Recommended bowl: Niigata goodness

Hasunuma-san, the ramen auteur behind Gamushara, hails from Niigata prefecture, an area of Japan rich in ramen culture. Before becoming a ramen chef, Hasunuma-san spent time in France studying cooking and working in French restaurants. Many of Hasunuma-san's bowls bear traces of both Niigata and French technique, but they also have a flair entirely of their own.

Gamushara, serves up various styles of shoyu ramen. The noodles are sourced from Mikawaya Seimen, one of the top noodle purveyors in Japan. The signature bowl comes with a dark, clear shoyu soup with ginger topping. However, there are always seasonal dishes and interesting surprises on the menu, too, such as shio tsukemen with umeboshi. Open since 2007