Pai Men Miyake

"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

"Of course the chefs at Masa Miyake's casual Japanese restaurant do ramen right. Choose from six kinds of ramen, all delivering rich flavor and housemade noodles. Beginners may want to start with the paitan ramen, which has a medium-light broth made from chicken and pork." - Kate McCarty

"When it’s 10 degrees and all you can possibly think about is sticking your face in the steam of a big bowl of soup, head to Pai Men Miyake for ramen. It’s the more casual sister restaurant of Miyake (a fancy Japanese restaurant in the city). We especially like the fatty paitan ramen - a mix of chicken and pork broth - and if you’re with a group, make sure to get some bao buns to start, and pick someone to investigate the chalk board with all the beer on tap written on it - these change all the time." - Hannah Albertine