Angela Lin 0:00
Today we have a special guest first guest of Season Four. We have Frank from 5am ramen. What’s up, Frank?
Frank 0:27
Thanks for having me. Happy to be here.
Full Transcript (Note: Transcribed via AI, may contain errors)
Angela Lin 0:30
Okay, so Frank and I actually know each other from, like, random happenstance of life, which is that when Ramon and I were living in Japan, wow, it’s over two years ago. Now that’s life just like flies by at this point, but um, we’re in Japan for a few months, we went on several ramen tours that I think we booked through Airbnb. But they were hosted by Frank and his company 5am ramen. And they were super cool. Because we well, ramen is one of my favorite things. So this was like, at the top of my list of things I wanted to do. And it was like, what better way to like find the best ramen than to just have someone shuttle me from like the best spot to spot around Tokyo. So we did we did it twice. Because we liked it so much. But yeah, that’s how I met Frank. And it’s cool that now we’re our paths are crossing again. And yeah, how have you been? I haven’t seen you in over two years.
Frank 1:32
I’ve been good. No, you both are definitely ramen tour a veterans I think, having done the tour more than once. But no, I’ve been great. Of course. You know, it’s been interesting turn of events around the world challenging and things like that. But no, it’s it’s great to reconnect here.
Angela Lin 1:48
Okay, well, I know you but Jesse doesn’t know you and our listeners don’t know you. So why don’t you introduce yourself a little bit about like, where you are and what 5am ramen is, and anything else you want to intro?
Frank 2:00
Absolutely. So Frank from 5am, ramen, slash Tokyo, ramen tours, I grew up in Tokyo. I’m actually Filipino and American, but spent my whole life in Japan. That being said, I’ve eaten a lot of ramen Up to now, including from childhood. If you add it all up, I’ve had 1000s of bowls up to now and that does not include instant ramen. So I love ramen. And a few years ago, I was fortunately able to create a business centered on ramen. And as Angela mentioned, I did ramen tours, basically, right before, you know, full swing right before the pandemic. But I think now very much still, I’m involved in ramen. And I definitely live and breathe ramen, let’s say.
Angela Lin 2:44
Okay, and you already mentioned a few interesting tidbits, but Filipino American lived in Japan your whole life. So how would you answer our very standard question on the show, but where are you really from?
Frank 3:00
I’d say maybe how much time do you have? Or I’m just as confused. I think it’s difficult because, you know, for maybe for some of us, and I’m sure many listeners can relate. it’s sometimes hard to put yourself in a box. I’m, you know, Filipino and American, you know, biracial, bicultural, whatever you want to call it, but I also grew up in Japan. So having grown up, you know, maybe feeling partially Japanese, but partially Filipino, partially American, maybe not, you know, quite one or the other so dominantly, I guess, but maybe a little bit of everything is the right answer. So Filipino American, that grew up in Japan.
Angela Lin 3:41
And how was that like growing up because I feel like Jesse and I have talked a little bit about, at least like my perception of Japan from I was only there for a few months, but like trying to assimilate. I was working there with my company. I was trying to, I was doing like normal business hours and trying to just like blend in. And so I have my own kind of, like, perception of the culture, but you grew up there, but you’re not technically Japanese. But I know there are some like norms, they place on people, you know, what was that like growing up? Where you were like, I’m, I feel Japanese. I’m not like, you know, blood Japanese, or was that any tension with that? Or it was just, you know, you just were?
Frank 4:21
No, I think you got a sense of like, what what it’s like to be here. And working here, too, is very different, you know, just like living here, as opposed to just visiting the country and maybe only seeing it on a surface level. Japan is a great country, of course. But given that, what is it 98% of the population, maybe even 99% is Japanese. You know, and you go back to the 80s and 90s when I was growing up. Yeah, I definitely stood out like a sore thumb. Although Japan is changing. It is becoming more diverse. It still is not that diverse relative to other countries. So it was interesting kind of growing up in that environment, as I said, not being living in Japan, but not being Japanese by blood. And you know, that’s kind of how Japan also measures whether you’re Japanese or not, right? Whether that’s right or not putting that aside, you know, you’re either Japanese or you’re not, they categorize you put you in that box, it’s very black and white in that sense. But for me, I guess what was interesting was that I went to an international school. And there were a lot of other kids like me. Whereas if I went to a Japanese school, it might have been a very different experience, I might have been the only non Japanese kid in middle school, high school, but at the International School, there were so many other confused, I joke. This kids were like me, so the experience was very relatable. And it wasn’t that unusual, you know, it wasn’t like, growing up, oh, who am I, of course, I think all of us, you know, in some way or another might have identity issues, you know, when we’re teenagers, for example, but it was never that pronounced, I was kind of, for lack of a better way of putting it maybe in a, in a bubble, within Tokyo. And as you said, you know, maybe now even as an adult, I can kind of hover back and forth between that bubble, you know, I would have trouble working at a very, you know, rigid, rigidly structured Japanese company, you know, I would that that would be difficult for me, even though I grew up here. And I would probably choose not to, but at the same time, you know, I can kind of be outside of that, but also be an insider as well, just because I grew up here, I know the ins and outs of Japanese culture, etc. So kind of finding myself in a unique position. I think within Japan.
Jesse Lin 6:43
It’s so interesting, because I think a lot of the times, we’re talking about how to orient ourselves as Americans who are in search of our Asian heritage, and you’re, you’re like, have two ethnicities, you’re a Japanese person in search of an American or potentially Filipino ethnicity. Have you gone to either of those places where your parents were from and tried to, like, explore? Like, what’s that feel like?
Frank 7:08
Right, right. Yeah, I guess in that sense, maybe like a reverse of what some people experienced or not a reverse but in the same way, at one point to, as you know, maybe a teenager, someone that’s, you know, not as confident with who they are. There was a little bit of that soul searching, rediscovering so yes, I would go to the US, go to the Philippines and be in Japan. And I’d be like, Who am I? We wouldn’t I wouldn’t necessarily scheduled trips centered on that. But every time I would visit those places, yes. It’s kind of like, okay, well, I feel American, like, you know, can I? Can I try and be a little bit more American, you know, you want to fit in, right? Same thing in Japan, too. It’s, you know, I’m not Japanese. But do I want to be Japanese? Do I want to fit in? Will I ever fit in completely? And maybe after a point, you realize, you know, it’s okay, if I don’t fit in 100% everywhere, you know, I’m something else. And I think a lot of us can relate to that. Right? Maybe you’re not, you’re not completely one thing that doesn’t define you that category, you can be several things. And that’s completely fine.
Jesse Lin 8:13
So maybe like one final question regarding like, discovery of heritage, because a lot of the people we talked to are Western born Asian individuals. And so like, our perspective towards finding our heritage is always this kind of like, tension between the western way of thinking and like, your roots. But your circumstances like a little bit up flipped, where you grew up in an Eastern culture, and you’re part of your background is rooted in Western culture. So like, when you were growing up? Did you feel like that was the thing among the people that you went to international school with, they were interested in finding out more about their, wherever they potentially originally came from, or it was kind of like, because you were in a Japanese environment in Japanese culture, it wasn’t so much of a thing that was ingrained in you to explore that you were interested in exploring?
Frank 9:07
Right? That’s a great question. I think, you know, for a lot of us in the international school, maybe there wasn’t as much of a burning desire to discover more about you. And a lot of I mentioned, there were others like me, I think, I don’t know if there was a burning desire to go to the US and they were already exposed to like, you know, American culture, whether this was pop culture on TV or at home, I think in a lot of these households, you know, there were, as you suggested, there were you know, parts of western culture already there the school to like, I went to an international school with everyone. So, the language of instruction was English, it was essentially an American curriculum. So, it was never, you know, in my case, at least, like rediscovering my American side also because I would regularly go to the US I was exposed to that Western culture from the beginning as well as even Filipino culture by visiting the Philippines a lot. And then of course, living in Japan. I was surrounded by it. So out of school, that was where the Japanese influences would, would come into play. So I guess again, it may be comes back to having a little bit of everything, this bubble within Japan being exposed to all of that. So, for me, I never really had to go back and rediscover that Western side, I was I was literally exposed to both western and eastern side. And I think now again, just being able to have that ability to choose, you know, relative to the situation, you know, understanding both sides, right, in this situation, I can be a little bit more Japanese. In this situation, I can be a little bit more Filipino and be I don’t know, louder. I’m going to stereotypes, that’s not a good thing. I think, you know every situation will call for certain things, right, and maybe being more like of a chameleon. But understanding, you know, both sides, not not identifying completely with one or the other. Again, I think it’s that chameleon like, aspect. That was definitely the case for me. And I think for a lot of kids that, you know, grew up in these international school environments, you have international schools around the world, it’s really unique experience, I think, at these international schools you’re at, you’re exposed to so many different cultures. And it’s hard to identify with one of them.
Angela Lin 11:13
Not to open up a whole can of worms, but as you were talking
Frank 11:17
Open it up, open it up!
Angela Lin 11:17
Okay, I’m curious, because Jesse, I don’t remember who you ask this to previously, but you said something like, when you were abroad in Spain, you met someone and they told you like, you guys care too much about race relations. And in the US, like it’s too big of a thing. So I’m curious, Frank, what, what it’s been like observing the US become a dumpster fire last year over you know, race relations, and all the all the stuff that’s been unpacked, in the past year as this like outside, outside view in right, like you have a stake in it, because you’re partially American, but you’re living in Japan. And like, I would imagine, the way the news at least is portraying it in Japan is from a Japanese point of view. So I’m curious what your like experience has been observing our crap going here?
Frank 12:11
Well, the the flames are pretty high, so definitely can see them. So no, I think, you know, what, what makes the US maybe unique in that sense, right? Regardless of whether like, it’s, it’s, it’s too much, that seems to have been your experience in Spain, right, Jesse, it was, you know, what, why is race such a big deal in the US, right? I have observed that maybe like, these issues are discussed more openly, people tend to want to discuss, you know, their identity, where they fit into the whole thing. So there is a lot more discussion, I think, and certainly compared to Japan, and certainly compared to me, you know, what, what I was used to growing up in an international community, you know, it’s just like, this is kind of who I am. And that’s that. So on the one hand, yes, there is a lot more of that discussion going on. But at the same time, that’s maybe what makes the US unique. You know, right. Now, you very much have an Asian American equivalent of civil civil rights movement, right, this is a good thing. And the US is a melting pot pot, you know, despite what’s happening right now, despite the tension that’s there, and Japan is really not. So, you know, these discussions, further progress. You know, these are good discussions to have. But, yeah, the US is, is a unique place, right? You know, what it means to be American is so different than here, where, again, it’s, it’s very black and white, right? It’s important to have these discussions.
Angela Lin 13:39
It’s interesting, because I agree with you, it’s important that we’re having these discussions and like, we care a lot about identity in the US. And maybe because we are this melting pot, everyone has a little bit of identity crisis, living here. But like, even listening to your responses, during this conversation, I’m almost like jealous because it sounds like, it doesn’t matter as much. Like it’s like, you sound like you’re pretty confident in like who you are, and like, you’re happy with this, like chameleon type status that you have, and it doesn’t bother you in the way that like, I feel like a lot of us are very obsessed, like, but who am I exactly? And like, where exactly do I fit in? And like, we’re just not settled anywhere. So I’m almost kind of jealous, but it’s not as big of a crisis issue for for those living abroad.
Frank 14:30
I think, you know, for all myself included, right, it’s still you know, this is not to say I’m always with my, you know, I’m always 100% confident, right? It’s, it’s still challenging, but it’s not so simple. I think it’s all relative to your environment, right? In Japan, I can kind of go in the background a little bit. Yeah, I think in the US, you know, with all these issues at the forefront, it kind of brings these issues front and center again, right. So it’s kind of an ongoing thing. You know, now these questions are being asked because all of all of you are being asked, right like, you know, What does it mean to be American right with everything that’s going on? Whereas, you know, in Japan, we don’t really have that moment, right? There were moments like that, you know, there was a few Japanese beauty pageant contestants that were questioned because they weren’t 100% Japanese like things like that. So if I was representing Japan in that capacity, not as a beauty pageant, contestant, I can try I entered once but I didn’t get accepted. But, you know, I think like if I was in that situation, maybe would again, bring those issues front and center so it’s all relative.
Jesse Lin 16:47
Well, let’s talk about food. Let’s talk about ramen and give us of all the things Japanese specialty. What is it that landed you on ramen?
Frank 17:01
What I really like about ramen is its diversity. There’s certain things that define ramen. And I think you know, outside of Japan, probably I would assume that I think the most common ramen is pork bone ramen right tonkotsu ramen, maybe some miso as well. But let’s say beyond those styles, even within the world of pork bone, ramen, miso ramen, there’s so many subcategories of ramen. And what I find interesting about ramen is that given that it’s actually only about 100 years old is that it continues to evolve. There are new styles of ramen coming out all the time. Of course, there are certain things that again, define ramen, if you go off too much in a bold direction, maybe you’re kind of moving away from the definition of ramen. But despite that ramen, unlike, say, soba, or udon, it’s not the same experience from ramen shop to ramen shop from region or region ramen is really diverse, and maybe tying it into what we were discussing up to now ramen really is a hybrid. It’s like a Chinese Japanese hybrid, and maybe myself being a hybrid. It’s something I can identify with. Of course, it’s tasty. And that’s the most important central theme. But yeah, ramen really is a hybrid.
Jesse Lin 18:08
So for those of us who didn’t go on a ramen tour, and used to think that ramen was just instant cup noodles, what are the primary characteristics of like ramen from Japan?
Frank 18:21
Right. I think I mentioned this on the tours, too. So we’ll be taking a virtual tour right now. But basically broth, noodles and toppings harmoniously coming together as the way I sort of look at ramen. And of course that can define a lot of their noodle dishes right? In Asia, for example, but there are certain things in the broth that I think make it ramen and maybe make a Japanese you have a lot of ramen shops using dashi or Japanese soup stock, right? These are elements like soy sauce, soy sauce for the seasoning, but let’s say kelp and bonito fish flakes kelp is basically giant seaweed. For listeners that might not be familiar with that and also bonito fish flakes basically dried bonito fish this is these are very Japanese elements that they’re used in the soup. This these things alongside chicken and pork bones, that’s where they took maybe a plate out of the Chinese noodle dish playbook right using things like that. So it’s kind of like these more delicate flavors not not the Japanese food is all delicates but you know these more delicate things like kelp again, the bonito fish plates combined with maybe these more meaty things that’s the soup for the noodles, ramen noodles or wheat flour noodles like a lot of other noodles out there but what really defines ramen noodles is consumed or an Alkaline Mineral Water lye water. Basically, this Alkaline Mineral water is what gives ramen noodles a more springy or firm texture. If this element is not in ramen noodles, sometimes people will not define them as ramen noodles. So basically think of ramen noodles is more firm udon noodles so don’t noodles are thick and slippery ramen noodles can be thin or thick But it’s really that Alkaline Mineral water that makes ramen noodles noodles. And then for toppings you have your usual suspects whether it’s egg, spring onions, as well as bamboo shoots, sometimes the decorative fish cake in the middle, things like that. So I think with those three things broth, noodles and toppings, if you have 2, 2.5 out of three, yeah you’re kind of ramen but again, this is everyone’s definition is going to be a little bit different. We have things like pineapple ramen here in Japan, you know, is that still is that still ramen? Right? You’re really pushing the boundaries? So it really depends on how I think you interpret ramen, but there are certain things toppings maybe especially in a soup that that define it. And sorry, I guess I should say noodles too, right? If you put rice noodles in ramen, maybe it’s no longer ramen as much as I personally love rice noodles. So it gets a little complicated. But you know, ramen shops will basically adhere to keeping a lot of those things that I mentioned and that will define their dishes as wrong.
Jesse Lin 21:10
When you decide pineapple ramen, I’m sorry. I just was at a restaurant the other day where I I saw pineapple fried rice and I just imagined like an empty pineapple used as a bowl for the ramen – that’s not what it is right?
Frank 21:23
Unfortunately not that would be fun, maybe. But they have fully committed to using pineapples. They’ve got a pineapple logo, the interior ramen shop, there’s pineapple decorations. There’s even like a little lampshade that is a pineapple not an actual pineapple that would be more epic. But be at full fully committed to using pineapples in the ramen. It is delicious. You know, maybe it’s not ramen, at least in the traditional sense, but it is very interesting. Again ramen being very young you know that there are certain things you can do maybe with ramen that you can’t do with other more traditional Japanese foods. I always mentioned this on the tours too, but sushi is so much more rigid right? In Japan there is a very rigid definition of sushi. This is sushi, this is not kind of like maybe again, what is Japanese in what is not right. It’s extended to this. You know, California rolls are not considered sushi. As much as I love California rolls. You know, again, this is sushi. This is not ramen, you know, it’s open to debate which is great. And what I find fascinating about ramen too.
Angela Lin 22:23
Okay, well you mentioned instant ramen, I want to I’m curious about that topic because something I noticed in Japan that was really cool is that the food scene is like largely a fresh based like fresh cooks kind of thing where in the US like if you’re super busy for lunch, you don’t expect that you’re going to be able to sit down at a restaurant and like turn around have an actual like fresh cooked meal in 20 minutes or whatever and be out the door versus in Japan I did that every day in my office so I’m curious because there’s that culture but then to your point instant ramen is like a huge thing in Japan as well where the shelves have like a gazillion varieties and like every 711 has like all the things ready for you to like you know make the ramen on the spot with the hot water thing and like and it’s like a perfectly acceptable meal as well so like what is this? What’s the thought between like ramen versus instant ramen because in the US are like instant ramen is like crap, you know? It’s like the it’s the fake chicken like powder that you crushed up with the wavy noodles when you’re eight or whatever and pop the snacks but is there that similar kind of mentality towards instant ramen in Japan or its it has its own place and is is also good?
Frank 23:42
It definitely has its own place and it’s definitely its own special world. I think for me I really rediscovered the world of instant ramen during this whole pandemic just because spending a lot more time at home and you know, no matter what you want of course like let’s say on the one end of the spectrum you have fresh ramen served you know piping hot at a ramen restaurant, right? If you go you know, one notch down or if it’s a spectrum left let’s say and you know you’re having from 711 you mentioned there it’s maybe a microwavable ramen right still with fresh noodles the shelf life is shorter if we move one notch back from there, there’s you know, frozen ramen you can get at 711 there’s also the premium instant ramen which you have non flash fried noodles and seasoning and soups, everything separated and proper like toppings you know, this is like a high quality instant ramen. And as you mentioned, there’s so many options for that here to coming from different famous ramen shops, maybe different regional specialties etc, etc. And then if we you know, go even for further back we’ve got the cup style instant ramen that what I was just talking about was the bowl style by the way, the ones that are shaped like a bowl tend to be better, more premium, and then the cup style is a little bit more basic flash fried noodles you just pop the lid open, you’re pouring the hot water. And then before that maybe the most basic, which I think is what a lot of people associate with instant ramen is the package variety, right? That’s the simple flash fried noodles. You know how many cents is it per pack, right? That’s the cheapest variety you can get not the best for you. So in Japan, you have the whole spectrum, right? If you’re, you know, at home, maybe cooking for a family, the pack of vaiety is great, just adding vegetables, and maybe some protein is good to upgrade it. But on the other side of the spectrum, you know, going for lunch, as you said, at at a ramen restaurant, you can be in and out in 20 minutes. Right, very convenient. So I think, you know, as consumers in Japan, we’re very spoiled. And you know, relative to the situation there, you know, it will call for different things, right? So I think yes, instant ramen included is a very important part of Japanese culture. And again, that whole spectrum there relative to you know, your your price point rather than you know their different price points relative to your situation and what you require at that moment.
Angela Lin 26:02
I am confused about the bowl one. So that one is not just adding hot water, or how does that one prep?
Frank 26:07
You do add hot water. So basically, it’s like a styrofoam bowl in the same way that the cup is right. But it’s a little bit different because the preparation takes a little bit more to understand. You don’t just you do pop the lid, but they’re normally two to four, or even sometimes five packets. So the first packet that you put in, for example, is the toppings. Maybe the pork like these are fresh or they are dried, but things like this you put on top of the noodles, then you pour in the hot water. After that, you’re going to be heating one of the soup packets on top of the lid just to keep it warm. So you remove the lid then you pour in a soup packet. And sometimes there are several soup packets, there might even be three sometimes and you can put them in at different times. Then after that you mix everything all together. So it’s just a lot closer to what you’d be getting at a ramen restaurant. And another big difference, as briefly mentioned is that the noodles are not flash fried. So you don’t have as much of that artificial flavor, which is often the case with the packet variety. It and I can tell you, it’s pretty crazy how far this fancier premium if you want to call it style of instant ramen has come.
Angela Lin 27:23
How have things changed for you in the past year because of everything?
Frank 28:10
Yeah, the pandemic certainly upended a lot of industries travel and hospitality, of course was you know, hit with a sledgehammer overnight. But I think, you know, setting the stage all of us in Japan, we’re very excited for the Olympics that we’re supposed to happen last year, right? You know, this was going to be Japan’s banner year. All of us were, you know, 100% 150% ready to greet tourists from around the world. And ramen tours included? Of course, that all changed overnight. It is what it is. And it’s certainly been challenging, you know, when you base a lot of your business around something specific and it’s no longer possible. Of course, it’s it’s very tough. But I think, you know, there’s always a silver lining. And you know, for me, I’ve pivoted to some other things, including online ramen tours, selling the instant ramen that I mentioned, you know, they’re the things that you have to look at. And if the Olympics had gone through, I would have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off, excuse the morbid reference. But I think all of us in the travel industry, we would have been so bit busy that we wouldn’t have time to sort of stop and think about, you know, maybe other things that we could do. So the pandemic has allowed me to look at other things, maybe other revenue streams, and kind of reset everything. Of course the pandemic has carried on a little bit longer. I think that we all initially thought right. So in the background, it’s like, okay, please, tourism come back. We want to do all these things we were talking about, but at the same time it has allowed me and maybe to become a little bit more creative and think about okay, how can I still have these ramen related businesses, without people able, without people to physically be able to come to Japan right now?
Angela Lin 29:55
Well, we look forward to being part of your big hurrah, return to tourism whenever Japan allows us back in
Frank 30:02
We will rent a ramen bus limo even
Angela Lin 30:10
Well, shall we move into our closing section? Jesse?
Jesse Lin 30:14
Yes. Sofor our fortune cookie rank we wanted to ask you what’s your favorite instant ramen?
Frank 30:21
Yes this is a tough a tough question I think nostalgia wise because of the flavors that I grew up with. Sapporo Ichiban if we do the packet variety right we’re talking about just the the dried flash fried noodles packets
Angela Lin 30:36
Well whatever you you have this whole world of instant ramen
Frank 30:40
Okay. Yeah, how much time do you have?
Angela Lin 30:44
You get one
Frank 30:47
Frank talks for an hour about instant ramen but we edited down to five minutes I think Sapporo Ichiban I know that’s over there stateside, too. I do hear the flavor is a little bit different in the packets stateside, I haven’t had it in the States. I’m not saying it’s better or worse, but Sapporo Ichiban the package variety in Japan, especially the shio or salt seasoned ramen is a flavor like I will always love. You know, I have fond memories of my mom making that at home. So for me that’s very much nostalgic. I think if we get into the fancier bowl varieties, the one from Michelin star ramen restaurant Nakiryu you their Tonton men basically a variation of dandan noodles dandanmien. That is amazingly delicious. For the bowl variety to I think one of my all time favorites is also Sano ramen. Sano is a style of ramen that is relatively light with beautiful noodles, and a relatively light soy sauces and broth. So, again, Sapporo Ichiban for the packet variety. And if we move into the fancier, more premium bowl styles Nakiryu Tonton men Michelin star ramen, and also Sano original ramen made by a company called Yama, di. And the Nakiryu one is made by Nishin. So those are three. And I’ll maybe stop there. so I don’t go off on instant ramen tangent.
Jesse Lin 32:09
And which of these maybe all of them can our listeners get from you?
Frank 32:14
Oh, well, the last two I mentioned you can definitely get for me. I have a subscription model as well. So the Sano ramen is, you know, it’s relative to when you subscribe, but if people like it, and I’m happy to introduce that as like, you could just buy the Sano ramen. But the Nakiryu Tonton men, the Michelin star one that I mentioned, you can buy those in packs of five. And for everybody’s reference, anyone that does a purchase, you get video instructions on how to assemble them. So what you’re taught,
Jesse Lin 32:45
So don’t dump it all in
Frank 32:46
Yeah don’t dump it all in here, so you have a very easy, easy breakdown. And there’s also you know, background information on the ramen. So it’s kind of like you’re collecting the different roles at different times. So my idea was definitely to make it fun, interactive, and since people cannot come here, me bringing the moment to you. And I would like to think that everyone will be pleasantly surprised with how good these instant ramen were again, I was I felt the same way when I rediscovered the world sometime last year.
Angela Lin 33:18
I mean, I think the fact that you mentioned Michelin star ramen a few times as like something like the fact that a Michelin star restaurant would decide to make instant ramen i think is already telling in and of itself of like the quality that this must be because restaurants would not have that caliber would not want to like tarnish their brand by doing something that is shit, right. So very good.
Frank 33:45
No, you hit the nail on the ramen head. Absolutely. That is yeah, they’ve taken some ramen to another level here. Let’s let’s say that beyond the simple package variety.
Angela Lin 33:54
Well if all of you are salivating already thinking about all this ramen Frank has been generous enough to give our listeners a discount on his instant ramen subscription and you have subscription and just one time order to rate Yeah, so all the offerings if you go to instantraman.jp right that’s the URL and at checkout use REALLYFROM5 you’ll get 5% discount off your purchase thanks to Frank’s generous contribution.
Jesse Lin 34:30
And I believe free shipping.
Frank 34:31
Yes, shipping free Air Mail shipping to to the US. So you get it quite quickly. You know things are of course a question mark now with COVID are less flights and things like that. But the ramen does arrive very quickly. The only issue to the US right now is there’s no tracking. I haven’t had any issues so far people losing their things. But yeah, right now because of COVID there’s unfortunately no tracking but yes FREE SHIPPING and by air as well not by boat otherwise you get it In three, four months at this stage, so it’s only you know, some people have gotten as quick as a week other people like three weeks.
Angela Lin 35:10
Okay, well if you enjoy this episode if you have questions for Frank about ramen or anything we talked about today or you have a story of your own of living abroad growing up abroad or your obsession with ramen as well. You can write us in, telluswhereyourefrom@gmail.com the YOU’RE is Y-O-U-R-E and we’ll pass along anything you want to Frank as well if you have a message for him.