Monday, December 9, 2019

Daikaya in Washington, D.C.

Daikaya



I was in our nation's (America for ya'll who don't know) to do a ramen pop-up event back in May 2019. Of course, I wanted to try a couple of the local shops to see what was going on. Daikaya is probably the most famous shop in town. Noodles imported from Hokkaido, Japan. Miso is their specialty, but in true Hokkaido fashion, they have a menu with shio and shoyu as well. The shop is in a cool part of town, has an izakaya on the second floor, and is just minutes from all the attractions.



Do you think Trump slurps here?



Vegetarian ramen is standard at (most) American ramen shops these days.



Cool design is also a standard in most popular shops.



Noodles imported from Sapporo's Nishiyama Seimen, one of the only noodle companies to have an export business for their noodles. I hope to visit their noodle factory in Japan soon!



The shop doesn't just have ramen. Japanese beers, sake, shochu, and cocktails are all there. No, I didn't have a DIAL BACK THE MOXIE, a drink with lemongrass shochu, aged rum, acho reyes chile liqueur, honey, lime, thai basil with my ramen, but you can.

By the way, the second floor of the building is an izakaya. I didn't go, but I like the concept.



All in all a satisfying bowl. You might wait a bit, as people tend to linger in ramen restaurants like this. When I went, we waited about 10 minutes, but I've heard of much, much longer waits.



I absolutely love that they tell patrons to eat within 45 minutes. Still, 45 minutes is way too long for a ramen lunch, but at least it is a start. Personally, in Japan, I try to spend no longer than 10 minutes slurping my ramen, and if the shop has a line of any length, I am quick to get out. I know, I know, the customer is king in America, but that is just the way ramen shops run in Japan. No drinks, no snacks, just ramen. You do you, but if you want to spend the entire 45 minutes enjoying time with friends, I suggest crushing that bowl asap, then chilling with a drink and snack after the noodles.



Official site here.



Thursday, December 5, 2019

12,000 Yen Ramen at Noodle Stand Tokyo

12,000 Yen Ramen at Noodle Stand Tokyo



As ramen becomes more and more mainstream, and as the world of foodie culture becomes ingrained in everything edible, it was only a matter of time before ramen would become "gourmet." Gourmet meaning luxury ingredients that have never been used in a dish. Noodle Stand Tokyo offers one of a handful of new-wave $100 bowls of ramen. A5 wagyu beef, wagyu soup, custom noodles, foie gras, and of course truffle oil. Even the egg is from famous Okukuji, known for one of the best yolks in Japan. Ramen has historically been an inexpensive comfort food, so is this allowed?



First things first, I need to explain how this came about. This isn't an ordinary menu item at Noodle Stand. Due to the need to source special ingredients, it needs to be pre-ordered over at the By Food website:

Most Expensive Ramen in Tokyo

Pay 12,000 yen ($109 USD), choose your date, and get ready for a feast.

This ramen was created for a popular YouTube channel. Luxury sells, proven by the 2+ million views the video has already had.



You better believe it comes with a free drink!



A nice glass from Hakkaisan (八海山).



Sudachi from Tokushima Prefecture adds some nice accents.

So how do you arrive at a $100 bowl of ramen. Even if every ingredient were the best-of-the-best, I don't see a normal bowl topping $30. The answer is quantity.



While a normal bowl of ramen has round 30 grams of meat topping, this one has 300g of premium wagyu beef. On one side is 200g of sirloin steak. On the other is 100g of marbled sukiyaki.



To put some prices into perspective, a 180g wagyu steak at a top hotel grill restaurant is well over $200. The stuff ain't cheap.

As expected, each bite is a blissful beef experience. The soup is also beef-based for more of that unique umami. Creamy and fatty, with a lingering aftertaste. Bliss.



On the side, some foei gras paste and a kind of spicy miso condiment (島原納豆みそとかんずい). More premium stuff.



Yes, the whole thing is covered in gold. Did you expect anything else?



The Okukuji (奥久慈) egg is considered one of the best in Japan. It's from a small farm that feeds the chickens a natural diet meant to promote a kind of "super yolk."



So, the elephant in the room. The question people ask me. Is it worth it?

As far as being a good bowl, that is undeniable. Nishiyama-san, the chef at Noodle Stand, has created something incredible. The subtle flavors that I personally find to be important in ramen are all there. I enjoyed it without a doubt. But, yes, I realize this one is like a boy band, manufactured for rabid fans who spend much of their time on social media. You'll get some likes, your friends will be jealous, and you'll have eaten a smashing bowl of ramen. It'll just cost you.

Here is the YouTube video in question, made by The Best Ever Food Review Show:



FYI, I went to the previous shop that Nishiyama-san worked at a few years ago. Here's a video:



Ramen Walker TV went to Noodle Stand Tokyo as well: