Good morning.

Second full day here in Osaka (大阪).

Yes.

And we are still super jet lagged.

We woke up at 1 am in the morning.

Hahaha.

It is now quarter to 5 am.

I know it feels like it is later on in the day.

It is hilarious that it is only five in the morning.

In fact the metro is just opening up now.

Yeah, so we are heading out.

We found a ramen shop that is open 24 hours a day.

Yeah.

And we figured this is perfect.

We are jet lagged, we need food, let's go eat some ramen noodles (ラーメン).

And now we have access to it because of the metro being open.

Yes.

So we are going to take a little trip there.

So we are buying our tickets today.

Yes.

We are going for a day pass for 800 Yen.

I've been using up these little dinky 10 coins and I love that.

Yes.

Because I hate packing around coins when I don't have to.

It is a great way to get rid of your change.

It is 800 Yen so it is seven something US dollars and yeah this is a great way to get

rid of my change.

I still have a 140 to go though.

(Beep noises)

Alright guys so have made it to Dōtonbori (道頓堀) and the place we wanted to go

to is packed.

It is super tiny and it is kind of like a bar style restaurant where you just sit.

Um you sit at the bar and you slurp on your noodles but there is no space so we walked

around found another place where we actually have to order from a machine.

Yes.

Interesting.

And that should be fun.

So that is what we're going to do.

We're just reading the menu that is outside and then we'll place our order.

Alright guys so I'm getting number 6 the Ramen with soft-boiled seasoned egg and Sam is going

for number 11 the meat filled wonton dumplings Ramen (ラーメン).

So here we have our receipts.

Alright so Sam is going to give us a quick history of Ramen.

Yes.

Courtesy of wikipedia.

There we go.

So ramen is a Japanese dish it consists of Chinese style wheat noodles served in a meat

or occasionally fish based broth.

Urgh.

Often flavoured with soy sauce or miso.

And uses toppings such as sliced pork, dried seaweed and green onions.

Nearly every region in Japan has its own variation of ramen from the tonkatsu pork one to bone

broth ramen of Kyushu to the miso ramen of Hokkaido.

Alright and so ramen (ラーメン) is the specialty of Japan and we can't wait to try

ours.

Okay Sam how thrilled area you about this bowl in front of you?

Beyond.

Beyond.

So look at how big this is.

Yeah.

Check this out guys.

Oh my gosh it is huge.

And this is just the regular size.

Yep.

So you can actually upgrade yes and get a bigger one.

If you do one and a half times or twice as big.

Yeah.

And it is not that much more.

So if you're super hungry yeah.

So let's take a look.

We've got spring onions over here.

I decided to get mine with dumplings.

Yeah.

See the dumplings there.

They look a big like momos.

Yep.

The shape.

So it looks like there is some cabbage.

We also have all of the ramen (ラーメン).

Lots of noodles.

Lots of noodles.

Oh my goodness.

Wow.

And some pork.

So yeah we're all set I'm going to start off with some of the broth.

Mmmm.

That is tasty.

Yeah?

Yeah.

When you've been waiting for like 4 or 5 hours to have food waking up at 1 in the morning

this tastes really good.

I'm starving so.

Time to grab those chopsticks and that is right actually try the ramen.

Let's try the ramen.

And I'll try a dumpling too.

Oh!

Oh look at that.

Slurps up.

Did you just say slurps up?

Like bottoms up.

Like surfs up.

Hahaha.

Mmmm.

Oh.

These are really nice noodles.

Now I'm going to try dumplings if I can pierce them.

There we go.

Mmmm.

These taste like pork dumplings to me.

Yeah?

Yeah.

It is really nice.

I love all of the different ingredients that make it up.

I mean the soup itself is delicious but then when you add obviously when you have the ramen

noodles and when you have the dumplings and you have all of these other ingredients it

makes it even better.

Let's dig on in.

Yes.

First of all you've been very patient.

An egg.

Filming me eat mine.

Yes.

I just love egg.

Oh and I want to cut this open to show you how they cook it to perfection here.

Wow.

Look at those colours.

It is not too soft not too hard.

Yeah.

It is just right.

This is how I love my eggs and it is so hard to get them this way whenever I try making

them at home I usually overcook or undercook.

It is usually a cooking fail right?

So sad.

Um but yeah mine also has slices of pork meat.

I can see some cabbage around here.

Yeah.

And of course we have our noodles.

So let's just dig right in.

Dig right in.

Go downtown.

Serve these noodles.

Oh yeah.

And these are very different from the udon noodles that are much thicker.

These are Chinese style so they are a lot thinner.

Look this is still steaming.

Yes.

Buckwheat noodles.

Oh.

I know it is piping hot.

Is it good?

Mmmm.

What do you think?

That is good.

But they gave us some spice oh and I feel like this could use some spice.

Add some added spice to it.

Huh?

Oh with chopsticks.

Okay.

There you go.

Let's do this.

There is some chilli peppers in there for flavour enhancement.

Yes.

Hahaha.

For flavour enhancement.

Why not?

Why not.

Let's mix that in there.

Yes.

I just like my spice.

My food needs to have strong flavours.

indeed.

Okay try that nice and spicy now.

Mmmm.

What do you think?

Definitely spicier?

That is better.

That is good.

It has a hint of vinegar as well.

Oh.

Mmmhmm.

That is awesome.

So a good start.

And I think it can probably add soy sauce to it as well.

Cool.

So very good start.

Let's try the egg shall we?

Let's try the egg.

I'll save this one and let's bite into this magic right here.

Magic.

I'm not a huge fan of eggs so less magical for me than it is for you.

Mmmm.

Is that good?

It is amazing.

That egg looks so good I might even like it.

That is saying a lot.

No.

That is saying a lot.

You'll have to share.

Hahaha.

So now Sam is going to try mine.

Yes.We've evoked the sharing is caring rule.

Yes.

I think you created that one way back when.

Hahaha.

So yeah we're going to try yours.

And first I'm going to try the noodles and the pork here.

I have a feeling they are going to taste the same but.

I've seasoned mine really well.

I ended up adding that spice and then some soy sauce to make it saltier.

Spice was a really good idea.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Actually the soy sauce too.

And do you want to try the egg?

I know you are normally not a fan.

Yeah.

But I feel like this is a special occasion.

I'll give it a shot.

Just a bite.

Mmmm.

Oh that is good.

Yeah?

If all eggs tasted like that I think I'd become a fan.

Hahaha.

But they don't alas.

So he won't.

Mmmm.

And we have kimchi and gyoza.

Yeah.

To try.

Yeah so the kimchi is something that we used to eat a lot in Korea.

It is the fermented cabbage.

Yep.

The fermented spicy cabbage.

It is so good.

I love it.

It is a little bit sour.

Love it.

Mmmm.

It is a nice way to cleanse the palette.

Yeah.

This one is sweeter than a typical Korean one.

Yeah.

I'm noticing not as spicy.

Mmmm.

You like that?

Much sweeter.

You like that?

Yeah.

It is good.

And gyoza this time.

Gyoza these little fried dumplings.

Pot stickers.

Hahaha.

Mmmm.

Oh man.

Do you like it?

Those are just awesome.

I could eat those all day long.

Yeah.

Pan fried.

Yep.

Alright so let's do this.

My turn.

Alright so now I'm trying Sam's.

Yeah.

Which honestly I feel like it looks quite similar to mine.

It seems like the same base.

You know your noodles, your cabbage except for the dumplings.

So you've got to try the dumplings.

I will.

I still haven't tried the meat in mine.

So I'm going to try a bit of yours.

Okay.

And we'll see.

We'll see how that goes.

Oh wow I'm out of practice with chopsticks clearly.

Haha.

So I just wanted to show you guys what the inside of the dumpling looks like.