I recently had the pleasure of eating an authentic Japanese ramen dish with three of my close friends at the Nami Ramen Pop-Up, hosted by White Box Eatery in Clayton. It was a super exciting night for me! It was my first time having a ramen dish. I was able to meet the owner of Nami Ramen and spend some time with the Executive Chef. I can’t wait to tell you all the details!
I first saw the Nami Ramen Pop-Up on Facebook. I didn’t read all of the details on it and just bought a ticket to attend. In my head I thought it was going to be a demonstration cooking class but I was wrong haha. It was a sit down dinner. We were able to sample a salad and ramen bowl that will be on the menu at Nami Ramen when it opens in October!
It was a seriously gorgeous Friday evening, and we sat outside to enjoy it. White Box Eatery serves lunch, brunch and hosts events in the evening. It is a very chic place located in Clayton by the Ritz Carlton. While sitting outside you get to see an elegant landscape and a water fountain!
We started with a Crunchy Kale Salad. It had sweet bell peppers, cucumber, edamame, cherry tomatoes, and crispy fried ramen noodles with a cilantro lime vinaigrette. The dressing was incredibly tasty and I can’t wait to have it again. My only criticism (my friends agreed) was the dressing needed to be tossed on the salad or put on the side. The dressing was in a blob right in the middle of the salad and I didn’t taste any dressing until I was half way done with it.
Then came our Ramen bowls. The Ramen Bowl served was their signature broth bowl. They also offered a little side of seasoning called Chilli Bomb. The Chilli bomb adds a little more heat if you like your bowls hotter. I really enjoyed it with the added kick. I am looking forward to trying more bowls and can easily see ramen becoming my new comfort food.
Signature Tonkotsu Ramen:
Simmered Tonkotsu broth, seasoned with Shio Tare, topped with roasted corn, white onion, black roasted garlic, braised pork belly, boneless rib tip, seasoned bamboo shoots and a soft boiled egg.
The noodles were fresh and cooked perfectly. You really can’t beat the flavor and texture of fresh pasta. They don’t make the noodles fresh but they buy them freshly made from Sun Noodles.
On a side note Sauvignon Blanc paired beautifully with the ramen.
This is with the chili bomb seasoning.
After our meal, I had the chance to sit down with Chef Arron Syedullah and the owner Jason Jan. They both let me ask questions and gave me some inside scoop on the new restaurant. This is Chef Arron’s first job as an executive chef and from talking to him, he is perfect for the job! At Nami Ramen they are going to have 4 different types of bowls a Spicy, Signature, Vegetable, and Seafood (tomatoe broth) bowl. The broth simmers for hours, and the pork belly is torched just before being served. Jason studied Ramen Bowls in Japan for 2 years, and brought back a ton of knowledge that makes his bowls authentic! Nami Ramen is opening up in October in Clayton where the House of Wong used to be.
The pop up dinner was a great way for Nami Ramen to test the waters before their restaurant opens. It also gives them a chance to get feed back and perfect their dishes. They just might have another pop-up dinner before their grand opening! Keep an eye out on my Facebook page. I will be sure to let you know the details if and when another pop-up is scheduled.
Until my next Pop-Up dinner,
Lisa Annie
XOXO
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