BREAKFAST RAMEN @ TSUKIJI

Most tourists on their virgin pilgrimage to Tsukiji will almost always start with a bowl of Ramen, to fire up the adrenalin, before venturing into this world class abyss of seafood. Herding instincts will automatically direct them to the one on the right, with the line. While it is perfectly human to think 'line = good' this is obviously not the case here. Sensei, through her deep network around the Tsukiji Market, confirms that the smaller shop on the left, usually with less of a queue, is the Real McCoy where the Tsukiji community patronizes.

Literally a Mom & Pop shop, they served a mean bowl of Ramen, one that certainly woke me up this morning. First of all, it was the super tasty soup, then the noodles, but what brought tears was that egg, standing tall against 4 (not the usual 3) pieces of slim cut pork belly. Sensei calls this 'Ramen Tamago' which is a special recipe to prepare eggs for noodles. Super delicious, adding so much to the bowl overall. Mama-san looks after front-of-house, directing the traffic and counts every Yen, while Papa-san plays chef, deeply entrenched in preparing every bowl with precision. Like Dora, he frowns when he is focused and one would think something went wrong that makes him unhappy.

Y600 or HK$46 .. it is such a hefty bowl I did not bother with lunch, bought 2 pears in season off a hawker instead.  Look at the picture, make a mental note, and do not mix them up ... remember to go with the Under-Dog, he is better!

Ramen-Tamago : boil the eggs x 3 minutes, peel shells gently - marinate in a mixture of soya sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic & ginger - dilute with a bit of water but not too much - make sure all the eggs are submerged - keep in the fridge for 4 days to 1 week before serving.  I should charge you, how would you like to pay for this star recipe?