Ichiran
A ramen branch from a beloved and expansive Japanese chain caters to the anti-social side of hungry New Yorkers where you can order a bowl of noodles without having to speak to a soul, let alone look into anyone’s eyes. Eating at Ichiran is an exercise in isolation: after you buy a meal ticket, choose a seat from an electronic seating chart, and settle into an individual dining booth partitioned by wood dividers. After you write your order down on a paper form, the bamboo shade in front of you will roll up and a server's hand will take it from you. All of the ramen is pork-bone tonkotsu broth, but you can customize it for spiciness, noodle firmness, richness, and with add-ons like kikurage mushroom and dried seaweed. The bowls come out quick, and once they’re delivered, you can slurp noodles (refills are available) and sip Japanese beer in peace.
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