In the middle of the summer, I get a call from the owner of a restaurant in downtown Washington, D.C., where I live.

He wants to know if I’ve ever tried ramen noodles, a soup made with ramen beans and noodles that’s often served at his restaurant.

“I’ve tried it,” I say.

“What’s so good about it?”

He says, “I know, I’ve tried a lot of different things.

It’s really delicious.”

In fact, I was so intrigued by this simple, simple noodle recipe, I started researching other ramen dishes that were inspired by it.

Here are a few suggestions for making the perfect ramen.

The Best Ramen Noodles in the World