I just ate a 1 year old package of shrimp flavoured Top Ramen and my face is...

[Old Mr. Wilson]

Mak.........perhaps the preservatives that were used to keep the "Ramen" "intact" "went bad"
after a year. Hope you are ok. Don't do that again. These days I don't know if eating rotted
food would be worse than eating the chemicals they put with this s-hit. A lot of this stuff has
a shelf life of years and years.................and it AIN'T from being "just" vaccuum packed..........

[Chilly Willy]

I second OMW's opinion.  Most Ramen noodles are initially fried in trans-fats (it's what keeps chips crunchy and twinkies squishy for years on end).  There have already been some pretty convincing studies linking trans-fats with heart disease and cancer. 

Man, to think I used to live off Costco sized cases of Ramen back in school....shudder.

Chilly

[indywar360]

real Ramen, which Ive only had a few times, is an amazing delicacy that seriously will blow your mind. When I was a kid there was a Japanese grocery/bookstore called Anzen, at the meat counter my mom would ask for chicken ramen, they made it from scratch and served it in to-go styrofoam, it was some of the best food I have ever had. Broth was really flavorful, noodles were "real" i.e. a little thick, square-cut, and doughy, chicken chunks browned in a fryer and put in nice and juicy.

I dont know where to get real Ramen now, the stuff at Koji's here in Portland isnt that great and most 'Ramen' is uninspired, or they put a bunch of crap in like broccoli and vegetables, which you don't need if it's really good.

Always makes me think of Blade Runner where Deckard goes to the ramen bar.

[pantablo]

Chabuya restaurant on Sawtelle in West Los Angeles makes the ramen from scratch...best in town. Next time you find yourself here....

[makenzie71]

Make your own...

noodles:

1.5 cups flour
2 eggs
1tsp olive oil
1tsp salt

Mix in a bowl...really well.  Make sure you work in all the flour.  If the dough starts getting dry and cracks easy, add a few drops of water.  If the dough seems sticky, add little bits of flour until it goes away.

After the dough is mixed really well, set it in a large bowl (lightly flour the bowl first), then cover the bowl with a dry, cloth towel.  Let it sit for about 10 minutes.  Then break out your rolling pin and board and get an apron because you're starting to do girly shaZam! you momma's boy.  Roll the dough out...I find it best to keep it somewhat square in shape (easier to cut noodles).  Roll the dough out until it's as thick as you want your noodles.  Dust the dough lightly with flour and go do something manly for 10 minutes.  Come back, break out the pizza cutter, or anything with a nice long edge, and start cutting to your desired width.

For pork or beef stock (my favorite) start with either a fatty set of pork chops or a couple ribeyes.  Carve off the fatty bits and through them in a 1 gallon soup pot.  Add 3~4qts water, salt and pepper to taste, and heat.  Once boiling rapidly, through in the noodles and let cook for roughly 5 minutes...or until noodles are desired texture.

While the shiznit is boiling, hack up your pork/beef leftovers and toss them in a wok with a few tsp soy sauce, handful unstemmed cerrano peppers, and garlic powder to taste.  Brown thoroughly...more so with pork.  When your noodles have achieved desired texture, toss all this crap in there too.

Eat it.

[indywar360]

Chabuya restaurant on Sawtelle in West Los Angeles makes the ramen from scratch...best in town. Next time you find yourself here....

I'm moving to LA within a couple years, believe it or not I will remember that place and hit it up. Hells yeah.

And McKenzie, that recipe sounds good... for someone with flour, a mixing bowl, a cutting board, rolling pin, noodle maker, etc. For someone like me its probably better to just eat out.

[pantablo]

I hope its still there in a couple of years...but you know the life cycle of a restaurant is less than that, right?

And if its still there....yummy! that 2 block stretch has tons of good noodle houses on it...and TWO Giant Robot stores!

[indywar360]

I hope its still there in a couple of years...but you know the life cycle of a restaurant is less than that, right?

And if its still there....yummy! that 2 block stretch has tons of good noodle houses on it...and TWO Giant Robot stores!

I got there this Monday... unfortunately it was closed btwn lunch and dinner. I went to Asahi instead... pretty ok ramen, a lil salty, but maybe it was just me. Then Carrot Top came in as I was leaving. Was not expecting to see him on my first stop in LA. 

LA in general was a shock to my system but I think I was getting used to it by the time I left today. I can see the advantages the motorcyclists have there. However it is tempered by the fast + relatively reckless other drivers and the bumpy, seamy roads. I guess you get used to it.

Does the town grow on you or what? Judging by appearances, it was ghetto and like 35% livable compared to Portland, but people still were courteous and friendly oftentimes. I'm not sure what to think...

And what do you think about moving there moto-only?