tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post8493524311595105996..comments2023-10-10T14:43:29.795-04:00Comments on Brooklynguy's Wine and Food Blog: Brooklynguy's Manhattan Ramen RoundupBrooklynguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16321573602782343974noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-19052055701541847212008-06-12T16:22:00.000-04:002008-06-12T16:22:00.000-04:00sent you an email, be there in a week and a half.....sent you an email, be there in a week and a half...Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07747056255576335926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-11563279519404066542008-06-06T12:27:00.000-04:002008-06-06T12:27:00.000-04:00Nope.Just a gaijin who has lived in Japan for a co...Nope.<BR/>Just a gaijin who has lived in Japan for a couple of decades and had occasion to study this stuff somewhat. A friend in France once wanted to start a ramen shop, and didn't know much about it, so I did a lot of legwork for him, running down answers to questions about ingredients, technique, etc.<BR/><BR/>I don't really eat that much ramen anymore... the wife says the salt's no good for me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-14082672029716648052008-06-06T10:22:00.000-04:002008-06-06T10:22:00.000-04:00who ARE you, minor points?!? some sort of ramen su...who ARE you, minor points?!? some sort of ramen super hero?Brooklynguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16321573602782343974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-83646122077108755092008-06-05T22:37:00.000-04:002008-06-05T22:37:00.000-04:00Brooklynguy said... thanks minor points. these are...Brooklynguy said... <BR/>thanks minor points. these are not in fact minor points, as you know. it's all about the details. i didn't know that the bamboo is fermented. i'm not sure that i've come across that in nyc ramen.<BR/>6/05/2008 12:57 PM<BR/><BR/>The making of menma seems to be a mystery to most everyone, even your typical ramen shop owner. You really have to dig to find out how they make it.<BR/>Most of the stuff served in Japanese ramen shops comes from Taiwan.<BR/><BR/>From what I gather...<BR/>The shoots are harvested in September, so they're not tender, young bamboo shoots, but rather the less fibrous parts of the larger shoot. The skin is peeled off, and the usable part is either steamed or boiled. Then it is left to ferment for several months in loosely closed containers. The fermentation seems to be primarily a lactic one (like yoghurt or a malo-lactic fermentation in wine), but others argue a more complex fermentation including several different types of micro-organisms. Some of the menma available smells strongly of Brettanomyces, so I'd argue that a complex fermentation takes place. After fermentation, the shoots are cut into smaller pieces and then dried. Part way through the drying the small pieces are cut into the familiarly shaped strips, lightly salted, and then dried some more.<BR/><BR/>That's the way they are shipped to Japan, and the way they are used in Taiwan, and throughout China, where apparently they are almost never used as a topping for noodles in broth.<BR/>Once the Japanese get the basic menma in hand they are usually seasoned before being put on top of ramen noodles.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-2126927124958241622008-06-05T21:45:00.000-04:002008-06-05T21:45:00.000-04:00Good question, bg. I'm so long overdue it's not e...Good question, bg. I'm so long overdue it's not even funny. The gears are spinning though. I'll be sure to let you know.David McDuffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03274955351036700406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-65116411573935087772008-06-05T12:57:00.000-04:002008-06-05T12:57:00.000-04:00earlier the better joe so i can let the wife know ...earlier the better joe so i can let the wife know and make it work.<BR/><BR/>thanks minor points. these are not in fact minor points, as you know. it's all about the details. i didn't know that the bamboo is fermented. i'm not sure that i've come across that in nyc ramen.<BR/><BR/>hey mc DEE. good idea. when is your next sojourn, anyway?Brooklynguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16321573602782343974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-10485706778264611782008-06-05T08:10:00.000-04:002008-06-05T08:10:00.000-04:00Great post, Neil. A good friend of mine lives wit...Great post, Neil. A good friend of mine lives within a block or two of both Rai Rai Ken and Setagaya. They'll be must visits on my next NYC sojourn.David McDuffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03274955351036700406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-73629409006667044402008-06-05T03:16:00.000-04:002008-06-05T03:16:00.000-04:00Good summary.Small point, but the word for the sto...Good summary.<BR/><BR/>Small point, but the word for the stock is written "taru", not "tar". Japanese language pronunciation being what it is, the final "u" is soft.<BR/><BR/>Also, "shinachiku" is nowadays more commonly referred to as "menma" (perhaps owing to a slight aura of past Japanese imperialist arrogance associated with the term "shinachiku"?). Whatever you call it, it is typically made by fermenting salted and/or dried bamboo shoots, not fresh ones.<BR/><BR/>And remember, a real "tsu" (afficionado) would not drink too much of the soup in the ramen bowl. A few discreet spoonsful, maybe. But as the liquid is there mostly to bathe the noodles, the amount left in the bowl after the noodles are gone should be left unconsumed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-32810575169076080822008-06-04T18:30:00.000-04:002008-06-04T18:30:00.000-04:00No need to save face, maybe I'll bring you some of...No need to save face, maybe I'll bring you some of the real stuff if Homeland Security approves. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions - will be in NYC soon and I hope to try some of that ramen - will send you some details soon, maybe we can have a drink. Cheers!Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07747056255576335926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-21510099621648104272008-06-04T16:33:00.000-04:002008-06-04T16:33:00.000-04:00hey anon - after you do that, see if there's a ram...hey anon - after you do that, see if there's a ramen joint in your town. that's the best way to go, a place devoted to ramen, as opposed to offering it as one of many dishes. <BR/><BR/>joe - although i should try to save face here, i will not, because i've been to montreal and i ate bagels at two different bakeries and they were as NYC bagels used to be (and only a few places still make them like that here) - chewy on the outside, and small, without all that overstuffed dough. yes, i agree, Montreal makes great bagels. wine with ramen...i dunno. sake is my guess. <BR/><BR/>hi peter - thanks for those kind words. a rai rai ken man, eh? that's good to hear. it just has that certain something. But I agree that Setagaya is a phenomenal bowl, maybe technically a better one. but there's more to the experience than just the bowl, i guess. Hope you had fun in Spain.Brooklynguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16321573602782343974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-61864473888702780112008-06-04T05:45:00.000-04:002008-06-04T05:45:00.000-04:00Absolutely outstanding post, Neil. As you know, I ...Absolutely outstanding post, Neil. As you know, I share your love of ramen. I love Setagaya, and I go there every time I am in the city, but I agree with you about Rai Rai Ken, which is also my personal favorite. I especially liked this statement of yours: "While none of the individual elements at Rai Rai Ken are the best in town, they are each very very good, and the overall bowl is fantastic." I am looking forward to going to Ippudo when I next visit NYC, as I still have fond memories of my bowl of ramen at Ippudo in Tokyo.Peter Liemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07849691624742817468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-65720592963281871202008-06-03T21:14:00.000-04:002008-06-03T21:14:00.000-04:00The problem with the NY bagel is that it will NEVE...The problem with the NY bagel is that it will NEVER be a Montreal bagel. Thank goodness it is ok to slurp - I don't know any other way to eat them. No wine pairing suggestions?Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07747056255576335926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-53643352405909584762008-06-03T19:31:00.000-04:002008-06-03T19:31:00.000-04:00yum. i need to check out our local Japanese resta...yum. i need to check out our local Japanese restaraunt. i always order sushi but i may be missing out on a great meal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-36749854850461364732008-06-02T22:29:00.000-04:002008-06-02T22:29:00.000-04:00Ippudo is my favorite ramen chain in Japan. I'm s...Ippudo is my favorite ramen chain in Japan. I'm so glad that it's finally come to NYC. Only thing is the wait is crazy and the price is way too high. It's still the best around IMHO.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-68010244092138802882008-06-02T19:22:00.000-04:002008-06-02T19:22:00.000-04:00hi joe - i have tried Menchanko Tei, the one on 53...hi joe - i have tried Menchanko Tei, the one on 53rd st (?) near the Zeigfield Theater. I liked it very much, but I didn't eat ramen there. i'm picky about ramen, i eat it only at ramen shops. at man. tei i ate another comfort food favorite called oden, the seafood stew.Brooklynguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16321573602782343974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-4829981265295680932008-06-02T13:25:00.000-04:002008-06-02T13:25:00.000-04:00Have you tried either of the Menchanko Tei locatio...Have you tried either of the Menchanko Tei locations in the city? Resorting to an old saw, the fact that the majority of the patrons are speaking Japanese seems to imply some level of authenticity. Now if we could just get a decent ramen place in Brooklyn instead of yet another Thai restaurant or faux bistro......Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03923126740246334560noreply@blogger.com