While authentic ramen noodle dishes may be ever-present in Japan, finding a great ramen joint in America can be a hard proposition. Not in New York City however. Ippudo offers over a dozen delectable ramen soup dishes and, with renowned ramen king Shigemi Kawahara at the helm, this is as close as one can get to the real deal while still on the east coast of the US. Ippudo has come a long way since opening in Japan in 1985 as a simple ramen bar with a seating capacity of ten. Now Ippudo has forty-three shops across Japan, and New York's East Village has become the starting point of Ippudo's North American takeover.