Blog

Itani Ramen Now Open (For the Moment)
March 19, 2016
We've all been patiently waiting for Itani Ramen to open its doors. The time has...
Umami Map: Top 3 Ramen Spots in the Bay Area
February 2, 2016
Top 3 ramen shops in the Bay Area. Ramen is a touchy subject in the Bay Area. Scratch that, it is a touchy subject ANYWHERE.
Noraneko Ramen in PDX
September 21, 2015
We ate Noraneko, a ramen spot in Portland conceived by the same geniuses behind Biwa. The broth was deep and the noodles no-nonsense springy. Read more...
Richmen Redux: Ramen Shop’s NEW Noodle-Making Machine from Japan
August 31, 2015
The Lexus of ramen noodle machines used at Ramen Shop in Rockridge, Oakland.
Umami Map: 24 Hours in Osaka
May 28, 2015
Growing up, I would visit Japan about once every two years or so. It would...
Furochan Eats: Ramen Is Not Dead. It's Just Getting Started
January 22, 2015
Sometime last week, Dave Chang of Momofuku fame declared ramen dead (in the States). You can...
The Ramen Shaman: Jiraiya (Suzumenomiya)
October 28, 2014
Fall has arrived in Tokyo and with it an indefatigable sense of nostalgia, or natsukashisa....
The Ramen Shaman: Menya Musashi (Shinjuku)
September 8, 2014
Menya Musashi's namesake is one Miyamoto Musashi, regarded as one of Japan's greatest swordsmen and...
Umami Mart Map: The Chronicles of Nagoya
June 23, 2014
Instead of reaching there via a Wardrobe route, Nagoya is about a two-hour bullet train...
The Ramen Shaman: Gundam (Kyoto)
June 16, 2014
My trip to Kyoto was awesome for many reasons. Temples, new friends, raw nature, or...
The Ramen Shaman: Nagahama Ramen Miyoshi (Kyoto)
May 1, 2014
It's no secret that I have a massive man-crush on Ramenate, a ramen blog written...
The Ramen Shaman: Yoshimura-ya (Yokohama)
April 9, 2014
On Sunday, April 6, my picture and story was in the Kanagawa edition of the...