Don’t make the mistake of looking at the bowls of steaming noodles on Abram Plaut’s Instagram while hungry – this ramen connoisseur loves to introduce people to Japan’s most delicious ramen. And he knows where to find it! Tokyo-based Plaut has eaten thousands of bowls of ramen, appears in the Japanese media as a ramen expert, and is creating an app based on his blog called Ramen Beast.
This year, San Francisco native Plaut has helped bring Tokyo’s beloved Mensho Ramen to his hometown, where it’s been receiving rave reviews and generating long lines of customers.
In this sure-to-be-fascinating talk as part of the Society’s Big in Japan speaker series, Plaut will share the story of how he came to be a mover and shaker in Tokyo’s ramen world, the fine points of ramen connoisseurship (including the dead giveaways of a great bowl of ramen) and the story of Mensho’s journey to San Francisco and its experiences here.
This talk is not to be missed for anyone who wants to enhance their appreciation of ramen and learn more about how this quintessentially Japanese dish fits into the Bay Area’s food culture.
“Paramount above all else is the harmony and balance of the five elements of ramen: sauce (tare), soup, toppings, noodles and oil. The explosive flavors occurring from the combination of these five elements into one bowl is the true birth of ramen.  The ramen cook pours his love into the ramen. The customer is embraced and moved by that love. This is the definition of true ramen.” – Mensho Tokyo Ramen owner Tomoharu Shono
 
Abram Plaut

Plaut got his first taste of “real” ramen when he was an exchange student in Kanagawa Prefecture. Since prior to that he had only known instant ramen, the noodle shop near his dorm was a revelation. He moved to Tokyo twelve years ago and started a blog featuring his favorite ramen, which attracted the attention of the Japanese media.  While writing a column for Japan’s Weekly Playboy magazine, Plaut met Tomoharu Shono, a star in the ramen world and proprietor of a 6-shop chain in Tokyo. Plaut persuaded Shono that there was room in the Bay Area food scene for Mensho’s approach to ramen…and the rest is history!
 

Schedule:

• 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM Networking/Registration
• 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM Presentation with audience Q&A
• 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM Networking & Reception
  
  Light appetizers and drinks provided
  
  

Purchase Tickets:

TO ATTEND AT MEMBER PRICE, JOIN HERE

• No refunds after Tuesday, September 13
• Online registration closes at 10:30am on Tuesday, September 20
• No walk-ins accepted

Japan Society Strategic Partner Event Sponsor

The event venue has been provided by generous support from: