the ramen blog & other goodies!

This is edjusted reporting to you from Dallas, Texas–wait, what? What do you mean there’s no ramen here? Nothing?! No, Tampopo doesn’t count. Seriously? No ramen? Sigh…ok, pack it up. We’ll just get some etuoffee at Pappadeaux instead…

This is edjusted reporting to you from Houston, Tex–what?! Again? No ramen?! Aw c’mon! These are two huge cities with so much good food! …a sushi restaurant? Well, that brisket sandwich for lunch was damn “goode “so I guess I can take one for the team…it’s called what? “Nippon Japanese restaurant”? You’re kidding? Isn’t that’s like calling your restaurant Korea Korean restaurant, Française French restaurant or Deutschland German restaurant! Alright alright, beggars can’t be choosers. Read the rest of this entry →

Anyone who knows even a handful of Japanese words probably knows the word “gomen,” as in “sorry.” My first attempt to eat at Gomen a few months ago resulted in one of those “gomen” moments, when, after a 30 minute drive, we discovered an empty parking lot and a “closed” sign on the door. Gomen has a reputation for having odd hours and closing at random times even when they’re supposed to be open, and I know I’m not the only one that’s experienced a “gomen” moment…”gomen” we’re not open when we say we are, “gomen” we’re closing early because we ran out of soup, “gomen” for the long wait you’ll encounter if you come during peak hours. Read the rest of this entry →

Tokyo Table is a fine dining restaurant that offers “modern yet authentic Japanese cuisine, complemented by tastes from other Asian and world cultures.” I have a tendency to look down on and avoid “fusion” type restaurants (more on this later) like Tokyo Table, whose signatures dishes include “sushi pizza” and “grilled pesto salmon.” I recently agreed to try Tokyo Table mainly because of my newfound enthusiasm for honey toast, a simple and delicious Japanese dessert also offered there. I was ambivalent about whether or not to try their ramen, due in part to Go Ramen’s less than lukewarm review, and in part because of the name of the ramen: Tokyo Char-siu Ramen Noodles. Call me picky, but “char-siu” is Chinese. “Chashu” is Japanese. And “Ramen Noodles” is redundant in the way that “ATM machine” is redundant. (An ATM is an Automated Teller Machine! Why would anyone say Automated Teller Machine machine?!? -end of rant.) To me, those are bad omens of things to come. Of course, dummy that I am, I still ordered the ramen. Read the rest of this entry →

In Vancouver, it’s Menya vs. Benkai.

In prison, it’s Bread vs. ramen?

And on TV: ever try the “#2 challenge” at L.A.’s Orochon? The TV show Man v. Food gives it a shot on the Feb 18 episode.

Find out if Asa Ramen in Gardena “does what ramen should do.”

Can a master ramen chef be too popular to retire? If he’s the founder of Taishoken in Tokyo, the answer is a resounding yes.

“Making Ramen Sexy.” Oh yeah!

Ever have to fill out an application to eat a bowl of ramen? Ichiran Ramen in NYC will be member’s only. Is it worth it?

If you live in Japan and like ramen, or just like looking at pictures of ramen, get a free PDF issue of RamenBank magazine. via Ramen Tokyo

The Tops:

• Top 15 ramen dishes in Sydney
• GoRamen’s 2008 Southern California ramen ratings
• The rameniac 2009 king of the bowl rankings

.

So Cup Noodle Light makes women wanna…take…off…their…clothes… If any guys out there are wondering what to cook tonight for your date, “friend,” girlfriend, wife, etc, I suggest you stock up on these NOW!

Now, I wonder if these will make their way to the states…

Always a sucker for a bad–I mean good, ramen commercial, I thought I’d share this.

via japan probe

If you want music while you’re slurping your instant ramen, maybe this is more up your alley. And yes, this comes with chashu also!