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)
