If you’re looking for a relatively rare bowl of ramen, head to E.A.K. in the West Village. Their iekei-style ramen comes with a broth made from chicken and pork bones (in addition to shoyu tare), with thick, spaghetti-like noodles and spinach instead of scallions. The result is a salty, milky, and rich broth that looks like cream of chicken soup. We have no complaints about the namesake E.A.K. shoyu bowl—except that the chashu is among the best we’ve had, and only two small slices are included. Get extra. This place has 22 toppings—like butter, baby corn, and shredded chicken breast—that you can add, and there are also lots of small plates. Don’t leave without getting the big, juicy ginger gyoza, which come covered in a crunchy dumpling skirt.

photo credit: Kenny Yang