Stephen Rex Brown Ichiraku Ramen at 141 First Avenue.The ramen joint that replaced Setagaya on First Avenue between St. Marks Place and East Ninth Street has closed after only 18 months. “Business was bad,” said owner Daniel Song, who confirmed that the restaurant shut down this week.
This certainly doesn’t augur a ramen shortage in the neighborhood, however. Rai Rai Ken, Ippudo, and Kuboya (to name a few) are just a few blocks away. Ramen aficionados may recall that the arrival of Setagaya (now on St. Marks Place) at this First Avenue location in 2007 was hyped as a showdown between the Japanese chain’s “authentic” cooking versus the more experimental noodle dishes served a few storefronts away at Momofuku Noodle Bar.
