…yeah, I know what y’all are probably thinking. “Ramen??
Really!! A movie about ramen??” From a ‘domestic shores’ point of view…yeah,
one might suppose that the subject of ramen…for most herein, an ‘instant’
vision of one’s grocery store isle, packed and stacked with ordinary ‘three,
sometimes four for a dollar’ packaged instant soup noodles, each accompanied by
a foil packet of heavily salted flavor powder, comes to mind (…and oh, how the respected
nutritionist soothsayers just love to emote finger-shaking ‘shame-shame’
verbiage of dissuasion, as far as the gross dietary detriment of consuming this
simple, albeit wholly processed food staple)…might seem merely that…'simple', by
definition…
…OK, fair enough, right??
…with right hand raised in absolute swear-mode…left hand on
the heart…yes, this reviewer shamelessly, yes proudly proclaims and admits…at
least, from a urban ‘big city white boy’ perspective…”I am a Ramen Head!!” Been
known to throw caution to the wind…boil up two, even three of those square-ish
packages at a time…liberally seasoning those bad boys up, and slurping those
puppies down like a human Hoover (…and ‘slurping’ is most assuredly the mindfully
prerequisite and applicable term when eating ramen, as will be reiterated
later). Given a little more creative motivation, present company even goes so
far as deliciously supplementing the noodles with chicken, pork, egg, cabbage,
cilantro, parsley, onion, bean sprouts, bamboo, or whatever might trip my (amateur
culinary) tibia at the time…
…cheaper than movie popcorn, and…well, let’s just say what true
‘ramen heads’ might consider ‘outright disrespectful’ to the ‘wholly sacred’ foodstuff…hell,
this kid’ll even buy up half a dozen ramen packages, pulverized the lot dry,
fill a bowl, sprinkle a little butter & seasoning salt…and Presto!! As ‘70’s
Saturday Morning Timer used to say, “…hey, stacks of snacks!!”…
…and of course, on the rare and oh-so few & far-between
occasions, given the dotted availability of such gourmet locations (…in the
case of yours truly, the greater San Diego area…this noodle-crazed reviewer
will effect eager patronage at some of the finest ramen shop establishments,
where the noodles are rendered freshly cut, lathered generously amidst a tantalizing,
piping hot bowl of broth, and fettered with an eclectic assortment of equally
delicious condiments…'oh yum' hardly describes the experience, (I) can tell you...
…ahem!! In once again proclaiming, with arms reared back,
chest out and chin up, “I am a Ramen Head!!!” Uh, that is…little realizing just
how wretchedly low such a boast by this reviewer lacky invariably suggests, as
you will soon see…not to mention the unimagined heights (he’s) hardly attained,
nor truly worthy of, especially after having seen…
…the film ”Ramen Heads”…which is, without a doubt, is a
lovingly dedicated, descriptive and amusing salute to something more akin to
what might be suggested as a focused spotlight on an artful craft, rather than mere culinary
preparation and presentation. This quaint and quirky documentary opens on a rousing
celebratory note, with adoring recognition by both peers and subordinates, of
master ramen chef Osamu Tomita, who as we first meet him scrambling to his
remote food establishment to open for the day, instead finds himself the
unexpected recipient of the honored and coveted ‘Best Ramen in Japan’ trophy
for an unprecedented fourth year in a row. But such an honored and respected
prize hardly comes easy…
…as our faceless narrator…by this time, instilling
fascination, intrigue, curiosity, and at times, a measure of unnerving visuals
into the proceedings…delving further into the ‘artistry’ of how Osamu works his
‘magic’…examining why the surrounding populous…indeed at times, even persons
nationwide…line up for hours, patiently and anticipatorily aside his shop, in
order to secure a hallowed place…so much so in fact, that Osamu actually limits
the number of people he serves each day, with an amiable, albeit structured
reservation system that sometimes must be rendered and filled days in advance…we
instantly grasp the devoted and loving passion in which Osamu exudes…the
tireless work and meticulous detail, in which he engages, in preparing his
ramen dishes…not to mention the harsh, unwavering demands which he instills
upon his equally impassioned, though often frustrated apprentices…the latter of
whom, to the film’s inquisitive interviewer, candidly muse upon their utmost respect
and reverence for Osamu, despite their frustrations over his stern and
insistent demands of them. Make no mistake…they know that they are there to
learn, and yet, Osamu teaches them nothing; in addition, and in tandem to their
regimented shop duties, they are instead pressed to look over Osamu’s shoulder
whenever possible…learn by example, rather than formal instruction…the way that
Osamu himself was ‘taught’, as he later reveals…
…but all of this personal unbridled passion, obsession, work
and resulting reverence is clearly not the main reason why we’re here, ladies
and gentlemen…it’s that oh-so delicious ramen…the invariable culmination of
Osamu’s life-devoted trade…and that’s where all that ‘passion, obsession, work’
as well as the evidence of reason for the aforementioned reverence…that’s where
everything come together, and is reflected in a bleached & scalding steam
of insatiable flavor, which you…my fine folk…may well quite literally feel, as
well as taste, as you look on, herein…
…what is it that they say?? Something about ‘a watched pot
never boils’?? Not in Osamu Tomita’s world, as he unwaveringly fixes his gaze
upon each and every simmering pot of soup broth…himself shown as keen on the
exact moments to stir up the brownish, gravy-like concoction…knowing all too
well, to an exacting degree, that mere seconds of overheat…mere seconds of
under-cook…could mean a significant loss of flavor. Even the rather eclectic variety
of ingredients…meats, vegetables, seasonings…is measured in with merely Osamu’s
watchful eyes…not to mention, his mindful gauge, which is seen to be as
exacting, if not more so, than any measuring cup standard. Our narrator in
these proceedings, provides a slightly startling, and in the onset,
first-impressionably unappealing muse in describing the broth preparation, as
if being described by someone totally not privy of this culinary ritual (…which
of course, may well include most of us viewers…i.e., stirring the broth
described as ‘stirring a brown sludge’…or photographing Osamu stirring a large
pot of ingredients with a large wooden spoon…and with a mere shoulder shrug,
spooning up the wayward pig’s hoof or two…or more startling, a boiled pig’s head,
etc.). But familiar or not…unnerving or not…make no mistake…it is the irresistible
and tantalizing culmination of all this preparation, which Osamu focuses his
invariable attention to…
…from the meticulous and tireless rendering of the broth, we
then see Osamu move onto the soup namesake component…the ramen noodles
themselves. And with no less attention, Osamu proudly, albeit with an
unswerving focus, demonstrates equal attention in his handmade noodles (…a
thicker and more springy brand of noodles, used in creating Osamu’s specialty,
Tsukemen ramen…a delectable noodles dish, whereby the noodles and broth are
served separately, and the noodles are subsequently dipped into the broth,
before consumption…that is, before slurping them up, which it the most ideal,
and hardly-considered-crude method of consumption, as one might witness, herein)…the
molding, the rolling, the kneading, the cutting, the preparing, the seasoning,
as well as the serving of each and every bowl…with a lovingly hands-on
preparation, as carefully and masterfully as one might expect of a master
sculptor…molding, chipping away at, and giving distinct character to a
featureless slab of wet clay. For Osamu, he pridefully elates his strict
standard and unique elation of satisfaction in his noodles, suggesting that
they should ‘pop’ tastefully in one’s pallet, like firecrackers…
…considering all this hard work and dedication, one might
suggest the old adage of ‘all work and no play, etc.’, as far as contemplating what
Osamu might engage in his off time. Well, ‘dull’ hardly describes this master
chef’s recreational fervor, in seeing him strut out in what most might
consider, a measure of…well, rather unexpected and unconventional style and
fashion…and conduct surprise visits to neighboring ramen chef establishments,
where he’s welcomed with an amassed reverence and delight, by the self-same
chefs, aspiring to be equal to the task, and whom we soon become privy to, as
far as each of their own unique, individual and equally dedicated style of
deliciously favored ramen dishes…
…with all of this dedicated methodology and devotion to
craft, having culminated herein with a great number of lovingly satisfied and
elated customers…many of whom have traveled from the four corners of the world
to exclusively partake in Osamu’s delicious culinary greatness…one has to
invariably ask, as a final note…what exactly does one taker away, in viewing
this documentary…in viewing “Ramen Heads”?? Well, barring the inescapably
instilled desire to immediately afterwards seek out one’s local specialty ramen
shop, and voraciously chow down on the delicious ramen greatness served…all the
while, wishing ever so much that such effort and opportunity might be better afforded,
as far as relishing our film’s master chef, and his equally masterful foodstuff…there’s
the overwhelmingly appreciative inspiration, in watching Osamu do his stuff…in
the underliningly relevational sense that unswerving and dedicated passion in one’s work is
often times, hardly fun…but the end result is oh-so self-elating and self-satisfying…as
if Osamu himself was saying, “…my passion is not so much for the ramen I make, but for
the people whom I serve it to; my passion is yours, fine people…Enjoy!!”…
…in the end…can this reviewer truly say that (I) am a ‘ramen
head’?? Eh, probably not in the 'true' sense, as one might suppose…that remains something for
this mere humble and appreciative ‘liker of ramen’ to aspire towards. For that…well,
it just might well be worth the cost of a trip to Japan…
...yes, folks...it's that good...as enjoyably slurp-able as the delectably tasty soupy namesake of the film, itself...
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