Ramen exists at that nexus of tradition and trend. It’s unpretentious comfort food, but its infinite variations have launched empires (Momofuku in NYC; Tsujita in Tokyo, then L.A.), to say nothing of its bastardized form as a dorm-room staple.
Ramen boasts bold, rich flavors, and its many variations invite further exploration, a seemingly perfect match for Sam Auen, who made his name with the fusion offerings at Tacopocalypse. Creativity and a certain playfulness infuse the menu, which is at its best when it fulfills a hangover-like craving, but Des Moines will have to wait for Auen to up his ramen game, or someone else to take a stab at it, to experience ramen at its best.
