Ivan Ramen

This Lower East Side ramenya is the 2014 outpost from Ivan Orkin, the unlikely Long Islander behind one of the best ramen shops in Tokyo. Having brought his award-winning noodles to the States at last, the toque is branching out from the humble Japanese dish. Exemplary shio ramen is just the beginning, with inventive must-order plates ranging from a brothless four-cheese mazemen to the Lancaster Okonomiyaki, a savory waffle made out of scrapple. We recommend nabbing a table in the restaurant’s backyard garden, underneath a colorful mosaic that pays homage to—what else?—ramen.