From my house, it’s a 28-kilometer round-trip walk to Kazoku Restaurant. All for a bowl of ramen. It’s not the distance that is challenging though. It’s the territory to be traversed, territory that is the exclusive domain of trains and cars and trucks. My trek from the Wolseley neighbourhood, nestled alongside Winnipeg’s downtown core, will... Continue Reading →
Ramen Rambles: Part Three
Walking for ramen in Winnipeg is largely governed by the city’s rectilinear geometry of streets and avenues. But its two rivers, the Red and the Assiniboine, just don’t care about grids. They wind their way through the imposed asphalt network, wreaking havoc on its Cartesian purity. They divide the city into distinct neighborhoods that look... Continue Reading →
Ramen Rambles: Part Two
I don’t want to draw too many metaphors comparing a bowl of steaming ramen to my walk through the steamy inner workings of my city. But, here I am, looking down at a just-prepared Shio Ramen. Pinks, whites, greens and yellows poke through the creamy pork broth, all supported by a bed of twisty, slurpy... Continue Reading →
Ramen Rambles: Part One
On a cold snowy day on Japan's northern-most island of Hokkaido, its citizens are likely to be slurping a bowl of miso ramen. After all, it is their invention - at least the miso part of the dish - and its hot broth and long, thin noodles slip down so comfortably. I'm in Winnipeg, with... Continue Reading →