Ramen Take 2: Out and About

It's unfortunately been a busy couple weeks, so I have neglected to post here--although not much has been going on in the search for new veggie-friendly foods. However, this past weekend I did get a chance to go into West LA and managed to find some delicious vegetarian ramen at Tastu Ramen, on Sawtelle Blvd in the neighborhood known as "Little Osaka." I'm not trying to create a blog exclusively about ramen--I promise my next post will be about something else. :)

My Tatsu experience:
When you enter the restaurant, you order up front on an iPad, which makes things relatively quick and a bit more true to the way "fast food" in Japan works. The atmosphere and the rest of the physical setup is reminiscent of Japanese ramen shops, too, with a big counter around the chefs and a few tables in the remaining cozy (but not cramped) space.

The only vegetarian-friendly item on the menu is their "Naked Ramen," which is a brothless dish. Instead of a traditional pork or fish broth, the noodles are comfortably drenched with chili oil (amount up to the discretion of the customer) and a sweet sesame glaze. Order it with tofu and an egg (if you choose), and you have a delicious, full meal that will set you back around $9. For me, this was delicious and somewhat similar to Tokyo's famous dish, abura soba (a deliciously unhealthy, decadent oily noodle dish-- its name literally meaning oil soba). This dish can also be made vegan, apparently.

All dishes at Tatsu are highly customizable--you get to choose the type of protein (for us veggies, we get organic tofu with the possibility of a soft-boiled egg), the amount of green onion, garlic, and the spice level, making it a very customer-friendly place. The dried seaweed topping is free and comes on the dish already, but each table and counter setting has a few shakers if you want additional green. I am definitely excited to go back again and eat more "Naked Ramen." 

Tatsu can be found at 2123 Sawtelle Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90025. It is located in a small shopping center with free parking! I would highly recommend visiting and trying it out.

Ramen for Days

I know I'm late on the "omgcheapveggieramenicaneat!!!" train, but I discovered this past night at a local Stater Bros. whilst searching for cheap sustenance for Spring Break!

For those who were in the dark as well, I promise you this is not a lie or a terrible, early April Fool's Day joke. Check out the official Nissin FAQ page here and scroll down to the end of the (relatively) short list:

"Our Top Ramen Oriental and Chili flavors contain no animal products." --Rejoice, vegetarians and vegans alike! We can consume not one, but two Top Ramen flavors!

I had a very good night last night, obviously. Finally, a cheap solution for late night salty junk-food cravings. I was getting sick of the $1 and up vegan insta-noodle options. It just isn't as tasty, substantial, most importantly, financially feasible. I feel like now I can eat more like a normal college student now. Nissin is typically around 50 cents or cheaper (mine were 4 for $1.00 at the Stater Brothers)!

Additionally, nutrition-wise, each container/pack of ramen actually contains 2 servings. And at 7g of fat per serving (and 800mg of sodium...), one pack of ramen can even turn into a decent meal, if you wanted it to! Add in some vegetables and cubes of tofu and you're set for a relatively healthy(?) deluxe dinner that will keep you satiated for the rest of the night.

In celebration, I decided to taste-test the oriental flavor last night. And then I tried the chili flavor this morning.

 I remember eating the "oriental" flavor before as a child--and it is very much the same basic, salty flavor as it was before. The chili flavor, however, is most likely a newer Nissin innovation. It packs a bit more of a punch, but is definitely not "spicy" by any means.

Overall, I am thrilled to have finally discovered these two mainstream veggie options for cheap-but-delicious supermarket ramen.