There are restaurants that are a go-to when the inspiration strikes. Like your no-frills fav Italian joint, or like when you casually pop into Polo Bar for drinks before dins. (You are that special). But surprisingly in NYC there hasn’t been a great soba spot since the days of Soba Nipon, that is until now. Enter in Soba Ulala, your favorite authentic soba spot in Soho. We may even go as far as to say the best soba in NYC.
Photo Credit: All photos courtesy of Soba Ulala and Nobuyuki Narita
Atmosphere
In a word, authentic. Stepping into Soba Ulala is like going from the frenetic West Village to Tokyo, without the 12 hour plane ride. The décor is minimalist and true to the austere and reverence of the traditional restaurants you’d find in Japan. The space is intimate, which makes it so charming. I liked that most of the cooking is done in the open kitchen and sushi bar. You could tell by watching the kitchen team in this format that they’re a tight knit clan, with everyone moving in a graceful coordination. It’s this vibe that makes the whole Soba Ulala experience so true to its Japanese heritage, and in my opinion, one of the best soba in NYC.
Food + Beverage
The food is the reason you come to Soba Ulala, not just once, but as part of your rotation. And as its name suggests, soba, whether hot or cold, is the star of the menu. But first don’t pass go until you try a tasting of appetizers, which equally do Japanese cuisine proud. Delicate is how I would describe the food at Soba Ulala. We ordered a seasonal ramp and shrimp salad, which came in a petite portion piled onto a small plate. The dish and thought put into something so simple seemed intentional. The ingredients including the mushroom and sprouts were so delicately cut and combined that you felt the care that went into creating the dish. It was so healthy that I felt like a better person after sharing it with a friend.
There are at least 8-9 renditions of soba, both the hot and cold varietals. The serving is both generous but also petite. So, while I’m normally into sharing, you’ll need at least one soba per person if you’re doing family-style. The hot sobas are more traditional, with a plain soba noodle, and notably and my personal fav, the tempura seafood soba. The tempura was light as air, and I tell myself that it’s actually healthy for you to eat fried food. Cold sobas provide more flavorful renditions, so also an inspired summer meal. The soba with ikura and the vegetarian cold sobas are light and clean.
The one area where Soba Ulala isn’t your go-to spot is the beverage department. They have simple cocktails, white, sparkling but no red wine. Of course they have sake, but don’t expect a master mixologist. I’m not sure what the business plan is without a full menagerie of expensive wines and cocktails, but the food is tops.
Service
The service at Soba Ulala was beautifully, authentically, Japanese. I felt like I was in Tokyo from start to finish. As I mentioned, the kitchen is an open format and the team seemed so together. Sometimes a name does pre-determine your destination. Ulala means “we” or “us” in Japanese, and that’s what it felt like watching the Ulala team in the kitchen. The Ulala team lives the “there’s no “I” in team” doctrine. This is easily a place you would become a regular and be treated like part of the “Ulala”.
Overall: 8/10
Put Soba Ulala onto your rotation as your go-to spot in Soho for Japanese cuisine.
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FAQs
Q: Where is the best soba in NYC?
A: The best soba in NYC may just be at Soba Ulala, located at 73 Thompson Street in the Soho neighborhood of New York City.
Q: What are the hours of operation Soba Ulala in NYC?
A: The hours of operation of Soba Ulala in NYC are as follows:
Lunch Tue. – Fri. open at 12:00 pm
Dinner Tue. – Sat. open at 5:30 pm
