No distraction from the ramen is allowed at Ichiran. Its the only thing on the menuno appetizers and no sides are offered. It will also be your sole focus, because the restaurant is four rooms of counter seating only, and, in an introvert-pleasing move, there are panels separating each solo diner (pairs have no barrier between them, but there is a barrier to the strangers on either side of you, almost as if you were taking a test!). A woven curtain also separates diners from waitstaff; all youll see of them are their mid-torso and arms, and you dont speak to them, just ring a buzzer and deliver a checked-off menu with your order. So does the ramen deserve this sort of intense concentration? I think that Ippudos (see below) is superior, with a richer, more complex broth. But Ichiran will appeal to those who like their noodles spicya dollop of house-made hot sauce is in each bowl, with customers checking off a menu box to determine how much heat. The location, right off Times Square, is also super-convenient for theatergoers. And the very Japanese experience of these cubicles does make you feel like youve been transported across the Pacific.