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RamenHaus

ramen.haus

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Re: RamenHaus

#101

Post by brailsafe »

linguae wrote: post #55
brailsafe wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think this is unique to Ramen at all. Burgers should not cost $20-30 for some limp smooshed beef, a burrito should also not be $15-20, and tacos should sure as hell not be $3-5 per tiny taco. It's all bullshit; none of that food is worth that money. But... I suspect it costs that much because people pay that much, and because the cost of every other aspect of service puts pressure on the restaurants to try to…

I don’t know where you live, but in the Bay Area prices have exploded since COVID. I remember a decade ago when it was still possible to get a super burrito for under $10; in fact, the price was $7.75 for a carne asada super burrito at El Farolito in San Francisco. A burger was under $10, a deli sandwich was about $8-9, and tacos were around $1.50 at Taco Bell and no more than $3 at a proper taqueria. The prices were…

I'm on the west coast but the prices aren't much cheaper elsewhere if at all. It's way cheaper in Japan to get ramen, but probably much more expensive to get sushi, which is maybe the last value oriented quality meal I'm usually able to find. Canadian A&W and Popeyes are quite good as well (I found U.S Popeyes lacking flavor and juiciness), but never ever get combos at fast food places, only the burger. McDonald's is tasting more and more like cardboard while their prices rise.

Right around When "smash" patties started becoming the next millenial fad is when I first started seeing absurd prices like that. Sides stopped being included, and I ordered a double patty at a local place, paid $16 for just the damn burger, felt insulated, and then just left. I continue trying to keep an open mind, but I tend to be skeptical that I'll get anything worthwhile for my money. If only I'd had a huge amount invested in stocks when the value of money halved.

Re: RamenHaus

#102

Post by brailsafe »

estearum wrote: post #59
brailsafe wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think this is unique to Ramen at all. Burgers should not cost $20-30 for some limp smooshed beef, a burrito should also not be $15-20, and tacos should sure as hell not be $3-5 per tiny taco. It's all bullshit; none of that food is worth that money. But... I suspect it costs that much because people pay that much, and because the cost of every other aspect of service puts pressure on the restaurants to try to…

Spoiler alert: it's rent.

Ya, that's usually what does it.

Re: RamenHaus

#103

Post by OJFord »

riffraff wrote: post #61
embedding-shape wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Besides fast food, isn't it always like that though? Of course Japanese food is cheaper in Japan, but I bet Spanish food is more expensive there than in Spain? Or Peruvian food being a lot more expensive in Europe compared to in Peru itself, it kind of makes sense.

yes, that is the case. But I think the point is that paying 7€ makes it a pretty good deal, at 14€ for "a bowl of soup" it becomes a meh experience. Similarly, as an Italian abroad, I can get a decent pizza margherita in Budapest, but it costs 12 euros and I get upset every time, you shouldn't spend that much for a bit of dough and mozzarella :)

Cries in London

Re: RamenHaus

#105

Post by vinaigrette »

farialima wrote: post #54

This is probably the right place to remind beginners in the study of ramens, that basic knowledge can be acquired from the classic "Tampopo" movie. Just the opening scene is must-know : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeVhZkbAc5k :)

What's crazy is that there is a shot in the car where a guy is reading to the driver ! Never have I seen that elsewhere, but what a brilliant idea !

Re: RamenHaus

#106

Post by linguae »

brailsafe wrote: post #101
linguae wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t know where you live, but in the Bay Area prices have exploded since COVID. I remember a decade ago when it was still possible to get a super burrito for under $10; in fact, the price was $7.75 for a carne asada super burrito at El Farolito in San Francisco. A burger was under $10, a deli sandwich was about $8-9, and tacos were around $1.50 at Taco Bell and no more than $3 at a proper taqueria. The prices were…

I'm on the west coast but the prices aren't much cheaper elsewhere if at all. It's way cheaper in Japan to get ramen, but probably much more expensive to get sushi, which is maybe the last value oriented quality meal I'm usually able to find. Canadian A&W and Popeyes are quite good as well (I found U.S Popeyes lacking flavor and juiciness), but never ever get combos at fast food places, only the burger. McDonald's is…

I agree regarding the West Coast in general. Seattle and Los Angeles are also similarly expensive, and even Sacramento (my hometown) isn’t much of an improvement. A few months ago I was floored to see a $13 burrito at a place that was just $8 pre-pandemic. Sacramento is not inundated with rich people like the Bay Area, so what gives? The average Sacramento resident can’t afford those prices.

I went to St. Louis, Missouri on a business trip two years ago and was pleasantly shocked by the food prices there. I felt like I entered a time machine to 2016 California.

Regarding sushi in Japan, prices run the gamut from cheap conveyor-belt sushi chains (like Hama Sushi and Sushiro) and grocery/convenience store sushi (which is surprisingly good here) to ultra-expensive, reservation-only restaurants with sushi served by world-renowned chefs, and everything in between. I’m not an expert on sushi, but I find that $5 grocery store sushi in Japan often beats what costs $20 back in the Bay Area. To be fair, though, the Bay Area has many excellent sushi restaurants, and while it’s more expensive in the Bay Area than Japan for the same quality, the counterargument is a meal at a Bay Area restaurant is much cheaper than a flight to Japan. I just happen to be fortunate enough to go to Japan twice a year, so I just wait until I’m in Japan to have sushi.

Re: RamenHaus

#107

Post by nullify88 »

hnlmorg wrote: post #41
mgaunard wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Kanada-Ya is a chain with at least 5 locations in London, and while they're fairly good, they're still somewhat focused on Deliveroo-type transactions. It remains quite different from a genuine ramen shop in Japan.

That wasn’t the case pre-Covid when I was talking about. But it’s still good even now. And it’s obviously going to be quite different from Japanese restaurants because London isn’t in Japan (surprise surprise).

For a long time, their first restruant in Covent Garden always had a hell of a queue and tiny seating area.

Shoryu Ramen is good too and bone daddies though they do other stuff too.

Re: RamenHaus

#108

Post by decimalenough »

linguae wrote: post #55
brailsafe wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think this is unique to Ramen at all. Burgers should not cost $20-30 for some limp smooshed beef, a burrito should also not be $15-20, and tacos should sure as hell not be $3-5 per tiny taco. It's all bullshit; none of that food is worth that money. But... I suspect it costs that much because people pay that much, and because the cost of every other aspect of service puts pressure on the restaurants to try to…

I don’t know where you live, but in the Bay Area prices have exploded since COVID. I remember a decade ago when it was still possible to get a super burrito for under $10; in fact, the price was $7.75 for a carne asada super burrito at El Farolito in San Francisco. A burger was under $10, a deli sandwich was about $8-9, and tacos were around $1.50 at Taco Bell and no more than $3 at a proper taqueria. The prices were…

FWIW, prices have exploded in Japan as well. Ramen used to be ¥500 in a standard Chinese restaurant, maybe a few hundred more for a fancy one, and no restaurant dared breach the ¥1000 barrier.

Fortunately for the traveler, this has been more than matched by the implosion of the yen exchange rate, meaning in USD terms ¥1100 today is still cheaper than ¥500 ten years ago.

Re: RamenHaus

#109

Post by blooalien »

Mistletoe wrote: post #70

Ah I was hoping I could add photos from my favorite place in my city, but alas.

> "Ah I was hoping I could add photos from my favorite place in my city, but alas."

Just down the page it says "Ideas, collaborations, and questions: chef@ramen.haus" so I suppose you could always email 'em about your idea of user submitted entries; maybe even collaborate with 'em on adding the feature? Ask 'em why it's not a feature already? :)

Re: RamenHaus

#110

Post by erikerikson »

asyx wrote: post #98
shermantanktop wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know this is the American in me but: what the heck do you do for 3 hours? Especially at a place that doesn’t serve 5 courses. If you’re hanging with old friends, maybe, but even then the conversation can slow down after a while.

I don’t know how restaurants work in America but generally you go to a restaurant to hang out here as well. I think service is generally slower. Drinks are also not free refills so a lot of restaurants do get fancy with their drinks so you try those as well. We usually also get at least desert and a coffee. Three hours is maybe not the norm but most restaurants plan in 2.5 hours slots. Like, it’s not just eating. It’…

The fast food experience is a far end of the experience even for the US. I've experienced long meals here in the US too. They are much less systemic than what I experienced and observed in the UK, France, and, Italy. I've had the fast food experience in the UK too; e.g. sausage rolls at Gregg's.
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