Nowadays, there are many restaurants that offer what is called “Jiro-style” ramen.
A long time ago, when I was addicted to Jiro-style ramen, I was at a loss as to what to do with my craving for Jiro-style ramen when I visited a Jiro-style ramen that was temporarily closed.
Going to Ramen Jiro is not just about getting full or eating ramen. We go to Ramen Jiro because we want to eat Ramen Jiro. There is no way I would feel comfortable eating ramen at any other restaurant.
Nowadays, however, it is possible to eat ramen that is not the original Ramen Jiro, but is very similar. It’s a comfortable age we live in. Of course, it is not a perfect reproduction of the taste of Ramen Jiro, but the difference in taste is not so important to me nowadays.
The other day I had the opportunity to try a ramen similar to Ramen Jiro. It was the first time I entered the restaurant, but when I looked at the menu, I ordered the “Large Pork” without hesitation. The waitress asked me, “It’s a lot of food, are you okay with it?” I replied without hesitation, “No problem! I answered without hesitation. In such a case, it is right to answer immediately and confidently.
The customer who came after me was told by the waiter, “The portions in our restaurant are large. A normal portion is as large as a large portion in other restaurants. He replied, “Well… Then I don’t want a large portion. If you are not sure that you can eat a large portion of ramen, it is important to make a courageous retreat.
To be honest, at my age, there are times when I feel embarrassed to order a large portion. But now I am looking for excitement. I live a life of telecommuting and lack of stimulation, so I look forward to large portions and all-you-can-eat meals.
Even though I know it makes me fat and puts a strain on my body, I still end up ordering a large portion.
I suspect that many of the people who have increased their telecommuting after COVID-19 became popular have developed lifestyle diseases. While there are people who say, “Now that I have free time that used to be my commute time, I jog around the neighborhood during that time,” I suspect that many of them are eating more calories than they burn.
Similarly, I wonder if more people have become addicted to alcohol, but is there a study on that? There must be people who have always liked to drink who have come to work drinking during the day. I suspect that there are more people who “drank while teleworking and it became a habit” than people who became sober because they “went to work less often and therefore had fewer opportunities to drink after work.
If I had not gotten sober 10 years ago, I probably would have done the drinking while telecommuting thing. I would have had a drink to cheer myself up before an online meeting, or a drink as a reward after a presentation. I’m glad I’m sober.
Off topic. Back to ramen.
The ramen arrived. It looked like a mighty pile of ramen, and I immediately felt a sense of pride. The size and color of my bowl was different from the others, and my bowl stood out even as it was being prepared in the kitchen. I told the waiter, “A large portion is fine,” so I would finish my meal without any danger, and I would be wise enough to finish my meal as quickly as possible and leave the table quickly.
Don’t take your time, eat quickly.
I took my chopsticks and took the first bite, the soup and thick noodles intertwined perfectly and danced in my mouth. I couldn’t help but smile.
But as I continued to eat, my hands began to hurt.
As is often the case with Jiro-style ramen, my hands began to ache as I repeatedly pulled out the heavy noodles with chopsticks. The pain was almost like a muscle ache. The area between the little finger and the wrist of the hand holding the chopsticks would hurt.
He put the chopsticks down again and again, rubbed his hand to restore circulation to his hand, and patiently ate the ramen.
After I finished the last bite, I felt full, but suddenly I wondered, “Was it really worth having a big bowl? I asked myself.
I order a large bowl for the stimulation of life. But the peak of the stimulation is when I order it, and when I finish it, I am already in a state of reduced tension. It would be better for me to look for more comfortable food that keeps me excited.
(2023.05.25)
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