TORRANCE — It’s the next big thing in ramen and burgers — the Ramen Burger, created by Keizo Shimamoto.
A fresh USDA Prime ground beef chuck patty sandwiched between two craftily formed buns made from freshly cut ramen noodles, accompanied by a special sauce concocted by Shimamoto himself, and choice market-fresh vegetables, the Ramen Burger sold out at Smorgasburg in New York and is now headed for the West Coast.
“A week ago I had a dream that my mom would be able to try a Ramen Burger, not an imposter but a REAL Ramen Burger, the same one I debuted at Smorgasburg five weeks ago,” Shimamoto wrote on his blog (www.goramen.com). “Today that dream will come true. But not only will my mom be able to eat one, my fellow Angelenos who come early will also get to try one.
“So get ready, California. Get ready, Los Angeles. Five hundred Ramen Burgers (and maybe some more) will be first-come, first-served for $8 beginning at 11 a.m. this Saturday (9/7) … at Mitsuwa Market in Torrance, 21515 S. Western Ave. …
“And to my fellow Brooklynites, don’t worry — we’ll still be at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg this Saturday too. Ramen Burger on both coasts!!! What’s next? Global??”
Shimamoto has had ramen on his mind from a very young age. “As a second-generation Japanese American who grew up frequenting Japan with family, I soon developed a love that would one day encapsulate my wildest dreams,” he said.
He is the subject of a documentary, “Ramen Dreams,” which won the award for best short at the 2012 NYC Food Film Festival. Director Michael McAteer, an American born and raised in Japan, collaborated on the film with Shimamoto and his cousin, rapper KM$, who is a major force in Tokyo’s hip-hop scene with his group Takarabune.
The film shows how Shimamoto left the business world — after the world of subprime mortgages imploded — and followed his dream by becoming a chef at a small noodle shop in Tokyo. See it at www.ramendreams.com/.
