bmwracer wrote:

Awww. I was hoping that was some kind of early bird special...

LOL.

I saw the same exact thing on their website and made sure to ask the chef about their lunch hours to see if it was actually correct. It's a mistake.

Hit the Mitsuwa Japanese Gourmet Fair today.

Visiting LA for the first time, Kizo Ramen, which is located on Tokyo Ramen Street...a famous row of ramen shops located within Tokyo Station, in Tokyo Japan.

Beef tongue Green Onion Salt based (shio) ramen. Sooooo delicious! Shio ramen sucks in LA so this was a real treat! The last time I ate a delicious bowl of shio ramen was in Tokyo back in December.

This beef tongue is from Sendai, Japan which is famous for beef tongue, as it's a regional specialty. The flavor and tenderness is so exceptional it is so much better than what is available here in Los Angeles. A real treat!

I also had a side of Beef tongue dry curry. Savory satisfaction!

^ Nice...!

bmwracer wrote:

^ Nice...!

The ramen broth was the highlight for sure. It was so flavorful and light. It's a reminder that a great bowl of ramen doesn't have to be limited to a rich tonkotsu (pork bone) broth which is the only type of ramen widely available here in LA. Straight tonkotsu or hybrid versions there of are ubiquitous here.

It's also a reminder though that the apparent simplicity of shio ramen makes it more difficult to execute...trying to make it flavorful without all that fat.

Spam no ka oi !!!

http://gothamist.com/2014/04/01/spam_brooklyn_hipsters.php

shin2 wrote:

Spam no ka oi !!! http://gothamist.com/2014/04/01/spam_brooklyn_hipsters.php

Cool... Though I do like bacon fried rice more.

bmwracer wrote:

Cool... Though I do like bacon fried rice more.

Spam is the Rodney Dangerfield of pork products: it gets no respect but, like Rodney, it's very popular with some people.

I'd easily give up bacon and all sausages before I'd give up spam.

shin2 wrote:

I'd easily give up bacon and all sausages before I'd give up spam.

Spoken like a true Hawaiian.

Finally went to Tsujita Annex across the street from the original Tsujita Artisan Noodle on Sawtelle.

They specialize in "Jiro-style" ramen with a really rich (kotteri) style broth with lots of pork back fat and thicker style noodles topped with loads of bean sprouts. I topped it with "onikasu" (literally translated "devil's scum") a spicy dried chili condiment and fresh minced garlic.

It was definitely a good bowl of ramen but I thought it was a bit too rich...even for me!
The chashu was substantial as you can see, but I prefer the broth and chashu at the original Tsujita....I think the broth is more complex and flavorful and the chashu there is more tender and velvety in texture.

Nevertheless definitely a bowl of umami goodness.

^ Wow, that bowl of goodness is filled to the brim... Looks pretty hard to eat without making a mess.

bmwracer wrote:

^ Wow, that bowl of goodness is filled to the brim... Looks pretty hard to eat without making a mess.

Started slowly and used a tree's worth of napkins.

I don't know about other families, but when my relatives get together, the menu is, mmm, eclectic? This past weekend we were celebrating the birthday of one of my cousins (she turned five). On the menu: pizza, mac salad, char siu, inarizushi, toss green salad. For dessert, shave ice, about as close as you can get to Hawaiian shave ice without going to Hawaii--toppings included POG syrup, ice cream, azuki, mochi balls, condensed milk, li hing mui powder. The ice was finely shaved, not quite as wispy as the best shave ice but pretty close.

shin2 wrote:

I don't know about other families, but when my relatives get together, the menu is, mmm, eclectic? This past weekend we were celebrating the birthday of one of my cousins (she turned five). On the menu: pizza, mac salad, char siu, inarizushi, toss green salad. For dessert, shave ice, about as close as you can get to Hawaiian shave ice without going to Hawaii--toppings included POG syrup, ice cream, azuki, mochi balls, condensed milk, li hing mui powder. The ice was finely shaved, not quite as wispy as the best shave ice but pretty close.

Wow... Can we get an invite to your next family bash?

bmwracer wrote:

Wow... Can we get an invite to your next family bash?

Yeah, but you gotta bring da siu yuk.

shin2 wrote:

Yeah, but you gotta bring da siu yuk.

I have no idea what that is... At least in that dialect.

bmwracer wrote:

I have no idea what that is... At least in that dialect.

Siu yuk=Chinese crispy skin roast pork

http://corianderandgarlic.wordpress.com/2013/12/03/roast-pork-belly/

Bunch of Ramen Fair invitees from Japan serving ramen pop-style from now until October at the Marukai market in Gardena. Best of all you don't have to stand in line for sixteen hours to try them all at one event.

http://www.ramenyokochous.com/

Tu_triky wrote:

Bunch of Ramen Fair invitees from Japan serving ramen pop-style from now until October at the Marukai market in Gardena. Best of all you don't have to stand in line for sixteen hours to try them all at one event. http://www.ramenyokochous.com/

Sounds great... Though with this weekend's heatwave, it isn't the time to be eating ramen.

bmwracer wrote:

Sounds great... Though with this weekend's heatwave, it isn't the time to be eating ramen.

HAHA. True. At least the even extends into October when it should be much cooler.

Tu_triky wrote:

At least the even extends into October when it should be much cooler.

We'll see.