Looking for new spots to try? During Dining Month, Lori Fredrich is dishing out must-tries in 20 different dining categories, from brunch to BBQ and everything in between. Here's what she's recommended so far!

There's a chill in the air, which means it's the perfect time for a hot bowl of ramen. But where should you go? There are a good many choices these days, thanks to the ramen boom which kicked off in 2014 with spots like Red Light Ramen (RIP) and Tochi (which is still worth the trek to Sheboygan!); but the scene has only grown from there, producing spots that truly capture the spirit of the Japanese dish.

What you'll find on this list is a combination of some of the best traditional bowls in the city, plus a couple of spots that do an amazing job of getting creative while still delivering on the savory umami flavors that make ramen such an amazing dish.

Artisan Ramen

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530 E. Mason St., (414) 888-8800
artisan-ramen.com
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Artisan Ramen has always stood out from the crowd, largely because they make their ramen noodles in house. And if you think that doesn’t matter, you should definitely pay them a visit. The bounce of fresh ramen noodles is incomparable.

Artisan is also one of the only places where you can craft your own bowl of ramen!  If you'd like, you can choose every element: from broth and tare (extra spices) to toppings and noodles.

When it comes to broth, their tonkotsu is solid. But I also recommend their chicken paitan – essentially the chicken-based cousin of tonkotsu made rich with collagen from chicken bones. It's lovely. If you're looking for something different, consider the kimchi broth, which offers an amazing departure from the ramen norm.

As far as add-ins are concerned, I love the complexity you get from adding umami-rich black garlic; you can always talk me into adding more mushrooms; and I love the dark, dramatic contrast that the squid ink noodles bring to a bowl.

Easy Tyger

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1230 E. Brady St., (414) 226-6640
facebook.com/easytygermke
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Despite its playful, easy-going vibe and fun menu, the folks in the kitchen at Easy Tyger are serious about high-quality ramen. 

While their classic tonkotsu is stellar, it’s an absolute must to venture out and try some of their variations. Take, for instance, their buttered corn ramen, which takes the premise of traditional Sapporo-style ramen (popular in Hokkaido, Japan) to a new level.  It begins with a lovely savory miso-based broth that gets a bit of subtle sweetness from the addition of corn. It’s topped off with a fragrant coriander-lime butter, herbed tofu, soy egg, scallion and more charred corn before being finished with chili oil and cilantro. It’s perfect for this time of year. 

Oh -- and don’t sleep on their specials. There's always something new up their sleeves, from spicy tonkotsu (pictured above) and rosemary ramen to the umami-bombing wild mushroom miso ramen. Watch their social media for all the delicious deets! 

Kawa Ramen & Sushi

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2321 N. Murray Ave., (414)-800-7979
3rd Street Market Hall, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave.
kawaramensushi.com
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The folks at Kawa put months of effort into designing their ramen offerings, even bringing in an expert ramen chef from Japan who spent three months training the kitchen staff. The result is a rich, almost milky, tonkotsu broth that’s been simmered, tended and painstakingly skimmed for up to 12 hours. Made with Berkshire pork bones from a nearby Wisconsin farm, the broth is tested in numerous ways to ensure consistency. A salt meter indicates the sodium content of the broth; meanwhile, a refractometer measures the concentration of the broth itself. 

The same care goes into the chicken-based ramen they serve at 3rd Street Market Hall. If you want something delightfully different, order their Yuzu Chicken Ramen made with light, clear chintan broth flavored with citrusy yuzu fruit. The broth is magical with nuances you don't get from an average bowl of ramen.

Nite Wolf

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After hours @ Uncle Wolfie's
234 E, Vine St., (414) 763-3021
thenitewolf.com
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Now that the ramen "trend" has passed it's refreshing to see that chefs are still obsessed with creating a perfectly balanced bowl.  Such is the case for Elija Loebbaka, head ramen chef at Nite Wolf whose obsession with chintan ramen led him down the neverending path.

Loebbaka's menu reads like a choose-your-own-adventure novel for ramenphiles. And, indeed, you could flip a coin on any given night and land on something remarkable.

Choose from stunningly clear chintan broth, the brothless-but-flavorful mazeman; the complex garlic ojisan ramen made with black garlic broth;  or the Sichuan region's numbing tantanmen ramen.  Any way you go is the right way.

Tanpopo Ramen & Sushi

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5191 S. 108th St., (414) 525-2266
tanpoporamen.com
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I’ve always mourned the overall lack of ambiance at Tanpopo Ramen & Sushi; but it’s never stopped me from heading there to enjoy a bowl of ramen. And that’s because it’s delicious.

You’ll find eight variations of the Japanese dish on the menu, from traditional tonkotsu, shoyu and miso to choices like vegan and spicy dan dan. But, I always gravitate towards the tonkotsu with its long-simmered pork bone broth that’s smooth, silky and layered with flavor. It’s accompanied by equally delicious pork belly, shredded pork, a traditional soft-boiled egg, kikurage (wood ear mushrooms), bamboo shoots and scallions. 

On the other hand, it's nice to change it up every now and again. Their spicy dan dan ramen is a nice variation with just enough szechuan peppercorn to give it a whole new flavor profile.