[RAMEN] Il Returno de Hercules [Part II] (from November 22, 2002)

Ramen This Week: Il Returno de Hercules [Part II]

喜楽 Kiraku

Tucked away on the hill just above the vomitous Debi and among the Dogenzaka consummation hotels, Kiraku is a classic. Its master is the archetype for the ekimae ramenist in "Tampopo," a ball of energy but with zero wasted motion. Customers mosey in and holler their orders, often with slight adjustments. Without missing a beat, the ball acknowledges the order with barely a glance and a varied grunt. He boils several servings of noodles in a heavy wok; he prepares two dozen bowls of tare and precariously balances them on the edges of counters and chopping boards; and he repeatedly slams a metric ton of wonton filling into an oversized mixing bowl. When it is all done, the twenty or more orders of ramen are dished out precisely in the order of the hollerin'. This guy is the best dance-and-dinner show in Tokyo not involving Flipino bamboo stick performers. (A primer for the uninitiated: the Tinikling is in minuet tempo, the Singkil primordial hip-hop.)

His creation -- the Kaotan motherland formula made complete, with superior execution and polish. Dark but clear soy broth, the patient brewing of the pigs and chickens, and the hearty bite from flakes of roasted garlic. In the highly recommended wonton men, the chaw of the charsiu almost in the Chinese way plays well with the surprisingly good dumplings wrapped with lush, extra-long tails. Furthermore, the satisfying and thick noodles are cooked in the same water that once boiled the wontons; it does a body good. An oily, almost overwhelming Thanksgiving come early. And the grimy counter, the walls and doorways that scream for the fire marshal, and the old lady who just stepped out of the Time-Life A Day in the Life of China (Where Starving Kids There Are) photo album just fade, fade, fade into the distance.

"Some water you want is it?"





On the bookshelf:

• A Dead Man in Deptford, Anthony Burgess.
• The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera. Again!
• Straight No Chaser: Spring/Summer Issue. With Swinscoe on the cover. A great, frequently ungrammatical and misspelled magazine dedicated to straight jazz, club jazz, African and Latin music. Finally back in my hands thanks to a kind friend who pointed me to Tower Records Shibuya.

In the CD changer:

• Sakura, Yokota Susumu. It took me about a year, but I finally realized that this is an amazing album.
• Motion and Every Day, Cinematic Orchestra. I have searched far and wide for the true new jazz, the necessary fluidity and irreverence and sly thumping between MIDI, the Mad Professor's dub, and organic instruments. I think Every Day has finally achieved it.
• Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition," Sviatoslav Richter. Oh. My. I love the missed notes in the finale.
• The Colored Section, Donnie. Special of the week. Donnie was evidently raised on a strict diet of non-formula natural mother's milk, pork parts fried in butter, and endless encounters with Stevie Wonder records. This is absolutely brilliant. If you are uncomfortable with race-conscious music, however, you best run back to your Shania Twain collection. If you're not, then know this: the genius behind the next Innervisions or What's Going On will not be named Maxwell.

On the morning of Wednesday, November 13th, I rode on bus number F456 along the 都01 route. There was a tubercular on board. Please, people, cover your mouth when you cough. It's disgusting. Now, if I die of TB, you know whom to sue.

Next week, I will be touring Sapporo and later checking in with Earth Wind & Fire, probably sans Maurice.


SPECIAL NON-HUMOR CORNER

In order to cure you of any notions you may have about the firm being all fun and games, I have excerpted some weighty passages from an official Human Capital Management memo.

"We wanted to take this opportunity to remind you that the 2002 Flu Immunization Program has started last week and proceed according to the schedule below.

"November 12, Tuesday: 13:30 - 15:00, 15:30 - 18:00
November 18, Monday: 13:30 - 15:00, 15:30 - 18:00
November 19, Tuesday: 13:30 - 15:00, 15:30 - 18:00

"The influenza vaccine provides immunization against the flu strains that have been identified by the World Health Organization as prevalent strains for the coming winter. Since new strains are identified each year, last year’s vaccination will not provide protection for this coming flu season. The optimal time to receive a flu vaccine is now through the end of November.

"The side effects are generally mild in adults and occur infrequently, with the possibility of experiencing tenderness at the injection site, fever, chills, or muscular aches that may last up to 48 hours."

My interest piqued, I submitted the following query:

"Just asking out of curiosity -- If you expect employees who receive the vaccination to feel sick for up to 48 hours, then why don't you schedule more of these sessions on Thursdays or Fridays, when it's less likely that employees will miss work because of side effects?"

(All in black. I am so unimaginative.)

Twenty-four hours later, HCM Official his ownself sent me this official reply:

"Hamilton,

Thank you for your thoughtful idea. Due to the vendor's schedule, we only could book the below indicated dates this year. Although Fridays may not be good since people tend to go out and have drinks after work, we will consider your suggestion for the next year's flu immunization."

Wow, this firm is awesome! So in the spirit of my motto -- "Be Prepared" -- I have proactively drafted my out-of-office notice for next season's vaccination:

Subject: Out of Office AutoReply: Next week

I will be out of the office for much of next week and will have limited access to email and voicemail. Please refer to my schedule below:

Monday: Flu shot
Tuesday: I will be sick with fever and chills
Wednesday: I will be sick with muscular aches

Should you have any urgent questions, please find my drunk ass at the local pub that Friday night.


And can someone explain this to me? http://yoga.tripod.co.jp/flash/kikkomaso.swf