Instant ramen is one thing. What sets serious ramen apart is the deeply flavored, long-simmered broth, infusing all the components — vegetables, meats, eggs, tofu, seasonings and of course, noodles — with soulful richness. But even if you have ample time for leisurely cooking, would you have a pot of tonkotsu broth bubbling away with pork bones on the back of the stove for many hours, or the right cut of pork belly for marinating, simmering and making chashu, to say nothing of slices of Japanese rice cake? The alternative is ordering ramen from the experts, for delivery or pickup. Consider requesting that the noodles be packed separately, so you can boil them in your kitchen and add them to the dishes. Here are some ramen places — and udon specialists — that provide noodles to enjoy at home:
Manhattan
Ivan Ramen
Ivan Orkin, the American ramen expert, has his menu of four appetizers, including his lip-smacking pickles, and six ramens ready for pickup and delivery. Most have a chicken broth base, and there’s a gluten-free version made with tofu noodles
25 Clinton Street (East Houston Street), 646-678-3859, ivanramen.com.
Jin Ramen
These reliable neighborhood ramen spots in Harlem and on the Upper West Side are offering their menu of more than a dozen ramens ($15 to $18) and donburi rice bowls ($9 to $17) for delivery and pickup.
3183 Broadway (125th Street), 646-559-2862; 462 Amsterdam Avenue (82nd Street), 646-657-0755, jinramen.com.
Nakamura
The chef Shigetoshi Nakamura, who started on the ramen route at 22, is considered a “ramen god” in Japan. With Sun Noodle, he helped create the Ramen Lab in New York on the Lower East Side and then opened his own place nearby four years ago. Three types of ramen — torigara with pork and thin noodles in chicken broth; tontoro pork in a creamy pork broth with chashu and chewy noodles; and jidori chicken (free range) in chicken broth with chewy noodles — are sold for takeout.
172 Delancey Street (Clinton Street), 212-614-1810, nakamuranyc.com.
Tsuru Ton Tan
This branch of a Japanese udon chain offers an abridged version to go of its vast menu at its Manhattan locations and also, at its new Boston outpost.
21 East 16th Street, 212-989-1000; 64 West 48th Street, 212-575-2282, 212-575-2828; tsurutontan.com.
Brooklyn
Chuko
The ramen here is not classic, but inventive. Sesame garlic ramen with thin noodles, miso ramen with cabbage and curly noodles, vegetarian soy ramen with whole wheat noodles, and kimchi ramen with cabbage and curly yellow noodles are the choices. There are add-ons that include meat.
565 Vanderbilt Avenue (Pacific Street), Prospect Heights, 347-425-9570; chukobk.com.
Hanon
Last year, Pete Wells awarded this udon specialist two stars. It has been closed for nearly a month but has reopened for takeout. There are both cold and hot udon, the latter, made with zenryufun, the whole-wheat variety (fresh, in-house daily).
436 Union Avenue (Devoe Street), Williamsburg, 347-799-1433, instagram.com/hanonbrooklyn.
Karazishi Botan
With takeout, because of the coronavirus, the world is expanding for this diner-style 18-seater that made its debut just six weeks ago. Ramen is one of the specialties of the chef and owner, Foo Kanegae, who was involved with the Ippudo chain.
255 Smith Street (Douglass Street), Boerum Hill, 347-763-1155, karazishibotan.com.
Yuji Ramen
Yuji Haraguchi first attracted attention at Smorgasburg, then with a pop-up at Whole Foods, selling his brothless mazemen ramen. Now from his tiny Brooklyn restaurant, as well as his fish market, Osakana, he is offering two varieties of mazemen ramen to go: bacon and egg, and spicy tuna. In addition, at Osakana he sells a do-it-yourself ramen kit consisting of noodles ($3) and seafood broth ($7); fish can be included for an extra charge, but for vegetables and seasonings you’re on your own.
Yuji Ramen, 150 Ainslie Street (Lorimer Street), Williamsburg, 929-295-0480, okonomibk.com; Osakana, 290 Graham Avenue (Powers Street), 646-262-1358, osakanabk.com.
Queens
Tamashii Ramen
Seafood and vegetable ramen are a highlight at these ramen restaurants, which were first established in Astoria (near Long Island City) before branching out to Forest Hills. Donburi rice bowls, cold tsukemen noodles and various appetizers are also available.
2905 Broadway (29th Street), Astoria, 718-278-5888; 71-34 Austin Street (71st Road), Forest Hills, 718-261-0725; tamashiiny.com.
