"The sister restaurant to Portland hotspot Miyake, Pai Men is no second-fiddle sibling. The crowds are here for the same meticulous cooking and delicate—albeit more casual—dishes embodying Japan by way of coastal Maine: remarkably fresh and inventive sushi, from-scratch steamed bun creations; and most of all, a glorious roster of ramen that takes the kitchen days to make. Starters like Hamayaki—broiled crab and scallop topping sushi rice, kewpie mayo, sansho pepper, and a slick of eel sauce—deserve their own cult. But it's really the ramen you're here for, and each one is a multi-layered symphony." - Alexandra Hall