This Massachusetts Ramen Restaurant Only Serves 2 Dishes

Is it nice to feel like you've got a whole host of culinary knowledge in your repertoire, so that you can reliably whip up a tasty meal, no matter what ingredients you have lying around? Sure, of course it is! But there's also something to be said for doing just one thing really, really well. Such is the case with Yume Wo Katare, a Japanese restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that focuses on a single dish: ramen.

Now, you do have one choice to make when you visit the restaurant: You can either order a vegetarian variety or opt for the "Special Pork Ramen." After that, your fate is largely in your chef's hands (though you do have the option to make some modifications, such as adding garlic). Open only from Wednesday through Sunday, the rules are strict: You only get one bowl per customer, and you must eat it at the establishment — no takeout allowed. The restaurant also discourages diners from using their phones — presumably so that everyone can fully immerse themselves in the experience. So, while you probably won't get an aesthetic food pic for your grid (you might have to cook up your own signature dish for that; buttered-toast ramen, anyone?), you will almost certainly enjoy a meal worth bragging about.

"Yume [Wo] Katare lives rent-free in my head," one happy customer enthused on Reddit, to which many agreed. "This place gets five stars for food, service, ambience, and organization," a separate Yelp reviewer raved.

So, what makes Yume Wo Katare's signature dish so distinctive? For starters, this isn't just your typical doctored-up college noodle soup (though plenty of the best Maruchan instant varieties have their cherished time and place in our dinner rotation). Yume Wo Katare makes what is called Jiro-style ramen, so named after a famous chain in Japan called Ramen Jiro. This particular style is known for being incredibly rich, salty, and fatty, as well as generously portioned.

First things first: the broth. If you're ordering the non-vegetarian option, it'll feature a deeply savory base — likely a mixture of pork bone stock (tonkotsu) and Japanese soy sauce seasoning (shoyu). Vegetarians have the choice of a soup-free ramen dish or bringing their own preferred broth. Next up: the noodles. Thick, chewy, and house-made, they're designed to be able to hold their own against the heavy soup. The entire meal is crowned with a veritable mountain of tasty toppings — the tender slices of pork belly, of course, along with optional bean sprouts and garlic for a nice, sharp kick.

What's unique about Yume Wo Katare is that after the meal, patrons are asked whether or not they'd like to share their dreams or aspirations with the other diners in the room — the restaurant's name does translate to "Talk About Your Dreams," after all. There's no pressure — you're always welcome to decline — but we have a feeling most folks feel pretty optimistic after slurping up the last of their broth. Life is just more hopeful with a full belly of good food!