Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Ramen Report: Pop-Up Yuji Brings Broth-Free Bowls To Williamsburg
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Apr 10, 2012
Modified Apr 10, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Apr 10, 2012
Modified Apr 10, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Ramen is a meal particularly suited to colder months: steaming hot bowls of salty, fatty broth and toothsome noodles are a great complement to bundled sweaters and slushy streets; less fitted are the gut-busting bowls to springtime weather and wear. Fortunately, a new pop-up in Williamsburg is set to change all that, with the introduction of mazemen, a broth-free version that's lighter but no less satisfying.
Yuji Ramen is a new pop-up in the back of the garage-like Kinfolk Studios in Williamsburg, operating Thursday though Sunday from 7 p.m. to the wee hours. It's the brainchild of Yuji Haraguchi, a seafood supplier who told Time Out that he was sick of American ramen noodles losing their structural integrity by soaking in hot broth for too long. Mazeman ("mixed")-style noodles have been popular in Tokyo for a few years now, but haven't caught on in these parts until Haraguchi started whipping up bowls of the stuff, topped with whatever hyper-fresh seafood he has on hand that day. Recent catches have included jumbo, silky-smooth raw oysters, tiny, briny bits of bright-orange uni, and a meaty seared tuna steak (there are a few non-seafood options, too, like a slightly greasy bacon-and-egg mix).
The curly noodles are toothsome and firm, coated with a slippery mix of oil and tare, a concentrated, salty seasoning usually made from a combination of soy sauce, sake, bonito and seaweed. The seasoned noodles, served warm, would be good enough to eat on their own, but the unusual topping combinations really shine: salty uni is mixed with mint-like shiso leaf and finely sliced scallions; the spicy tuna is topped with crispy strands of fried chili and cool pickled cucumbers. Only a handful of options make it onto the oft-changing menu, and with prices falling between $7 and $12, repeat visits are highly advisable.
Yuji Ramen // Kinfolk Studios, 90 Wythe Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn // 646-262-1358 // Thurs-Sun 7p.m.-late // online
Tagged
kinfolk studios
pop-up
ramen
ramen report
williamsburg
yuji ramen
Jamie Feldmar
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Sep 12, 2026
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
Food
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Can a congressional candidate's dumpling diplomacy win over Queens’ immigrant communities?
By
Caroline Shin
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .