It's been a great week for ramen in New York City.

And if you're a ramen enthusiast who enjoys eating alone, we've seriously just found your new favorite spot. You're welcome

Ichiran, the world renowned Japanese ramen chain has finally opened in New York after a decade of development.

They're known for their traditional pork broth tonkatsu ramen, but also for a seriously unique way of dining. Their seating arrangements are dubbed "flavor concentration booths," which is a really sophisticated way to say "leave me alone while I eat."

Catering to the antisocial (nothing wrong with wanting to slurp your noodles in peace), their solo seating area features a line of walled-in booths. 

Each booth comes with a system guide, which includes an order form and warnings to "please be quiet and silence your phones." They also allow for some serious ramen customization, including flavor strength, noodle tenderness, and fat content.

Since ordering is done on the forms, there is very little human interaction required. Even when the ramen is served, your server simply lifts the bamboo shade in front of each booth, quietly delivers the ramen, and closes the shade again for the remainder of your meal.

[anad]

You don't even get to see their face, just their torso and hands. Intense? Kind of. But it definitely seems like it would be peaceful.

As reported by TimeOut NY, the "flavor concentration booths" weren't established necessarily to aid introversion, but to keep the meal focused on the food and to keep service snappy.

ichiran_ny

If you're eating out with friends or whatever, they also have a separate dining room with traditional table service too. 

Ichiran NY is located at 374 Johnson Avenue in East Williamsburg.