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| - I have been cooking Japanese ramen at home for the last month, or at least I thought I was until I came here. It turned out that I was just cooking Chinese noodles, as Touhenboku introduced my virgin palate to the taste of real Japanese ramen for the first time.
Angelina and I strolled down Queen Street in the rain like two tourists because she thought she saw the word 'ramen' while driving around trying to find parking. We asked a pedestrian, as if she was somehow able to recite the name of this place simply from memory. There's a mildly romanticized story on their website. I'm too lazy to recite it here.
The estate is only slightly larger than your average hole in the wall, but it has been renovated down to the teeth. The sparkling tile/marble wall set a unexplainable ambiance, contrasting the rest of the restaurant which was had a post modern decor which in comparison was very boring. The restaurant had about seven to eight tables, five to six of them sits only two. In proper Japanese fashion; there are bar seats for single diners. In anything but proper Japanese fashion; there is a Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 1 pumping out quality jazz music. Angelina asked me what Bang & Olufsen was, and as I began to explain to her how it was far more superior to BOSE, she began to question my knowledge with luxury electronics. She was unable to search it up online because she didn't have her modern woman smartphone. I proceeded to explain the superior quality of sound using technical jargon, and the more I spoke the more skeptical she became. Eventually, I stopped explaining and just starting cursing profanities under my breath.
First came the korokke. I never had creamier potatoes in my life. I immediately regretted ordering this dish with Angelina. I should have just ordered it myself.
Then came my spicy ramen with soy sauce base. Black earwood fungus and seaweed garnished the bowl, with a soft boiled egg marinated in soy sauce complimented the noodle and broth. I tasted the broth first. The flavours insulted my ever effort to replicate at home a dish I never tried. This bowl of ramen was so delicious I almost wanted to just give up cooking altogether. The broth was thick, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
What happened? Ramen was a Chinese invention. How could the Japanese exceed my people with our own invention. Is this what real ramen tasted like in Japan? This is unbelievable! All conversation came to a halt, my interests narrowed to only the food in front of me.
Then came the Kara-age Don. Basically it is diced fried chicken on rice. Not so basically, it was the most tender chicken I have ever had.
Then and there, I decided to take some time out in the near future and come back to try the entire menu. This was one of the best culinary experiences I've had in Canada. Maybe it's the cooking, maybe I just came here on a good night. Maybe because the waitress was cute. Maybe it's because Bang & Olufsen is unequivocally better than BOSE. I don't want to finish this sentence.
For a small charge, a second serving of noodles can be added to whatever is left of your broth. The broth is served with a choice of having sea salt (or as I like to call it: Salt), or soy sauce. The side orders are cheaper when it is ordered as side dishes.
The place opens until midnight on weekdays.
Thank goodness.
I will never again try to cook Japanese ramen on my own again.
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