Ivan Orkin is a nice guy, and makes great ramen - in Tokyo of all places. Read this story on Ivan Ramen and if you can get out there, it is worth the trip. Be sure to have the pork on rice dish.
http://www.metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/724/localflavors.asp
Ivan Orkin has balls. Or maybe he’s just crazy. Orkin, an American chef, opened up a ramen shop—in Tokyo of all places. To compete with other restaurants in this ramen-obsessed nation, which boasts some 80,000 shops, is going into unchartered territories. But Orkin and his ramen do not disappoint.
After taking the Keio line train to Setagaya-ku from Shinjuku and standing in the ever-present line outside the shop, you are likely to be ravenous when you finally get to slide open the door. The traditional friendly welcome, “Irasshaimase,” is the same that greets everywhere in Tokyo, but unlike the gloomy ambiance of other noodle shops, Ivan Ramen is well-lit and inviting. Orkin wanted to make his a “child- and woman-friendly” shop. And he has.
The “shio everything ramen” is a classic bowl that’s served with steam rising up, juicy cha shu pork, hanjuku tamago with an orange yolk, tender menma bamboo, and julienned negi over thin, straight noodles. The umami-rich broth has depth of flavor while also being sappari. “Wow, this guy knows what he is doing” is the first thought that comes to mind. After that, you forget about your surroundings and immerse yourself fully in this wondrous bowl of ramen.
I ask the bespectacled Orkin for his house recommendation, and he presents a donburi of rice topped with pulled pork, roasted tomatoes, garlic and negi. The combination of fatty pork tempered by sweet tomatoes is spiked with the heat of the garnishes. This dish should get a patent.
So, how does one break through the ramen glass ceiling? Orkin, 44, trained at the renowned Culinary Institute of America and worked with several well-respected New York chefs, including Andre Soltner (Lutece) and Bobby Flay (Mesa Grill). His classical culinary training gives him a solid basis for perfecting all of the components of ramen, from noodles to broth to toppings. Yes, Orkin creates his jikaseimen (housemade noodles) from scratch, right in the second floor of his shop. Again, the thought crosses your mind, “What has this guy been smoking?” But then: “Where do I get some?”
Orkin’s broth, based on classical culinary techniques and high-quality ingredients, consists of chicken and a dashi of kombu, iriko (sardines), and other seafood. He has perfected his goal of creating
a soup with “clean flavors.” And, unlike many ramen shops, Orkin’s broth is pork-free.
For his suppliers, the chef has garnered the support of everyone from the meat shop across the alley to the vegetable shop down the street. In essence, he has created a “community restaurant.”
In speaking with Orkin, it is evident that his passion is not only ramen, but all things Japanese, including food, people, and culture. He speaks the language fluently and “wants to help others understand Japanese food.”
I couldn’t resist asking where the urge came to open a ramen shop in a country where he would be challenged and questioned by just about everyone. He considered doing other cuisines, he says, but always came back to ramen. “There are no rulebooks for ramen, unlike other Japanese food.” Orkin emphasizes that he wanted his first bowl of ramen to be “the basic standard, nothing funky.”
The doubters have come, have eaten, and are now starting to shower Orkin with accolades. (Perhaps the best one can be seen on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tObREnJfz0A). The highest compliment he’s been paid is to be called “ramen o tsukuru kokoro ga aru” by Minoru Sano of the TV Asahi program Hadaka no Shounen. Loosely translated, it means he has “the soul and deep understanding and appreciation to make ramen.”
Orkin has no airs about him. For a man who has succeeded in one of the great culinary challenges in this foodie nation, he’s very down to earth. It is thrilling to observe someone who is following their bliss. This is food that comes from the heart. It is a delight to share a bowl of this adventure with him.
3-24-7 Minami-Karasuyama, Setagaya-ku. Tel: 03-6750-5540. Open Mon-Fri 5:30-10:30pm, Sat-Sun 11:30am-5:30pm. Nearest stn: Rokakoen (Keio line). www.ivanramen.com
Using your noodle
Believe it or not, ramen takes a little practice for the uninitiated. Here are a few tips from Ivan Orkin:
• Ramen is supposed to be eaten very hot, otherwise the noodles overcook, so flap your lips as best you can and slurppp! No sissy blowing on the soup.
• That slick of fat is there on purpose—it’s what makes it tastes good! You don’t eat low-fat hamburgers do you?
• Real noodles have a bite, so if you think they’re too hard, eat ’em that way a few times before passing judgment
• Remember, ramen is fun to eat, so give it a few chances, and you just might find yourself falling in love like I did!
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