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I had a familiar craving for noodle soup today, but wasn’t much in the mood for the slightly heavy miso broth of Rickshaw Dumpling Bar or the anchovy-flavored broth of Wawa Canteen. Having to make a delivery anyway in the Union Square area, I decided to have lunch at an old favorite - Republic.

All the way there, I looked forward to the delicious Tofu Udon in light miso broth waiting for me. I arrived and was seated right away, but when I looked at the menu something wasn’t right…

“Where’s the Tofu Udon?” I asked a startled waiter. He replied that they didn’t serve it anymore; they’d changed their menu a couple months ago. When I pathetically asked why this dish was removed, he responded that it wasn’t that popular. Reminding myself that the waiter wasn’t personally responsible for this decision, I dejectedly settled for a Vietnamese noodle salad.

As I picked at the insubstantial noodles and bland tofu, my opinion of the establishment began to sink. I wish I had known when I ate that dish a mere 4 or 5 months ago that it would be the last time. I would have savored it more. But now it’s gone, and I didn’t even get to say goodbye.