We love Japanese food with a passion. We even make our own ramen and pork bun dishes at home, and they’re really quite good. They’re just not nearly as GREAT as this. Across from its little sister Bar Chuko, Chuko Ramen is one of the most popular spots in the neighborhood. There’s always a wait and for good reason. The owners are three veteran chefs of Morimoto, a modern Japanese cuisine restaurant, and Morimoto himself is one of the original seven Iron Chefs. Chuko has been hailed by Food & Wine and many others as one of NYC’s best ramen restaurants. A bold statement to make in this town, but you easily begin to understand how accurate that claim is with one bite. Our must haves are: shrimp bun with garlic tartar sauce, steam bun with pork + chili mayo, kale salad with crispy sweet potato + raisins + miso. P.S. the chef’s fave is the Soy Ramen with scallion, egg and bamboo.