A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a man embarked on a quest was to eat at every ramen shop in Los Angeles. Mr. Ramen was on the list from Day One, but the man never visited.

You see, Mr. Ramen has a certain reputation. To put it bluntly, the man has never seen a good review from a reputable source.

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My first-ever visit to New York was with my sister and it flew by. It’s been four years since we travelled together and she’s always so much fun — we do a lot of laughing, shopping and, of course, eating. This time was no exception as we raced through the city to meet our friends for brunch, lunch and dinner. As a family of mixed-Japanese origin, I’m rather proud to say we started and ended our short holiday with ramen (we had no choice, it’s in our blood.)

MOMOFUKU NOODLE BAR

Ramen is booming in London at the moment but it took root in the States way sooner in a more tighter, deeper way — from instant ramen so beloved of college students to the more artisan kitchens for the truly addicted.

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“Tramin” sashimi. Chef Douglas Kim for Morimoto NYC. Photograph by Erin Gleeson. 

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Men Oh hails from Tokushima prefecture on Shikoku Island, the smallest and least populated of Japans’s four main islands. Until the completion of the first of several bridge systems in 1988 the island was only accessible by ferry or plane, and to this day the mostly rural island flies under the radar.

Their ramen is no different. While Japan’s other three islands are all famous for their regional specialties — Hokkaido for its winter-warming Sapporo-style miso ramen (often served with corn and a couple slabs of butter); Kyushu for its pork-perfect Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen (stewed pork bones distilled to a creamy goodness); and too many to count on the central, main island of Honshu, like the traditional Tokyo-style shoyu ramen.

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London Ramen Wars Part I: Ittenbari

The second ramen bar that opened in London close on the heels of Ittenbari is Tonkotsu located in the middle of Soho. Run by the team behind Tsuru Sushi whose pop-up ramen event I attended last year, Tonkotsu is a stylish and modern ramen-ya serving tonkotsu ramen as its central dish — so beloved of Kyushu in Southern Japan.

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The art of perfection is everywhere in Japan. In its laquerware, electronics and especially in its food. Dessert Le Comptoir in Fukasawa, Tokyo is an example of food perfection. A 10 minute bus-ride from Jiyugaoka, it’s a bit of a challenge to make it out here if you are not given specific directions, but when you arrive, it’s worthwhile. Our friends who live in Fukasawa invited us here on our last day in Tokyo before heading back to Berkeley.

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By Johnny Lopes

Khaosan Road, Bangkok; Backpacker Mecca. The street gets stupid busy at night between fellow travelers and merchant hustlers. You can buy everything from new suits to a ride to a local ping-pong show. As an amateur photo-journalist project, I went out in the early morning to seek out the silent streets — I wanted to capture the contrast of early morning life versus the chaotic alcohol-fueled evenings.

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I used to loathe this city when I lived here.

That was back in 1998 and I was poor as a peasant poofter pigeon. I went looking for the hip & happening 1990′s London which I’d always dreamt about while listening to BritPop all through high school — the city of Blur, Oasis, Suede, Elastica and all my heroes. But it never turned out neither hip nor happening for the insecure nerd I was and I ended up working as a night porter at a hotel outside the city.

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One of my favorite places for a sunset cocktail in San Francisco is the historic Cliff House. First opened in 1863, it sits on the site of the Sutro Bath House ruins overlooking Ocean Beach. Go early for a walk around Lands End. It’s such a stunning spot! Back at the Cliff House, I recommend the bar downstairs, which faces west and gets the most gorgeous late-afternoon golden glow.

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On a dull, drizzling day in Tokyo I set out for my second-ever bowl of tsukemen (ramen dipping noodles). After its introduction in the early 2000′s, tsukemen has boomed in popularity, rising to a crescendo a few years ago and still going strong. Many, many shops in Tokyo offer both standard ramen and tsukemen, and the consensus is that the majority of the latter tastes relatively similar no matter where it’s eaten (although the quality varies).

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