Shinmen 신멘

Every bowl uses thick, irregularly crinkled noodles that carry broth and oil up in their folds and keep a real chew of their own. The soup ramen comes two ways, shoyu with a soy-sauce tare and shio with a salt tare. Gyokai mazemen skips the soup: noodles and toppings are tossed in a seafood-based seasoning that clings straight to each strand, and karanegi, spicy shredded leek, adds a sharp bite. From the U-shaped counter you watch the noodles boiled and plated right in front of you.