I’m intrigued by David Chang’s (he of Momofuku fame) new publication, Lucky Peach, which promises to dig deep into one food topic in each issue, a method dear to my research-lovin’ heart.
Issue one’s all about ramen, which, despite the fact that I pretty much lived on it in college (Top Ramen shrimp was my go-to flavor, doctored up with whatever veggies were on sale), I still find myself tucking into with some frequency. Here the big guns of food, from Ruth Reichl to Anthony Bourdain, even Harold McGee, weigh in on the simple noodle soup.
Anthony Bourdain’s musings on his favorite ramen movie, Ramen Girl starring the late Brittany Murphy, got me contemplating my own favorite ramen movie, Tampopo. If you’ve never seen Tampopo, I’ll give you one word of warning. Be sure that you’ve got easy access to a bowl of ramen afterwards. In fact, you might want to stage your own ramen noodle slurp-off, eating one bowl at Daikokuya in Little Tokyo, another at Santouka in Culver City. The driving distance between the two feels like it might be enough time to digest one before tackling the other. Or you could just buy a case of Top Ramen. For old time’s sake.