Hey it’s tempura time with the ponpoko! I think if you don’t know about Ponpoko or Tanuku, you should check out this review before reading any further. I’m curious how this soba will be – direct from Japan!
So when I bought the Japanese bowls I’ve been reviewing lately, I went and used the UPC codes on them to identify them – they had literally no English and the label on the bottom was very light on the details. I decided to write on the bottom of a couple the names of them. Well, here’s one of them and with a little Photoshop magic, it’s at least somewhat readable!
One single packet of seasoning!
Here’s the seasoning atop the noodle block – buckwheat noodles!
Here’s the tempura disc – should be good! Haven’t had bad tempura yet.
Here’s the finished product! I added one fried egg with a dash of pepper, a little kizami shoga (pickled ginger), a little sliced turkey breast and some sushi nori (seaweed). First off, the noodles are wonderful – they are of a very nice quality and very tasty. The broth is equally if not more enjoyable with a slightly sweet taste that is uber slurpable. The tempura adds a tasty crunch to everything! All said and done, this was very nice to eat – I loved it. 4.25 out of 5.0 stars – worth finding! 4979397370026 .
This is awesome – didn’t expect to find a local video about this, but this is close to where I grew up!
Today seemed like a good day for as fancy Japanese bowl of noodles.
Here’s what was on the bottom of the bowl…
Here’s what was on the side of the bowl! Click to enlarge – like all images!
One single packet – I somehow expected multiple packets.
A lot of interesting stuff in the packet.
I thought it’d be good in a regular bowl. I added two fried eggs, some Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning, some Kizami Shoga (pickled ginger), some fried shallot and a little ham. Wow – this is good stuff! Shoyu is soy sauce, by the way. The noodles are pretty decent. The broth is nice and tasty – lots of flavor. The veggies were very ample and enjoyable. I loved it! 4.25 out of 5.0 stars! UPC barcode 4979397770017 .
How to make shoyu ramen
I don’t like anything to be floating around me in the tub.
After tasting those last two earlier, I was ready to have something that looked really good – and here it is! Tom Yam noodles, made in Thailand and from Japan!
Here’s the back of the packaging. I boiled an egg in with the noodles last time, but today I thought a couple fried eggs would go nicely.
Some noodles – look pretty standard. They had a little flavor.
Powder on the left and seasoned oil on the right.
As above, seasoning on the left and seasoned oil on the right. A lot of powder here!
Alrighty it’s done woo hoo! I made two eggs with a little Cavender’s All-Purpose Greek seasoning. I also added some Kizami Shoga (pickled ginger) and finally, some fried shallots – this time some fresh ones (thanks Greg B.!). The noodles were perfect – reminiscent of the kind you’d find in Momofuku Ando‘s flagship Chikin ramen from 1958, just an exponentially milder taste. The broth is spicy and full of citrus. It’s perfect pork tom yam flavor – loved it. 4.75 out of 5.0 stars – wonderful! UPC barcode 4903101701356 .
A Thai Food Expo interview of Yamamori.
Food Brain – Social Gathering – Progressive rock from Japan, 1970.
You might be viewing this website today because of the article they did about me in The Everett Herald – or not! Either way, I thought I’d break out something I found last week that I’m really stoked on. This is a bowl I got at Uwajimaya, a Japanese grocery in Seattle (there’s one in Bellevue, too).
If you’re new to noodles, let’s start with the name here. Tanuki? Well, you’re going to find this really bizarre – just have a look at this. I’ve noticed that when tanuki is mentioned, there’s going to be some tempura involved. Udon? It’s a thick, wider gauge noodle. My Friend Vic? You got me – maybe y ou know him?
When stuff like this ends up in stores here in the United States, they have to conform to our requirements as far as the nutrition facts labels and ingredients lists. What can be tough is deciphering the actual name of the instant noodle bowl (I don’t speak Japanese). Google to the rescue! If you take all the digits on the barcode from the label and enter it into Google, you’ll end up with a ton of links to Japanese online groceries – click Translate on the result and after clicking on a few of them, you can get the idea of what the noodles are titled.
Two packets here – powdered on the left and the tempura on the right. Nice to see there’s some seaweed included!
I like my tempura crunchy, so I leave it to the side for now. Here’s the noodles and powdered seasoning awaiting the water. Just like you’d expect, you fill it up to the line and cover it. I use an old yearbook – not mine – from 1987 I found at the Goodwill Outlet in Seattle.
Holy cow this looks awesome! I added a fried egg and put a little Krazy Mixed Up Salt on top. I also added a little bit of Kizami Shoga, which is pickled ginger – not the kind you find with sushi that’s sweet but the sharp flavored kind. Let’s start with the noodles. They came out really nicely – they’re broad and thick – very tasty! Not very chewy, but not spongy. The broth is very tasty – salty, yes, but not ‘table salty.’ The good shoyu (soy sauce) flavor comes through. Then the tempura: crunchy and tasty – the seaweed is nice too! I really enjoyed this one a lot – Highly recommended! 4.75 out of 5.0 stars!
Here’s a vid of someone making what you’d find if you ordered tanuki udon in a Japanese restaurant.
Earlier this year, I was invited down to KIRO News/Radio 97.3FM and was interviewed by Rachel Belle!
So today I opted for something different from Nissin – Top Ramen Picante Beef. Kind of funny; why don’t they make a teriyaki beef or a stir fry flavor over here? Anyways, here we go…
A single packet of flavor – rather non descript too.
Dark and slightly chunky powder.
Added one hard boiled egg (sliced) and some kizami shoga (pickled ginger). The noodles are your standard Top Ramen noodles. Tasty, industrial strength and relaxingly expected. The flavor was a little spicy actually and I enjoyed that. 3.0 out of 5.0 stars. Get it here.
For those keen on reguritation, here’s some soup.
This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen. Definitely not done by a local since its just so ridiculous. That music is stupid. I hated the seagull. Kill me.
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THE RAMEN RATER 