the ramen blog & other goodies!

It’s been a while since my last trip to New York. It’s been so long that instead of having to go to Ippudo, New York again, Ippudo came to Costa Mesa. So how did the Costa Mesa experience compare to “the real deal” in the Big Apple? (more…)

Those of you who missed out on Ippudo Ramen’s first California appearance…all I can say is, you missed out! The ramen was delicious, and as tasty as the ramen served in their New York location. Since I’m determined to write up the review for their New York location this weekend, I thought it’d be redundant to write a duplicate review. Instead, I offer this slide show with commentary to tide you over. (Those of you reading this on RSS will need to click through to the article to see the slide show captions.)

For those of you who did make it to the food fair, what did you think?

Maruchan Roast Chicken vs. Sapporo Ichiban Original

We’re down to the championship game. Sapporo Ichiban Original gets the tip off. Sapporo Ichiban Original plays deliberately and slowly. They like to set a slow-paced game with their subtler flavor. As before, their uniqueness lies in their blended taste. If you have to put a label to it, it would be something like miso-shoyu. Maruchan Roast Chicken, on the other hand, picks up the pace every time they have the ball. They are roast chicken without a doubt. But they announce this respectfully, without an “in-your-face” attitude. Some of the other schools try to be showy, and eagerly slam dunk when given half a chance. Maruchan Roast Chicken, though, plays steadily, like the disciplined team that they are.

Beyond the miso-shoyu of Sapporo Ichiban Original (SIO) and the roasted chicken of Maruchan’s namesake team (MRC), both teams bring supporting flavors. SIO has their onion and white pepper supporters, while MRC’s celery/herb flavor cheers loudly, next to a smaller spicy-black pepper cheering section. SIO also has a few scattered onion bits on the bench, but they usually don’t see much action.

By the fourth quarter, SIO’s rowdy MSG fans are starting to get a little out of hand. MRC also has some MSG fans on their side, but they’re more subdued and not as noticeable. By the last few minutes of the game, the two teams are even comparing noodles. Both teams have very similar tasting noodles, that’s to say, on the bland side. Both noodles are also similarly textured, but SIO’s noodles started off just a bit chewier and ended up just a touch softer.

It’s been an incredible run. Both SIO and MRC are strong competitors with very different approaches to the game. SIO’s tactics have been based on having varied flavors combined to become an “Original” flavor. MRC, on the other hand, focuses on being true to their name and presents itself as Roast Chicken…nothing more, nothing less. It’s close! The game ends with the final score:
Sapporo Ichiban Original: 6.0
Maruchan Roast Chicken: 6.5!

And Maruchan Roast Chicken is the champion!!!
(more…)

Whew! We’ve come a long way from the original 16. We’re down to the championship match, which will take place tomorrow night. Meanwhile, here’s a bracket view of the results so far. (Click on the bracket for a full-sized version.)

So does anyone have any money riding on this?

9:23pm: oops, I have the wrong ramen showing on the final 4 and championship…
9:29pm: ok fixed!

Maruchan Roast Chicken vs. Maruchan Roast Beef

We’re down to the final four, and it’s the battle of the Maruchan roast meats! The referees are drooling in anticipation. Maruchan Roast Beef puts its best beefy foot forward. Their soup could probably be used for an au jus sauce. Mmm…I’d dip my roast beef sandwich in this. Maruchan Roast Chicken goes for nuance and balance. It’s like a light chicken soup with a touch of celery salt flavoring. They’re both quite good for a brick ramen, but Maruchan Roast Chicken’s slightly more sophisticated taste is moving on to the final two!

Top Ramen Chicken vs. Sapporo Ichiban Original

Chicken seems to be the dominant force in this tournament. Can Top Ramen Chicken make it a “chicken championship”? Top Ramen Chicken has a more straightforward-chicken-soup broth and also has that distinct celery flavor. Sapporo Ichiban Original, on the other hand, is…well, original. It’s mildly onion-y, mildly white-pepper-y, mildly shoyu-y, and mildly miso-y. Both of these contenders are tasty, and Top Ramen Chicken and Sapporo Ichiban Original are battling neck and neck to go on to the championship. If Top Ramen Chicken was just a bit less salty, they might’ve beaten their opponent, but Sapporo Ichiban Original wins this round!

Losing team scores:
Maruchan Roast Beef: 6/10
Top Ramen Chicken: 6/10

Sapporo Ichiban Beef vs. Sapporo Ichiban Original

There’ve been some interesting match-ups in this tournament, and this is no exception. The two darkhorses are battling it out this round. Both teams try to use their Sapporo Ichiban-ness against their opponent, and they just end up cancelling each other out. The two teams are almost identically matched: Sapporo Ichiban Beef’s pronounced beef-extract/powder flavor vs. Sapporo Ichiban Original’s more subtle, mellow flavor. It’s another overtime game! But it looks like Sapporo Ichiban Beef doesn’t have the endurance…its MSG quotient, not very noticeable at first, accumulates and creeps up, slowing them down. After a grueling game, Sapporo Ichiban Original wins in OT!

Top Ramen Chili vs. Maruchan Roast Beef

The last game of this round pits top-seeded Top Ramen Chili against Maruchan Roast Beef. While both teams have a bbq component to their flavors, Top Ramen Chili also brings a certain spicy, savory flavor to the table, with a touch of paprika taste. Tasty. But that’s just barely enough against Maruchan Roast Beef, with actual beef bits in the soup (or did it just not dissolve all the way?). Its beefiness just edges out Top Ramen Chili’s chili-ness and Maruchchan Roast Beef is going to the Final Four!

Losing team scores:
Sapporo Ichiban Beef: 6/10
Top Ramen Chili: 5.5/10