Category: Living The Ramen Dream

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Ton+Nibo…

After making a batch of tonkotsu for my customer, I decided to take some of the leftovers and infuse it with niboshi. Tonkotsu + Niboshi = Ton+Nibo

It was pretty amazing. 
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Ramen Shack Revival…

One year ago I debuted Ramen Shack at the now defunct Queens Smorgasburg and after a successful winter in Industry City the shack has been homeless. But not for long. 

Soon to be back in queens with a whole new set of tools. 
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Summer Smorgasburg 2016…

They said it was just hype and that it would never last. Almost three years later I am still very proud of my creation. After all, it’s damn good. I may have been ridiculed in the past when it came to my chef background, but I will gladly challenge any chef to a ramen contest. Don’t be so surprised that “the ramen burger guy” can actually make a better bowl of real ramen than you. 
Sorry, I needed to get that out of my system. I’m not normally at Smorgasburg anymore but today I had to fill in for my vacationing manager. It’s always good to get on the grill and covered in burger grease. Every time I do, it brings me back to that first year. 
https://vimeo.com/87519963
Password: keizo

Big time respect to this man in the red. Someday I might get to be a fraction of what he is.

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Two posts in one day…

I moved to New York City (a city that I never thought I’d actually live in) in June of 2013 to open up a stateside “franchise” version of Bassanova. The short story to that was that I let my dreams get taken advantage of. What lured me back to the states became a tale of lies once I arrived. So I left. And after contemplating going back to Japan, I found a way to create the Ramen Burger. I’m sure by now you know how that turned out. I was blessed and my hard work paid off. But with success, comes drama. And oh what drama prevailed. 

It’s exhausting just thinking about it but I’ve learned so much about friendship, love, business, family, and me. It wasn’t all smooth sailing and swimming in duck-tales-money for sure, but looking back on it I do not regret a thing. I’ve left the regrets to others.
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Go Ramen Go Life, Inc…

I was asked today why I haven’t written a book. It’s not that I don’t have a desire to write one, it just seems that all anyone wants in a food book these days are recipes. Recipes aren’t worth anything without the emotional stories to go with them. So from today, I will do my best to continue blogging about the one thing that has taken me to places beyond my dreams.

A lot has happened since we last met and I regret that I was never able to share the story like I always have before. I am back in control of everything around me now and I think it’s time to continue my story and share my ramen thoughts with you once again. I’ve disabled comments because there’s been so much spam so if you need to reach me feel free to email me at anytime. Go Ramen! Go Life!
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Blizzard Tori Paitan…

Snowed in! I had planned on serving this for Ramen Shack today but since Smorgasburg is closed it will just have to be my first blog post of 2016!!! Hahaha.

Things I learned from this batch of Tori Paitan:

  • With a thickness of 11 on the densitometer, man it is effing creamy!
  • It seems to taste better with a shio tare. Shoyu makes it taste a little sour.
  • Fish products (dashi or oils) do not seem to work well with the intense chicken flavor either.

11 #toripaitan #ramenshack #ramenshackweek29
Posted by Go Ramen! on Thursday, January 21, 2016

This is a beauty. So rich for just chicken. Blizzard Tori Paitan. See you tomorrow. #ramenshack #ramenshackweek29
Posted by Go Ramen! on Friday, January 22, 2016

I’m craving a Ramen Burger.

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Ramen Shack, a new beginning…

As for the menu…

I want to keep it simple at first.

My goal is to tell a story.

A story about how ramen evolved in Japan.

From a little shack in the hidden alleys of Yokohama.

To what it has become today. Stay tuned…

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This is happening…

So much has happened since I last blogged. So much so that it’s been painful to even think about why I haven’t. I’ve had so much to say, but never the right moment to say it. So much to share, but never the right means to share it. For now you’ll just have to take my word for it and trust that every decision I have made (and will make) is not for selfish fame or fortune, but for the greater good of continuing to live the ramen dream in all of us. If you would like to hear these stories in person, please join me this summer as I work on my newest concept–Ramen Shack.

Beginning July 11th at the new Smorgasburg Queens in Long Island City, I will be serving different styles of ramen (hopefully) every Saturday until they kick me out of the building. With only three weeks to go, as you can see I have nothing but a logo. Pressure time!!!

At least I got my design sketched out.  Now to work on recipes!!