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For 12 years, Yuja Haraguchi has manned his two-in-one restaurant concepts under one roof: Okonomi and Yuji Ramen. With only 12 seats at his disposal, Haraguchi’s Greenpoint restaurant serves a hearty Japanese breakfast of roasted and raw fish in the AM, always served with rice, vegetables and miso soup. But in the PM, Yuji Ramen takes over with soul-warming bowls of noodles alongside springy mazeman ramen. Now, on August 12, the Brooklyn restaurant will be popping up in Manhattan for a fall residency. And if you haven’t caught the pattern yet, the restaurant will operate for 12 weeks.
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Running from August 12 to October 27, you can catch Okonomi and Yuji Ramen for a limited time at 110 Madison Avenue. Taking over the shuttered LittleMad Korean restaurant in NoMad, the pop-up will welcome 50 hungry souls—a huge jump from the quaint 12-seater restaurant. But even with more space and seats, the pop-up retains a cozy and intimate feel with long wooden tables and elements of concrete and glass.
Unlike the Brooklyn location, no matter what time of day you roll into the Manhattan spot, both experiences can be had here. Breakfast for dinner calls for one of Okonomi’s “Ichiju Sansai” Japanese-style breakfast sets. Choose from the Yakizakana Set with grilled fish or the Unaju Set with a crispy glazed Maine eel, both supplemented with an option of three or five sides that include charred eggplant, potato salad and a custardy square of tamagoyaki (Japanese-style egg). Craving ramen? Favorites from Yuji Ramen appear here as well, such as the Okonomi Shoyu served with a tonkotsu-style tuna and chicken based broth or the shrimp and miso Ebi Paitan ramen topped with a lightly charred yellowfin tuna belly. Haraguchi’s thick and chewy mazemen noodles have sailed over as well, including the Bacon Egg variety served with a jiggly onsen egg, begging to be stirred among smoky hunks of bacon. Sake by the pour or bottle are also available, alongside Japanese beers and soft drinks.
Reservations are now available on Resy, while walk-ins are also accepted. Residents of Manhattan: don’t forget to make a visit before it's gone.