Raku | Yo Dat Shit Was Fire!
One of our favorite spots for udon in the city; Raku is minimalistic, with clean decor and nods to Japanese culture in every surface of the restaurant. With the winter weather hitting hard in nyc now, there’s nothing better than a warm bowl of soup with their silky, chewy udon noodles. We’ve always loved snagging a table at Raku with a bottle of sake to go along with their udon, chicken tatsuta-age & agedashi tofu, but they’ve now added cocktails to their menu— just two. Everything about Raku is precise, so you know that the inclusion of these two cocktails is both meaningful and with purpose. The cocktails developed by Faye Chen (also of Double Chicken Please NYC) are definitely worth ordering both for your party (or two for yourself in my case).
The first cocktail up is the appropriately named Quarantini— because we all need one of those right about now right? The base of the cocktail is junmai sake, so it’s light & refreshing, but it’s punched up with clamato, yuzu, mango & ponzu for a citrusy, balanced drink that’s not overpoweringly sweet or sour.
The Bloody Mari & the appropriately named Quaranatini
The second drink on the menu is the Bloody Mari. The base of this cocktail is also junmai sake, but this drink is funky and more spicy with cocci americano, apple. celery & walnut bitters, garnished with a cucumber. Now in all honesty, I’ve never been a big fan of the typical Bloody Mary— they’re always too sour, too acidic, too spicy, or even too tomato-y. But this, is perfect. This is definitely the Bloody Mari for me. It’s got a slight kick, but nothing that overwhelms you or makes you sputter from spice in your drink. It’s refreshing with just a touch biting.
Raku offers outdoor seating with partitions & heat lamps for those ready for the true nyc dining experience, but they also offer take out & delivery. Including on the cocktails! And if you’re grabbing some udon to warm you up, what better to keep you warm than a delicious cocktail or two. I for one, am excited to see what Faye Chen has created up on the more extensive cocktail menu at Double Chicken Please. Run (carefully, it’s icy out there), don’t walk to grab these drinks + your noodles from Raku.