いらっしゃいませ!

Welcome to my ramen dream... Currently being interpreted in Ramen Burger Land... Looking for a good slurp? Email me ! - Keizo

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Never slowing down...

Five years ago, I was in need of rest after a long day of work.


Today, with a 5am start, it was much of the same. 

Saturday, November 8, 2014

The real ramen master...

Five years ago, I lied. I do have pics to prove it. See, he smiled. RIP Sano-san.

(November 8, 2009)

So much respect...

Friday, November 7, 2014

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Removing the stink...

Five years ago paved the way for today. And today I made this new ramen. A ramen that has been in the works for awhile now. So much so that I've already trademarked it. Stay tuned...


Meanwhile, this is how to remove the stink from a smelly tonkotsu.


But sometimes the stink is not to be removed.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Slept like a baby...

Five years ago today was a long, long day and I can only remember it as being a crash course in how to prepare for ramen event. I couldn't take any pictures that day, but I can vividly remember trying to transport several supplies on the train and one of the guys that was with me was extremely embarrassed to be carrying cardboard boxes.

Other than that, all I can remember is that I slept like a baby.


Tuesday, November 4, 2014

A roasted tomato...

Five years ago, I began my career as a ramen groupie who decided to learn from a ramen junkie. Looking back and reading that post, I went to eat at Ramen Nakamura in Eifuku and wrote "supposedly it was run by the brother of Taishoken Eifukucho." Apparently that was completely false. Whoever told me that was mistaking Nakamura with Kusamura down the street aka The Bush. But ironically, a couple years later the owner of Nakamura walked into Kusamura as I was sitting at the counter and I overheard the master telling him that he has no relation to the guy at ET.

(November 4, 2009)

Even from that first full day five years ago I fell in love with the streets of Tokyo.

(November 4, 2009)

Yes, in case you forgot I started this dream of mine working for Ivan Orkin of Ivan Ramen. Famous for his roasted tomatoes and unique take on Japanese ramen. Five years later, Ivan is one of the biggest players in popularizing ramen in America.

(November 4, 2009)

Fast forward to today, I was inspired to make a roasted tomato ramen burger.

(November 4, 2014)

In honor of Ivan, I think I have to call this one the Ivan Ramen Burger, right?

Monday, November 3, 2014

That first day...

Five years ago I arrived in Tokyo with one dream...a ramen dream. After 55 bowls in 28 days from 21 cities throughout Japan, I needed to learn more, slurp more, and make more of my favorite food since childhood. And as crazy as it sounded to my friends and family, giving up a six-figure-a-year salary for less than minimum wage sounded like the perfect thing for me to do. Fittingly, my first friends to welcome me to Tokyo were none other than Brian and Nate. Back then we were so pure. We each had our own tastes for ramen but to look back now and see how far we've come, several thousands of bowls later, it's crazy.


In the years leading up to this day, there was one shop I always dreamed about working at and learning from its master. No, that shop wasn't Bassanova, but it was close. I'll reveal that shop someday but for now I'll just keep you guessing.


When my sister-in-law picked me up from the airport I remember telling her that someday I will work at Bassanova. At the time, I was incredibly intimidated by the shops manager and realistically never thought it would happen. Or could happen for that matter. But it did. And that story will take an entire drunken night to tell. Sorry but I don't think that night is tonight. ;)


Ahh the GCS. To look back at all the drama I've been through in the past five years in regards to Bassanova, I miss this bowl the most. I miss looking at it. I miss prepping it. I miss slurping it. I miss everything about it.


My phone wallpaper for the last five years.


I remember this day like it was yesterday. I think this calls for a reunion. A ramen reunion. A meeting of the mouths reunion...


(All pictures were taken on November 3, 2009)

Sunday, November 2, 2014

5 years...

Dear friends,

Five years ago today I embarked on a ramen dream that has forever changed my life. It was a long five years that passed in only a few heartbeats. I do not regret a single moment (well maybe a few drunken nights), but I would like to say that nothing came easy. I may not have told the whole story on my blog and from afar the dream may have been a bit glamorized, but with all the success that has come, there have been many nights of contemplating the many decisions I have made. Everything, everyday, every second is a learning experience. No one is perfect, nor am I, but all I can do is hope to dream. I think I've reached the peak. But there is still another peak out there to be reached. From today I promise to keep my promises and blog more frequently. Hopefully we can make things more interesting and show you all the ramen I'm still eating. Right now, this is my favorite bowl. 


And there is a story about that too. I miss telling stories. I do. I miss it dearly. So stay tuned for some behind the scene stories from the last five years of my dream. Thank you so much for sticking around. 

Go Ramen! Go Life! More than ever. 

Keizo

Thursday, August 28, 2014

BERG'N opens...

899 Bergen St. Crown Heights. Brooklyn, NY.

Wow. What an opening!!











Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

お久しぶりです...

Mabo Ramen from Menkuitei.


Otsukare Hatta-san!!


頑張って!!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

A Ramen Manifesto...

RAMEN.Co 
By Keizo Shimamoto

Ramen.Commencement

When I first created the Ramen Burger not only did I want to make it delicious, I wanted to make it represent the natural blend of two cultures. Two cultures that represent my life and my hybridized imagination: Japanese-America. With that as my base I felt I could create something special. Luckily enough, my Ramen Burger became an instant sensation and took the world by storm within hours of being announced on this blog. With appearances on almost every media outlet you can imagine (and some you can't imagine), my Ramen Burger was being talked about in households around the country {and the world}, tacitly educating the difference between instant ramen versus traditional. With that said, it is time to re-introduce a separate focus.

Ramen.Continuum

The success of Ramen Burger has given me an entirely new opportunity--an opportunity to reach millions with my passion for ramen. There cannot be a better time than now to remind people that I, Keizo Shimamoto, is not just the creator of the Ramen Burger, but a devoted ramen fanatic and an aspiring ramen entrepreneur with dreams of spreading ramen love throughout the world. Four years ago, I quit my job as a computer programmer to embark on a dream. A dream where the goal has always been to constantly live, learn, spread great ramen throughout the world, and to educate those who are unfamiliar with the traditional Japanese styles. Evidently, there is much more to ramen than just "instant." Undeniably, it is our responsibility to bridge the gap with the world's perception.

Ramen.Concept

In Japan, ramen is generally considered fast-food--a type of food that can be eaten in thirty minutes or less. With an increasing number of fast service type restaurants gaining popularity in America, ramen would be a natural fit for that I-don't-have-much-time-SO-MAKE-IT-FAST model. Therefore, in order to bridge the gap, this new model will provide real ramen, real food in an instant.

Ramen.Comfort

Comfort food: Ramen, Ramen Burger, and one other--the Japanese Bento. Aside from ramen and burgers, I also grew up eating bento. In fact, during my four years in Japan, if I wasn't slurping ramen I was probably ordering take-out at the local bento shop. In my eyes, there have always been two kinds of Japanese bento: Makunouchi (a box bento with many small items) or fast service bento (a delicious protein with a few small items). I've always preferred the fast service kind when I've needed additional comfort in between bowls. With that in mind, my Japanese bento will be an additional soul food in Ramen.Co's concept and allow you to completely satisfy your hungry soul--all around Japanese-American comfort style.

Ramen.Conclusion

Ramen.Co is just the beginning. Playing off the name and my authentic bi-traditional concept, Ramen.Co will begin to open up multiple opportunities. .Collaboration, .Cooperation, .Collection, .Connection, etc. The ideas and possibilities are endless, beginning from a strong foundation. A strong foundation that involves a wide range of talents. A wide range of talents that thrives from a common bond. A common bond that builds from passion. A passion that pours from my soul and into your food. Ramen.Co, the next generation of soul food is here.

Ramenpology...

I must apologize. For not just one thing, but many things. As you know, I've already failed on my new years resolution, so I will again apologize for that, but I also must apologize for not keeping you up to date with my recent life. For one, I know I never filled you in on my new ramen shop in FiDi called Ramen.Co so I must apologize. (Stay tuned for more info in my next post...promise!) Two, the reason I stopped writing was yes because I suddenly got very busy, but it wasn't necessarily just because of busy being piled upon busy. No matter how busy I've been in the past I always found a way to catch up on posts because it was a way to vent and keep me sane and focused on what my dream has always been. In the past, it always felt good to write even if it meant just writing a single word or phrase. With that said, the real honest reason I lost the desire to keep posting was because of a single threat from a single entity who made it seem like my sincere actions and my candid words could f*** the wrong people. To the media, I must apologize for ignoring your emails and/or misguiding your curiosity. With all the positive press from the infamous Ramen Burger I concocted last summer (thank you so much), there has also been a small amount of jealousy and hate (hidden behind all the love) that creeped in through the cracks. Normally I wouldn't care less, but this time it wound up really affecting my actions. I know, I know...you want me to go into details...but I will apologize for that too. There will be a time and a place for that in the future. To my friends (my dearest fans), thank you for always understanding. I hope from here on out I will be able to once again share with you my passion and my love for all things ramen and more. In less than two months, my wife and I will become first-time parents to a baby girl and we couldn't be more excited. Thank you, thank you, thank you and once again...I'm sorry.