Classic Ramen

Masaki Ueda - Kanashii Iroyane

Had lunch with the wife during my break. I love it. We have different days off but I really appreciate it when she is nearby and asks me out to lunch. Makes me feel happy.

We went to a 50 year old ramen shop. The presentation and flavour was that core ideal of ramen that made it what it is today. No modernisation, no fancy visual flairs or flavours (there are some places that go crazy adding takoyaki on top of spicy ramen!), just straight ramen.

Clearly, a lot of time has gone by and flavours have changed, and coming from a different Asian background, it wasn’t really a mind blowing flavour. But in context and when it hit my mouth, my mind went deep into imagining yesteryear and walking through the streets of Japan in the 80s. This flavour encapsulates it and I don’t want to escape.

I’m reminded of restaurants I enjoyed in my childhood; the linoleum floors, wood panelled walls, orange plastic plates, base flavours of imported spice and the clothes my parents wore. It was cool and I loved those nights eating out at homely restaurants.

So much emotion for something so simple.