The Ramen Plan

Somewhat more than year ago, I walked into Nobu's, on Olive St. in St. Louis, and made a special request to the kitchen.  I had taken a half-day off from work so that I could go to the doctor, and on my way back, decided to stop at Nobu's to grab a late lunch.  The weather was brisk, and I could think of nothing better than a bowl of steaming ramen, in a thick, porky broth.  The first time I ever ate a bowl of ramen, of real ramen, I was at the food court of the Mitsuwa Supermarket, just outside of Chicago.  I was overwhelmed by how rich and satisfying the broth was, at how gelatinous and delicious the fat in the roast pork belly came out, and how chewy and strong the ramen noodles were.  So when the server told me that the kitchen would be willing to fulfill my request, I began salivating in anticipation.  What came out of the kitchen, however, cannot be called ramen in even the most generous terms.

What they had done was take the dark, thin broth that's used for udon dishes, and dump some chow mein noodles in.  The broth was weak, and the noodles could not even hold their shape.  I did not complain, or send the dish back (after all, I had specially ordered it), but I mentally made a mark against Nobu's for being willing to serve such an insufficient dish.

But where else can a ramen lover go in St. Louis to enjoy a genuine bowl of the stuff?  Nobu's is the most authentic game in town (unless the new menu at Tachibana's has some promise--I haven't been recently), and their ramen disappointed in every way.  Is there no market for high-quality ramen?  Is the American imagination too indelibly corrupted by twenty-nine-cent packages of dried noodles to accept ramen as genuine cuisine?

Then I read Momofuku, by David Chang, and inspiration began to develop in my head.  Why couldn't I do as Chang had done, and create my own hole-in-the-wall noodle shop?  He understandably had difficulty distinguishing himself in New York, but in St. Louis, I would be unique--the only game in town.  Wouldn't midwesterners be willing to shell out seven bucks for a hearty, satisfying bowl of ramen?

So my new goal in life is to start a ramen chain in St. Louis, and gradually expand to other midwestern cities.  The only problems I have are capital and expertise.  I have read Chang's book, which includes his method of making ramen, but I fear that his recipe may be too costly and time-consuming to be able to bring in a bowl of ramen for $6-$7, which is the maximum price point that mainstream consumers would be willing to pay for a lunchtime bowl of soup and noodles.  So I am in need of a recipe, restaurant experience, and start-up money.

This is the future that I dream of.  If anyone steals my idea, I'm coming for you.

Radiohead Appreciation

Just today, I realized that I have been taking Radiohead for granted.  So, if you can, stop a moment, and appreciate how much incredible music they've added to the canon in their lifespan.