A ramen joint is the perfect place to hit when you’re flying solo. There’s usually a bar, you can slurp to your heart’s content (which, while correct etiquette for eating the dish, still makes most Americans self-conscious) and worry not a whit about any sodium-induced bloating that’s sure to follow. And the beer list will ensure that you’re not subjected to forced sobriety on this sappiest of sappy evenings.
Marumen, 3250 Old Pickett Rd, Fairfax; marumenva.com