Fare well, and much respect...
Mar 19, 2007
Last week my brother and I wanted to treat a friend from out-of-town, to the best Japanese Noodle restaurant in New York City: Honmura An. Unfortunately we learned that they closed! Many publications covered the restaurant's closing; I happened to like City Magazine's coverage - it's short, check it out.
The restaurant was very Japanese - in culture. Subtle perfection. If you weren't looking for Honmura, you probably wouldn't notice it. It was on the second floor, with a very simple sign outside. A plaque placed between an I-beam. When you walked in, you walked up a flight of stairs that were made of beautiful wood. Above the staircase was a series of red string, tied in a horizontal row, spaced about 1" apart - creating a "lined roof". There was a light that hit the string on such a subtly perfect angle so as to cast a cascading shadow onto the walls of the staircase. It was beautiful.
Justin was introduced to Honmura by Japanese clients who, when coming to NYC, couldn't stomach the food at most restaurants. Our food has too much fat and sugar in it. Their stomachs weren't used to it (and ours shouldn't be).
When you entered the restaurant, the tables were set up in a "U" shape around the restaurant, with the staircase in the center of the room. The chairs were extremely comfortable, the tables were just the right size, and the acoustics were perfect. It was rare for the restaurant to have a free table - reservations were a must. When you sat there, you felt it was a bustling restaurant, but because of the acoustics - you also felt like you were in an intimate setting. They could have packed in more people, flipped the tables more quickly - but they didn't, because a meal for them was an experience.
And the food... well, it was amazing. Everything was made to order. When you ordered a noodle dish, they didn't drop noodles into hot water - they made the noodles, by hand, when you ordered them. Timing was always perfect, and portions just right.
I'm sad to see this restaurant go. But I have much respect for the owners, who take so much pride in their work, really love and respect their customers, and know how hard it is to create (and more importantly) sustain a great product and service. Most New Yorkers (as City Magazine's article suggests) probably think the owner is crazy. He and his family have developed such an amazing brand, and they're just throwing it away! Why doesn't he sell it?!?!
The answer (imho) is simple. Too often we find in NYC that quality isn't valued. Bigger, Faster, NOW!!! - that's what people want. Slow and steady often wins the race though - a lesson I'm struggling to learn, but certainly respect. Furthermore, the work ethic that this family has is incredible. Their level of commitment and discipline - a requirement to sustain the business that is Honmura An - is rare. You don't build up a brand like theirs, just to see it ruined by others...
Fare well, and thanks for the great experiences!
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So, where do we go now for great Soba and Udon? Soba-Ya on, 9th Street. It's not as good as Honmura, but it's better than the rest.
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