The Monster Kit from Otaku Ramen
At this point in the pandemic, you may feel like you’ve exhausted all the different permutations of takeout, cook-it-yourself and restaurant-to-home kit. Well, Sarah Gavigan to the rescue.
Gavigan is the owner of Otaku Ramen, Nashville’s beloved ramen shop, and on Monday, Jan. 18 she is releasing at-home ramen kits to help us get through these next few months of continuing to social distancing and stay in.
“There has never been a better time to become a ramen chef at home,” she says. “We want everyone to experience the joys of restaurant ramen in the comfort of their homes.”
The kits, which were developed due to continued customer demand, will be available with eight ramen bowl options and four snack options. Both the bowls and the snacks include vegetarian and vegan options. The ramen kits serve two people and range in price from $34-$40. Choices include the Tennessee Tonkotsu, spicy miso, and vegetarian or vegan shiitake. Snack kits range in price from $25.50-$34 and include pork bao buns (6 pieces) chicken or beef gyoza (20 pieces) for $25.50-$31.50, or okonomiyaki (serves 4) for $28. Add pickled ginger, bonito flakes or pork belly slices to your order to customize your dishes.
If you want to up your ramen game even more, buy Gavigan’s 2018 book, Ramen Otaku, which details lots of at-home options for the noodle goodness. Order the new kits online with 48 hours’ notice; pick-ups begin Wednesday, Jan. 20. Kits will be available from all three Otaku locations (Gallatin Avenue, Division Street and Charlotte Avenue).
The website includes detailed how-to instructions and equipment lists plus short videos. “The key to serving delicious bowls of ramen is timing. It's a quick process, so get your cooking station set up and enjoy the dance,” Gavigan says.
Broth or other ingredients may need thawing before you cook, either overnight or by running under water for the quick-thaw. After that, the actual cook time will be less than 20 minutes, and you can slurp to your heart’s content in the comfort of your own home.
