For seven years, Mogan Anthony has been tweaking and testing his ramen recipe. The executive chef at a portfolio of restaurants, including Village Social in Mount Kisco and Rye, Pubstreet in Pleasantville, and Locali in New Canaan, Anthony’s passion for ramen started in his native Malaysia. “My father-in-law is a butcher and he used to bring bones home to make a ramen-type broth,” says Anthony. While working for Michelin-starred Chef Masa Takayama in NYC, Anthony became further enthralled with ramen. “We had the most amazing ramen as the family meal,” he recalls. “[It was] made by the older Japanese man that was running the kitchen. He spoke no English but put out the most amazing dish in the world. It definitely inspired me to start my own research.”
That was seven years ago, and Anthony finds that he’s still adjusting the balance of flavors to create his ideal bowl. “Most people are not aware how much it takes to figure out the body, creaminess, and flavor,” he says. “My research is never ending.”
On a recent visit to ramen night at Village Social in Rye, a menu-additions card advertised two types of ramen including a rich tonkotsu with different types of pork, springy noodles, and crisp vegetables. “I use seven different chilies from seven countries to make a fermented paste that adds umami to the dish and helps to cut the fattiness,” says Anthony, who’s broth is lighter and less intense than the cloudy tonkotsu that is favored in Japan.
Ramen will be on the menu at Village Social Rye on Wednesdays starting at 5 p.m. and at Village Social Mount Kisco on Sundays starting at 3 p.m. through the end of March. If you want to score a bowl, get there early as quantities are limited and cannot be reserved.
