Moon Rabbit is Open on Boston Post Road
It’s the ultimate comfort food. And right here in town, it’s been perfected in execution, taste and price.
Once, Ramen was a dried packaged staple of post-War Japan. Now, Ramen Shops appear around every corner of Tokyo and many corners of New York. But as far as we know, Moon Rabbit is one of the the only Noodle Bars around here. And it’s one you’ll visit over and over.
Owner Pedro Munoz has transformed the former Cienega into a warm, casual eatery, a bright spot on the dull car dealership stretch of the Boston Post Road in New Rochelle. The colorful, casual bench seating reflects his philosophy behind the new restaurant: It’s accessible to everyone.
He and two top chefs, Executive Chef James Kim and Justin Slojkoski (go ahead, google him) are imported in daily from Brooklyn (in a small car), along with the freshest ingredients to make Gyoza (pork or vegetable dumplings) and high quality complex Ramens, like the house Moon Rabbit Ramen ($16) with pork bellies and/or seasoned eggs, pork loin, chicken fat tare, kae-dama, and other Japanese staples you will recognize if not by name
A children’s menu offers chicken ramen ($8) rice bowls and more. Lunch (with a beer, if you’re so inclined) is under 20 bucks.
Watching Kim in the kitchen, carefully placing a radish or a piece of seaweed just so, reminded me that food should be experienced, and as winter approaches, warm and soothing, not just, well, eaten.
As I was leaving, Kim revealed that he used to be a fashion designer. “It took months before anything I made could be enjoyed by someone. But this? It gives people instant gratification.”
Moon Rabbit Noodle Bar 179 East Main St., New Rochelle moonrabbitny.com 914.632.4000
Tried Moon Rabbit with my husband and 2 kids…and everyone LOVED it. We are already fans of incredible ramen places in the city — Momofuko and Ipputo. While I wouldn’t put this ramen on the same level…it’s surprisingly not far! We are so happy to welcome this yummy, relatively hip restaurant to the area. Hope it stays around!
Sorry you had a bad experience, my 2 sons. The ownership at Cienega put the restaurant thru a global metamorphosis going from modern Latin fusion to Asian noodle bar. This is not easy to do and is easy ammunition for kitchen confusion. Knowing how competent they were as Cienega, I would cut them some slack and give the new theme a chance to evolve…
I was a big fan of Cienega so happily went to Moon Rabbit when it opened. What a disappointment. the ramen was greasy, over salted and laid in my stomach all night. I will not go back. Too bad.