One of my absolute favorite meals when I used to live in Japan is the traditional, not instant, Japanese Ramen (Pronounced by the Japanese as La-men because they can’t say “r”s.). I miss this ramen SO SO MUCH that sometimes it makes me all achy inside.
When I lived in Japan, this noodle soup was my savior and the PERFECT CURE for a hangover. As soon as my collegues, friends and I were done singing karoake or playing pool, and even though it would be around 4am, one could always find a good ramen shop that would be open for business serving up some of the yummiest hot egg noodle in a pork broth. Oh I could just die.
Ricky and Lucy take me and the girls to Little Tokyo because Lucy knows how much I love this ramen. Now this simple ramen shop they took us to is pretty well known around here for their excellent ramen, so it’s PACKED. Lucy was telling me too how the last time she was at this ramen shop, it was a Sunday and she ended up waiting TWO HOURS to get a table.
Did I mention that Lucy, the girls and I have not eaten anything at all since we woke up and it is already around 1pm? We ended up waiting for an hour to be seated but finally, yes, finally, I was about to get some fantastically yummy ramen. And right on time, I was about to eat of the kids.
After we order and while we’re waiting for our food, Ricky begins to entertain us with his straw trick. He scrunches the wrapper to the bottom and slides the wrapper off the straw, keeping it bunched together. The kids are watching intently.
Then he takes the straw and uses his finger to suction the water and keep it in the straw. He then slowly adds drops of water to the scrunched wrapper. The wrapper then starts to expand since it’s now wet and as it unravels, it looks like a moving worm. Whatever to keep the kids entertained while we’re so hungrily waiting. I now have to ask the server for two extra straws.
We start off with a gyoza appetizer. Gyoza is a dumpling with a thin crunchy skin on the outside and a tasty meat/vegetable inside. You then dip it in a sauce that comes with it.
Our food comes out and we pretty much chow down.
The AFTERMATH: Two huge bowls of ramen, an order of friend rice, an order of gyoza and an order of california rolls…all for around $40. Sweet.
-Jane, Stuffed and Sleepy Ramen Lover
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