This is the second location of an excellent udon restaurant based in Soho, and it’s one of our favorite places to go in the East Village for a casual meal without having to wait too long for a table. Raku’s udon works for any mood. The hot, miso-based tantan, for example, is the spicy porky cure to a hard day at work. And the refreshing yamakake cold udon with mountain yam and bonito flakes is what you want when it’s 85 degrees out. While one of these giant pots is definitely enough for a full meal, the small plates are great, too. So we recommend sharing a bowl of udon and getting a few other things, like lemony chicken tatsuta-age or the spicy cucumber salad. This is a good spot for a low-key date night, or a quick solo meal - as long as you bring cash.