Men Kui Tei

Men Kui Tei in Midtown West is still my favorite ramen shop in NYC for a few reasons:

1. Its cheap: $7 to $9 on average gets you a huge bowl of ramen with broth (compared to the more expensive $12-15 options such as Totto Ramen and Ippudo. 
2. It's quick: the food comes out in minutes, which is a plus when you're starvin'! 
3. It's no-frills: If you just want a bowl of ramen, get in and get out, this place is ideal. No need to look chic (I doubt most ramen houses have a dress code, but NYC tends to do things up a bit) and the customers don't linger. During rush hour, the wait is still tolerable.

Shown above is the Menkui Ramen. A hearty bowl of seaweed-flavored broth with three pieces of char siu pork, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and scallions. The bamboo shoots provide a great crunch, while the pork adds a savory dimension. We also ordered the Curry Ramen to explore, but concluded that it is not to be recommended. The Wonton Ramen is not bad either.