Tamashii Ramen

[Thomas Vu]

They have a sign there now.

I wish I could review the Yelp reviewers. Some of the bad rep comes cause there's better ramen in Cali? Come on...

[soonermike81]

Ramen was decent. Takoyaki was a big fail. I def prefer Kaiteki's ramen, just wish they had a brick and mortar.

[no1cub17]

We went last weekend - not bad! Gyoza and garlic fried rice were delicious. Also they get major points for having sriracha bottles at every table. They said they're working on some more veggie options - which would probably be the limiting factor at this point for us. Also no booze quite yet but they're working on that. Overall a solid addition to the ever-growing OKC dining scene!

[IanMcDermid]

Ramen was decent. Takoyaki was a big fail. I def prefer Kaiteki's ramen, just wish they had a brick and mortar.

Jeff Chanchulane, the guy who created the recipes for kaiteki, is working toward opening a brick and mortar. He's not associated with truck anymore. He does a pop-up meal regularly called slurp. A 5 course with pairings for around $75 a ticket. It is EXCELLENT! He just finished making a new menu for in the raw, cant wait to try it. I'm a fan, can you tell?

If you've got some investment dollars I think he's still got a little equity for sale.

[u50254082]

They have a sign there now.

I wish I could review the Yelp reviewers. Some of the bad rep comes cause there's better ramen in Cali? Come on...

I'm going to piss some people off when I say what I'm about to say but its true in the sense that the cuisine we get here tends to be a bad implementation of fusion cuisine. Kaiteki started it by serving ramen that had stuff like shrimp and Edamame in it. Tamashii apparently has Sriracha bottles at the tables, which doesn't belong anywhere near Japanese cuisine if you respect the origins of a culture's food.

Ramen, in my mind, is Shoyu or Tonkatsu. Served in the classic Japanese style that you find in... Japan of all places. Chashu pork, nori, corn, stick to the classic stuff.

Instead we get Vietnamese and Chinese chefs who keep trying to call their versions of a dish by the wrong name and then people here get an odd perception of food. Then they go to another state and complain that the sushi or the ramen doesn't taste right even though it's probably being served how it should be served.

OKC can get all the "Asian fusion" restaurants you guys can gobble up but don't call it authentic. I'd rather drive 3 hours down to Dallas and eat at Monta and get a taste of culture and authenticity.

[BBatesokc]

To each their own, but I never get the whole "how it should be served" attitude. Its food... In my mind "how it should be served" is good tasting.

Now, if a restaurant markets itself as 'authentic' (as mentioned above) then that's one thing, but otherwise it just comes across as food snobbery to me. I don't walk out of a Ted's thinking, "wow that's not really Mexican food." (because it ain't)

[Andon]

I'm going to piss some people off when I say what I'm about to say but its true in the sense that the cuisine we get here tends to be a bad implementation of fusion cuisine. Kaiteki started it by serving ramen that had stuff like shrimp and Edamame in it. Tamashii apparently has Sriracha bottles at the tables, which doesn't belong anywhere near Japanese cuisine if you respect the origins of a culture's food.

Ramen, in my mind, is Shoyu or Tonkatsu. Served in the classic Japanese style that you find in... Japan of all places. Chashu pork, nori, corn, stick to the classic stuff.

Instead we get Vietnamese and Chinese chefs who keep trying to call their versions of a dish by the wrong name and then people here get an odd perception of food. Then they go to another state and complain that the sushi or the ramen doesn't taste right even though it's probably being served how it should be served.

OKC can get all the "Asian fusion" restaurants you guys can gobble up but don't call it authentic. I'd rather drive 3 hours down to Dallas and eat at Monta and get a taste of culture and authenticity.

Aaaand racism.

[Thomas Vu]

I'm going to piss some people off when I say what I'm about to say but its true in the sense that the cuisine we get here tends to be a bad implementation of fusion cuisine. Kaiteki started it by serving ramen that had stuff like shrimp and Edamame in it. Tamashii apparently has Sriracha bottles at the tables, which doesn't belong anywhere near Japanese cuisine if you respect the origins of a culture's food.

Ramen, in my mind, is Shoyu or Tonkatsu. Served in the classic Japanese style that you find in... Japan of all places. Chashu pork, nori, corn, stick to the classic stuff.

Instead we get Vietnamese and Chinese chefs who keep trying to call their versions of a dish by the wrong name and then people here get an odd perception of food. Then they go to another state and complain that the sushi or the ramen doesn't taste right even though it's probably being served how it should be served.

OKC can get all the "Asian fusion" restaurants you guys can gobble up but don't call it authentic. I'd rather drive 3 hours down to Dallas and eat at Monta and get a taste of culture and authenticity.

Speaking of culture and authenticity

Vegas Export Monta Ramen Is Worth the Drive to Richardson - Eater Dallas

I didn't know Japan served kimchi with their ramen.

What I meant was I could be the guy that says "I haven't been to your Cali ramen place, but I've been to Japan. Step your game up. #ramenislyfe" but I'm not.

[pickles]

To each their own, but I never get the whole "how it should be served" attitude. Its food... In my mind "how it should be served" is good tasting.

Seriously,

[Colbafone]

On a brighter note, my girlfriend and I finally made it here around 7 in Saturday and it was packed. I thought it was pretty damn good myself. Short wait, and our waitress was awesome. Very prompt with drinks and what not. I asked her when the patio would be started, or a rough time frame anyway. She said they were fixing the sidewalk out front first, then establishing their beer and sake menu, then finally the patio. Anyway, I love this place and would recommend it for what it is to anyone.

[Thomas Vu]

That's awesome to hear. I hope they get a better parking situation too.

[HOT ROD]

To each their own, but I never get the whole "how it should be served" attitude. Its food... In my mind "how it should be served" is good tasting.

Now, if a restaurant markets itself as 'authentic' (as mentioned above) then that's one thing, but otherwise it just comes across as food snobbery to me. I don't walk out of a Ted's thinking, "wow that's not really Mexican food." (because it ain't)

It's very similar actually to the 'snobbery' many of us Oklahomans have toward Steak. Do we advocate a true steak dining experience as one with steak sauce and a cutting knife? NO - the 'proper' steak experience requires no dressing, and just a butter knife.

I concur with skwillz that the fuzion approach to culture is overplayed in Oklahoma and gives the wrong perception. It is one reason why people kind-of look down on cities like OKC because it doesn't have traditional cuisines from around the world but instead Americanized or a half-hearted attempt at it. I really hope that OKC can strive to bring true culture and the city would embrace it without it being gentrified too much. ...

However, I will say that I am happy that the Sriracha is on the table and NOT in the bowl/kitchen because as I mentioned there are no traditionally spicy dishes in Japan but one could add some spice if so desired (such as by the spoonfull to udon). While I appreciate the ability to customize a meal, I do agree that the approach should respect the tradition and Sriracha belongs more with Chinese cuisine/culture and not with anything Japanese in general.

[Andon]

I do agree that the approach should respect the tradition and Sriracha belongs more with Chinese cuisine/culture and not with anything Japanese in general.

Sriracha is from Thailand, named after the region. The arguments (read: points of view) in this thread are beginning to become quite pedantic with regard to the authenticity of cuisine, so if we're going to collectively keep harping on such things, let's at least be doing it correctly.

Furthermore, no contemporary cook or chef truly believes in "authenticity". As an infamous miso producer once said, "we believe that protecting our tradition is to go forward. The part you protect and the part you innovate has to move in parallel. Otherwise, a thousand years from now we will be exactly the same. By being innovative you keep tradition going".

[Paseofreak]

Then why do they claim it? See Pizzeria Gusto website for an example?

[blangtang]

Irwindale, California is where my bottle of sriracha originates. where can I find some of the authentic stuff?

As for the ramen trade give me a beginner course to try as I know nothing on this, except the bbq carryover, like should i get some pork belly or is that an abomination of the craft?

[Andon]

Then why do they claim it? See Pizzeria Gusto website for an example?

Maybe re-read that last part of my post; the idea is that to be authentic is to respect the traditions but also move forward. More than anything, using "authentic" or "traditional" gives you a frameset for what something could potentially be; there is no exact formula or method or whatever for what makes something "authentic/traditional", so when people claim that something isn't such, I take issue with just how exactly they know that. None of us were around whenever these styles of cuisine came to be, so none of us have any idea how it truly "used to be", and anyone trying to claim otherwise is misguided at best. There isn't a single dining experience in the contemporary world that is the exact same as it was when it was created. There's simply "old" and "new", and they're both progressing and changing just as fast as the other.

Irwindale, California is where my bottle of sriracha originates. where can I find some of the authentic stuff?

I feel that you missed the point of my post, so here it is: they were arguing that Sriracha "belongs" with Chinese cuisine/culture, while I was pointing out that - hey, since we're all so keen on "authenticity" in this thread - maybe let's first acknowledge that saying it "belongs" with Chinese cuisine/culture would be incorrect, or at the very least a faux pas, seeing as how it, y'know, was a sauce derived from Thailand to begin with. It doesn't matter where it ended up or where it comes from now, but if everyone is going to argue what essentially amounts to culinary semantics with regard to ramen (or any foodstuff for that matter), let's at least get that right if we're all going to assume that we truly know what authentic cuisine is, regardless of its supposed origin.

[Buffalo Bill]

Irwindale, California is where my bottle of sriracha originates. where can I find some of the authentic stuff?

Super Cao Nguyen. Flying Goose brand. It's from Sriracha, Thailand. Look for the red cap. For me it has more of a garlic kick to it.

Sriracha Hot Chilli Sauce

[White Peacock]

Sriracha is from Thailand, named after the region.

Furthermore, Huy Fong is an American company founded by a Vietnamese immigrant who more or less just took the name from used the Thai sriracha as a model for his own unique creation. More than anything, it's an American food that just happens to go great with just about anything.

I agree with your point that the food elitism is nonsense. It's up there with the people who turn up their noses at the Americanized pronunciation of karate or karaoke because they know how it should really be pronounced.

[HOT ROD]

my argument was more so that Sriracha wouldn't belong in a Japanese kitchen but I was fine with it being on the table for the guest to enjoy if they wanted. I honestly had no idea of the origin of Sriracha nor did I care but figured it was from China since it tastes like Sichuanese hot sauce and my wife is from Chongqing (sichuan) and I happen to be at least part Japanese. BTW, I am fully aware that ramen (and most noodle) is actually from Chinese but imported and perfected by the Japanese. ...

But I digress, I still only wish OKC can have an authentic experience because Japanese food is truly wonderful with the emphasis on enhancing the natural flavor and appearance of food.

[ctchandler]

my argument was more so that Sriracha wouldn't belong in a Japanese kitchen but I was fine with it being on the table for the guest to enjoy if they wanted. I honestly had no idea of the origin of Sriracha nor did I care but figured it was from China since it tastes like Sichuanese hot sauce and my wife is from Chongqing (sichuan) and I happen to be at least part Japanese. BTW, I am fully aware that ramen (and most noodle) is actually from Chinese but imported and perfected by the Japanese. ...

But I digress, I still only wish OKC can have an authentic experience because Japanese food is truly wonderful with the emphasis on enhancing the natural flavor and appearance of food.

I have eaten in Japan (and China, Hong Kong actually), but I was very young and doubt I would know authentic Japanese food if it was flown in from Tokyo, but I did enjoy a place called Tokyo Gardens at about 45th and Lincoln. This was in the 60's and 70's. I don't know if it was authentic but I had my first tempura shrimp there and it was really good.
C. T.

[no1cub17]

That's awesome to hear. I hope they get a better parking situation too.

What's wrong with the parking situation? Nothing?

[Thomas Vu]

What's wrong with the parking situation? Nothing?

The choices of parking are right outside the restaurant or pay for parking somewhere else.

[Dave Cook]

Instead we get Vietnamese and Chinese chefs who keep trying to call their versions of a dish by the wrong name and then people here get an odd perception of food. Then they go to another state and complain that the sushi or the ramen doesn't taste right even though it's probably being served how it should be served.

OKC can get all the "Asian fusion" restaurants you guys can gobble up but don't call it authentic. I'd rather drive 3 hours down to Dallas and eat at Monta and get a taste of culture and authenticity.

Interesting thread.

I understand what you're saying, but I think you're being a little harsh on the local Japanese food scene here. I, too, miss authentic Japanese dishes having spent 15 years in Japan and Southeast Asia...but I know you're not going to find it in Oklahoma City. Simply put, the Japanese community here is somewhere between non-existent to transient so you can't expect to find truly accurate Japanese dishes that you find back in the old country. But try finding a good Mexican place in Bangkok or rib joint in Yokohama. And I agree.....it is somewhat amusing to see so many Viet kieu in kimono here trying to pass off their creations as authentic dishes.

But, with that said, there are positive aspects to this. It's interesting to see what local chefs come up with. I find it interesting to see so many local, first-generation Vietnamese-American chefs creating new takes on trendy dishes. Let's face it, Japanese is the 'in' thing and no one works harder and wants to make a dollar more than our Vietnamese friends.

If you want truly AUTHENTIC, I suggest sticking to the Vietnamese and Korean places....or some of the Mexican joints along 29th. OKC has a fantastic variety of authentic experiences......just not for Japanese.

[Dave Cook]

It's slightly ironic you guys are having this debate over Sriracha.

In today's Bangkok Post, they're actually comparing Thai Sriracha with its LA-based competition.

Bangkok Post: Video

[soonerguru]

After recently returning from Japan, I look forward to trying this place out. Authentic Japanese ramen doesn't need sriracha, but I do love sriracha.