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There was a recent submission on HN about ramen. While I love ramen/udon/soba, I prefer pho. Perhaps I find pho more "crispy", I like the sprouts/lime/mint/jala

There was a recent submission on HN about ramen. While I love ramen/udon/soba, I prefer pho. Perhaps I find pho more "crispy", I like the sprouts/lime/mint/jalapeno. Ramen puts me to sleep. Ramen definitely has more pedigree, this isn't about what's better.

MomsAVoxell 2mo ago
As a lover of both pho and ramen I feel I can compel with you on the crispy factor - like pho is more for a jungle - and also on the food coma factor of ramen - a meal for the monsoons, perhaps - but nevertheless need to point out to you that there are also crispy ramens, with sprouts/lime/mint/japaleno, too. In fact there is no ‘one ramen’, it has to be said; there are regional variants where the “scrap food” of the area is used as the decoration to the base, where a noodle and boiled-meat leftover soups/stock are combined … I have very sleepy pho’s in my neighborhood, also .. just sayin’. Both are great, you’re right, they are a wonderful branch of food.
Hikikomori 2mo ago
Best pho I had was in Tokyo, thinly sliced raw wagyu melted into the soup. Though theres as many ramen styles as there are cities in Japan, some style would likely suit you.
- dcrazy 2mo ago
  Yes, tori paitan is one nice light alternative to the popular and heavy tonkotsu.
fallinghawks 2mo ago
Particularly tonkotsu, which basically has fat emulsified into it. My understanding is that ramen was originally a workman's meal -- inexpensive and calorie rich food for laborers.
- bookofjoe 2mo ago
  Instant (4 minutes in microwave) tonkotsu @$2.79 is surprisingly good: https://www.doordash.com/products/nongshim-tonkotsu-premium-noodle-soup-356-oz/urpc_045b5b22-ba33-4e31-9b0b-05d4ccffa349?business_id=13055333&gad_campaignid=19547626483&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADemgEunx2hmTzhggg0XVingG18XF&gclid=CjwKCAjwsrbTBhAvEiwA0Bpp4RsHD_HFSH2VOH4ax9BcJ-GSEtOh6_DQpg6vMwNWildnQGVj59pMkxoCHEgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&ms_id=980419&region_id=31020410&utm_adgroup_id=&utm_campaign=CX_US_SE_LP_GO_NVT_CUSXXX_20560041960_GROCER_%20PL_TOT_GROCY_BAKEPANTRYPMX_EVG_ROAS_XXX_COUSA_EN_EN_X_DOOR_GO_SE_TXT_PerformMax&utm_content=&utm_creative_id=&utm_keyword_id=&utm_medium=PLA&utm_source=Google&utm_term= https://www.doordash.com/products/nongshim-tonkotsu-premium-...
  - fallinghawks 2mo ago
    These come in a 6 pack at Costco (not black garlic though; Costco's comes with hot oil). They're surprisingly tasty for instant.
- markerz 2mo ago
  I had a Japanese teacher a few years ago who explained that Japan's ramen is the US's "burger and fries". It's calorie-rich processed food that's available everywhere. They are prepared in advance, served very quickly (usually within a few minutes), and people finish their meals within 15 minutes. It's far closer to "fast food" than most Westerners realize. The average ramen outside Japan is far more elevated than within Japan.
  - decimalenough 2mo ago
    The average ramen, yes, but in the same way that many people in the US obsess about the perfect burger, there is a serious ramen scene in Japan with obsessive ramen devotees and chefs pushing the envelope.
  - bigstrat2003 2mo ago
    I would say the average ramen in the US is instant ramen, so I think that the "cheap easy food" angle still goes on here.
Cider9986 2mo ago
They are both some of my favorite foods. I've made pho probably 4 times at this point. It takes 8 to 10 hours but is totally worth it. Something I started doing was occasionally taking the rare thin meat out for use with the sriracha and sweet sauce. I never added then to the soup because I found it corrupts it. There's also Northern Vietnamese Pho which I haven't tried but I'd like to. It's supposed to be less sweet and less spiced. In the US it seems southern sweet style is the norm.
- stasomatic 2mo ago
  Do you mean after the meat sat a bit in the broth? I’m no stranger to tartar or raw meats, just not clear.
  - Cider9986 2mo ago
    Yeah. Cook it to how you like it and then dip in Sriracha and or the sweet one. But you could also do it with the braised meat or anything as well I love the meat straight from the broth so I mostly do that but the sauces are a traditional option it seems.
    - stasomatic 2mo ago
      Thank you. If you have a Trader Joe’s near you (it’s a chain in the states for anyone wondering), they have a pretty good chilly paste named “Bomba Hot Pepper”. It has a punch, but it’s not EMP level, not too sweet, not too acidy. Half a teaspoon does it for me. I do have some Asian markets near me within reasonable driving distance, but I can’t try all the sauces and the ones I have tried leaned toward the sweeter side, and that’s not for me. This Bomba hits me where it matters. https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/italian-bomba-hot-pepper-sauce-061934 https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/italian-bomba-h...
      - Cider9986 2mo ago
        I'll check it out. Although I didn't like their sriracha or chilli oil. Their peanut butter cups are my favorite sweet. The ones in the plastic bags are better than in thr large container. (Darker chocolate and more salt).

MomsAVoxell 2mo ago

As a lover of both pho and ramen I feel I can compel with you on the crispy factor - like pho is more for a jungle - and also on the food coma factor of ramen - a meal for the monsoons, perhaps - but nevertheless need to point out to you that there are also crispy ramens, with sprouts/lime/mint/japaleno, too. In fact there is no ‘one ramen’, it has to be said; there are regional variants where the “scrap food” of the area is used as the decoration to the base, where a noodle and boiled-meat leftover soups/stock are combined … I have very sleepy pho’s in my neighborhood, also .. just sayin’. Both are great, you’re right, they are a wonderful branch of food.

Hikikomori 2mo ago

Best pho I had was in Tokyo, thinly sliced raw wagyu melted into the soup. Though theres as many ramen styles as there are cities in Japan, some style would likely suit you.

dcrazy 2mo ago
Yes, tori paitan is one nice light alternative to the popular and heavy tonkotsu.

fallinghawks 2mo ago

Particularly tonkotsu, which basically has fat emulsified into it. My understanding is that ramen was originally a workman's meal -- inexpensive and calorie rich food for laborers.

bookofjoe 2mo ago
Instant (4 minutes in microwave) tonkotsu @$2.79 is surprisingly good: https://www.doordash.com/products/nongshim-tonkotsu-premium-noodle-soup-356-oz/urpc_045b5b22-ba33-4e31-9b0b-05d4ccffa349?business_id=13055333&gad_campaignid=19547626483&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADemgEunx2hmTzhggg0XVingG18XF&gclid=CjwKCAjwsrbTBhAvEiwA0Bpp4RsHD_HFSH2VOH4ax9BcJ-GSEtOh6_DQpg6vMwNWildnQGVj59pMkxoCHEgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&ms_id=980419&region_id=31020410&utm_adgroup_id=&utm_campaign=CX_US_SE_LP_GO_NVT_CUSXXX_20560041960_GROCER_%20PL_TOT_GROCY_BAKEPANTRYPMX_EVG_ROAS_XXX_COUSA_EN_EN_X_DOOR_GO_SE_TXT_PerformMax&utm_content=&utm_creative_id=&utm_keyword_id=&utm_medium=PLA&utm_source=Google&utm_term= https://www.doordash.com/products/nongshim-tonkotsu-premium-...
- fallinghawks 2mo ago
  These come in a 6 pack at Costco (not black garlic though; Costco's comes with hot oil). They're surprisingly tasty for instant.
markerz 2mo ago
I had a Japanese teacher a few years ago who explained that Japan's ramen is the US's "burger and fries". It's calorie-rich processed food that's available everywhere. They are prepared in advance, served very quickly (usually within a few minutes), and people finish their meals within 15 minutes. It's far closer to "fast food" than most Westerners realize. The average ramen outside Japan is far more elevated than within Japan.
- decimalenough 2mo ago
  The average ramen, yes, but in the same way that many people in the US obsess about the perfect burger, there is a serious ramen scene in Japan with obsessive ramen devotees and chefs pushing the envelope.
- bigstrat2003 2mo ago
  I would say the average ramen in the US is instant ramen, so I think that the "cheap easy food" angle still goes on here.

Cider9986 2mo ago

They are both some of my favorite foods. I've made pho probably 4 times at this point. It takes 8 to 10 hours but is totally worth it. Something I started doing was occasionally taking the rare thin meat out for use with the sriracha and sweet sauce. I never added then to the soup because I found it corrupts it. There's also Northern Vietnamese Pho which I haven't tried but I'd like to. It's supposed to be less sweet and less spiced. In the US it seems southern sweet style is the norm.

stasomatic 2mo ago
Do you mean after the meat sat a bit in the broth? I’m no stranger to tartar or raw meats, just not clear.
- Cider9986 2mo ago
  Yeah. Cook it to how you like it and then dip in Sriracha and or the sweet one. But you could also do it with the braised meat or anything as well I love the meat straight from the broth so I mostly do that but the sauces are a traditional option it seems.
  - stasomatic 2mo ago
    Thank you. If you have a Trader Joe’s near you (it’s a chain in the states for anyone wondering), they have a pretty good chilly paste named “Bomba Hot Pepper”. It has a punch, but it’s not EMP level, not too sweet, not too acidy. Half a teaspoon does it for me. I do have some Asian markets near me within reasonable driving distance, but I can’t try all the sauces and the ones I have tried leaned toward the sweeter side, and that’s not for me. This Bomba hits me where it matters. https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/italian-bomba-hot-pepper-sauce-061934 https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/italian-bomba-h...
    - Cider9986 2mo ago
      I'll check it out. Although I didn't like their sriracha or chilli oil. Their peanut butter cups are my favorite sweet. The ones in the plastic bags are better than in thr large container. (Darker chocolate and more salt).