Matsuchan

Molly Abraham: This tiny Japanese ramen noodle shop that seats just 20 people, is, without question, the real thing. It serves authentic, flavorful dishes, notably its array of noodle soups (ramen). And whether the diner is Asian (most are) or not, each one gets a correctly prepared dish from the open kitchen where chef/proprietor Akira Matsuda does all of the cooking. \nThe robustly flavored soups, with such ingredients as seafood, pork, bean sprouts, seaweed, sesame seeds, and a wealth of noodles, are served in varieties from spicy to bland. The chef is the unperturbable presence in the open kitchen, working quietly behind a counter piled high with big earthenware soup bowls, some deep brown, others pale blue, in two sizes. Diners may choose to have full-size or smaller portions, an especially nice touch. The small room has just a handful of tables set with a tray of short Japanese chopsticks in little black-and-white wrappings, containers of chili oil, dried red peppers, soy sauce and lots of paper napkins. The chef works under little flag-like black-and-white noren (split curtains) at a big hooded stove. In addition to the 12 ramen noodle soups, there are stir-fried noodles with chicken and vegetables (yakisoba), and cold noodle dishes that are served from June to September.