As soon as you step into a Tabata restaurant, you’re guaranteed an authentic Japanese ramen experience. The chef and owner is Maung Htein Linn and comes from Burma, a country whose varied curries and cuisine are more similar to Thai and Indian cooking than to Japanese. Born on 1967 in Yangon, he traveled and worked for 11 years in Japan, Maung Htein Linn brought his expertise in Japanese cuisine to New York City and opened up his first restaurant in 2011. The name “Tabata” comes from Japan and is one of the train stations of a loop line that circles around Tokyo.

“Many customers in my restaurants here are Japanese because they like the non altered authentic Japanese taste.”

With more locations coming soon, Tabata is one of the best award-winning ramen places in New York City and should not be missed.