the most refined and fantastic bowl of ramen I have had in New York.

This does not mean I am giving up on my Midtown Men Kui Tei fixation. I don't always need refinement; in fact, usually I need hearty, gut-busting fare. Hear that, Men Kui? The usual, with a mini curry, please.