the 2007 king of the bowl: the top 10 ramen shops in los angeles
Posted by rameniac at 04:22 PM | 28 Dec 2007
Time flies when tacos fry. This website has been running for a little over a year now (well, ok, a year and a half, really), but for all practical purposes, I'm just going to say it's our one year anniversary and leave it at that. And so with 2008 on the brain, it's high time we joined the "list" making fad (blah) and churn out our own Southern California Top 10 "King of the Bowl" ramen list! Sorry, rest of the world. Until I move to Japan (a definitely possibility in the coming months) I don't feel up to compiling any more "best of" lists for ramen shops elsewhere. So, lowered expectations for now. Meh. Here you go... and Happy New Year!
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10. Orochon Ramen (in the bowl rating: 15.5)
Ahh, Orochon. Loved by some and loathed by others, usually for doing irreparable harm to the intestinal tract of diners brave enough to attempt their "Special 2 Challenge." Spices or not, the fact remains that Orochon's shio ramen soup is a delicate blend of flavors that is uncommonly good for the L.A. ramen scene. For that reason alone, I keep coming back here, and one of these days I just might actually take a gallon of milk along and try to get my face on that "wall of bravery"... |
the 22 popular ramen styles of japan: a ramenologist’s field guide
Posted by rameniac at 05:28 PM | 20 Jul 2007
So you like ramen, but have a hard time figuring out what we babble on about here at rameniac? A bit confused over the differences between
Asahikawa and
Hakata-style pork bone soup? Fear not. Here's a (far from) comprehensive guide to the
22 popular ramen styles of Japan. Just like Italy has Neapolitan and Lazio-style pizzas, ramenology is a complex and fascinating study of regional variations, cooking processes, and local character. Well, it's complex and fascinating to yours truly and about five other native English speakers on this planet, at least.
gatcha got goin’ on?
Posted by rameniac at 05:42 PM | 04 Jul 2007
Anyone familiar with masturbation will know all about Japan’s love for gatcha gatcha capsule toys. And anyone who knows about capsule toys will certainly be hip to ReMent’s line of miniature food replicas. Although these aren’t gatcha in the truest sense of the word (they’re sold in Japanese markets with a token piece of “candy”), luck of the draw does play a big factor in the toy you get. Think Cracker Jack without the caramel-coated corn but with a singular piece of gum and one incredibly awesome toy set. Not to boast (ok, fine, to boast), but through a combination of shaking, fondling, and weighing, my record on getting the toy I want is something like 23-2, better than Royce Gracie and Antonio Noguiera in the MMA ring. (Now all I need is for Eiko Koike to give me that bridging back suplex, if you know what I mean). Anyway, the latest from ReMent is their Deribarii assortment - Japanese “delivery” foods. There’s sushi, fried chicken, “Doremi” pizza, and set #4: an honest to goodness, saran-wrapped replica of Menkichi ramen and gyoza with a miniature bowl little bigger than a 100 yen piece. We all know which one I want. Did i score? 24-2 baby. I need to get laid.
