The claim to fame here is the chef, an alumnus of famed LA tsukemen restaurant Tsujita. Here in the East Village, he is bringing dipping ramen to the masses and pushing the limits on poise. (That’s the standard unit of measure for viscosity, and yes I had to look it up. Who am I, Jean Poiseuille?) This is everything you want tsukemen to be– thick chewy noodles, deeply rich and satisfying broth, all the fixins you could ask for, and a good selection of appetizers to start. Don’t leave before getting the show-stopper: a piping hot river rock dropped in your bowl, bringing the broth back to life in a pyrotechnic display of steam and bubbles.

This may be a new favorite, although don’t ask me to eat it every day. I want to live.