Ramen: where it came from and where to find it?

First of all, I would like to state that writing this blog is very important to me since ramen is my favorite dish.

I want to start by explaining, for those of you who don't already know, what ramen is.

Ramen is a Chinese/ Japanese dish with wheat noodles, using "kansui," whose main ingredients are baking soda and water. It consists of a meat or fish-based broth, and I cannot stress how vital this ingredient is, it can make or break the whole dish. Additionally, it has a protein, usually pork or chicken, and garnishes like scallions, boiled egg, nori, and, sometimes, bamboo.

Ramen: Working-class food 

Now, a little bit of ramen history.

There has been a great debate on where it originated. A few days ago, I encountered a book called "The Untold History of Ramen: How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze (California Studies in Food and Culture)" by author George Solt.

In this book, which is his doctoral dissertation, he explains how ramen originated in China, but moved to Japan, according to the Yokohama Ramen Museum. After World War ll, because of food shortage, ramen gain popularity in this Asian country.

Because the government placed tight regulations on food supplies, Japanese people needed to find something to overpass the hunger. Wheat flour was one of the few things that made it through the black market. I want to take a pause here, workers that made ramen could go to jail for this, but they did it anyway.

Consequently, as Japanese individuals kept making them anyways, Japan started to enter a transitional phase, both geopolitically and economically.

In this phase, the reindustrialization of the workforce and the redefinition of their national identity made way for ramen as a recognizable worldwide dish. Solt calls this the "nationalization phase."

Fun fact: At the end of the book, Solt explains how 80% of ramen shops in Japan right now are small businesses, avoiding the corporization trend. Due to a system called "Noren wake." In this arrangement, the disciple receives permission to become an independent shop owner with business advice from his former boss.

Momofuku: celestial ramen 

Many of you already know, I pretty much mentioned it to everyone, but since I first went to Momofuku, I haven't tried better ramen.

Momofuku is celebrity chef David Chang's masterpiece. In the series of Netflix, "The mind of a chef," the owner of at least ten restaurants, flies to Japan and gives us an insider look through ramen and how it originated.

So, for those of you who would like to know how Chang can create such a savory, delicious, heavenly, and enticing dish, check out the Netflix episode.

I think the educational part is just about over; let's get to the crucial one.

Momofuku ramen is fantastic; I can't even put it into words. Let me put it this way: Every time I land in New York, I go straight from the airport to 1st avenue to visit Momofuku Noodle Bar.

Now that you've seen the photos, I can explain further.

You can appreciate the pork ramen in all of the pictures. They have modified it along the years, making it, both tastier and better looking.

The changes have been few, but it still has the same broth, the scallions, the pork belly (Is there anything better?) and the egg, used to be boiled, now it's only the yolk.

To end this part...if you want to have the best meal of your life, go to Momofuku.

Ramen in Puerto Rico

Ramen started to appear in Puerto Rico a few years ago, and it wasn't that famous.

Nowadays, you can find at least ten places that serve Japanese noodles.

There is Shibo, Round Eye Ramen, Peko Peko, Gallo Negro, and Tako G, which stopped serving this past weekend due to the opening of their new restaurant Senpai, entirely dedicated to ramen.

A few months ago, I visited Round Eye Ramen, located on Pomarrosa street. If I remember correctly, it was like 4 or five tables, meaning it is always full. The taste was right, it seemed authentic, I have to say I'd have to go again to give you guys more feedback.

Now (drumroll please), the best one ever: Peko Peko Ramen.

Peko Peko, which is the sound your belly does when you are hungry in Japanese, is a food truck dedicated to ramen, noodles, and local ingredients. He only does catering and Pop-Ups, which is why you better follow him on social media for his next appearance (August 18 at the Art Museum of Puerto Rico in Santurce).

This guy did a "ramen quest," as he calls it. He went to numerous places in Asia and learned from the very best. Consequently, learning to serve the best ramen in Puerto Rico.

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

If you do trust my foodie advice, have some Peko Peko ramen, it will leave you speechless.

Besides, he has a "chicha morada" drink, that tastes amazing, the prices are adequate and, IT'S A FAMILY BUSINESS, even his little girls come and help, which I think is incredible.

He is super talented and humble, always ready to serve. Go check him out. 100/100