A Great Lunch Deal at ZuZu Ramen

On a truly bitter cold day, there is nothing that warms the belly more effectively than a nice, spicy bowl of noodles and broth.

The lunch deal at ZuZu Ramen, on Fourth Avenue and Sackett Street, is just that, and a good deal, too.

For an economical $9, savvy diners enjoy their pick of three different kinds of broth—green curry miso, garlic shoyu and double chicken—in a bowl filled with thin, yielding wonton noodles, bok choy, a soft egg, and either bamboo shoots or pork. Ask nicely, and they’ll even make a vegetarian variety. All this comes alongside a prettily mounded side of rice and crispy dumplings paired with shiso seed dipping sauce.

On a particularly biting, blustery day, I ordered the green curry miso broth for its incredible sinus-clearing powers. It is a clean, hearty broth redolent of salt and spice, herbs and citrus. It is twice as comforting as a bowl of chicken noodle soup ever was, and probably three times as filling.

Led by Chef Akihiro Moroto, who grew up in Nagoya but made his name at Lespinasse and Jean Georges, ZuZu Ramen does not bind itself to tradition. The space is minimal but warm from dark wooden tables and a bar, where you can sit and observe Moroto work his magic.

Add ZuZu’s lunch deal, and it is the perfect spot to seek shelter from the cold.