8 Atlanta Chefs Go Head-to-Head at Ramen Fest

Friday, March 27, 2015

Ramen Fest 2015 was everything it promised and so much more! If you fantisize of swimming in a sea of ramen, this fest is for you. Chefs from 8 of Atlanta's best restaurants went head-to-head to see whose ramen reigned surpreme. If you weren't there to taste all the ramen recipes, have no fear - I did enough tasting for both of us!

Without further adieu, here is the 2015 Ramen Fest Run Down:

KIMBALL HOUSE

What set it apart: Chicken wings, y’all!

The first thing we saw when we walked in was a big sign that said ‘chicken wings’ so naturally we went to check it out. There were beautiful smoked chicken wings in a light and spicy broth, topped with a chipotle dressing & scallions. Brian, a cook at Kimball House, told us they wanted to keep it simple this year. “There were so many ingredients last year,” he told us. “This year we just wanted to keep it simple.”

NO. 246

What set is apart: The competitions hottest thai chili paste and a stick of charred sugar cane.

I made the mistake of asking “So, how hot is that Thai chili paste?” My question was met with a tiny drop on a spoon. “Taste it,” he said. And so I did. And my throat caught on fire, in a hurts-so-good kind of way. The broth, which took 3 weeks to make (yes, 3 weeks!), was light and packed with flavor from crazy herbs like lizard tail, purple perilla & viet mint. It was topped off with a piece of charred sugar cane.

WRECKING BAR

What set it apart: By far the most adventurous ingredients, including beef cheek & raw egg yolk

We generally love everything Chef Terry Koval does and this time was no different. His ramen was the most adventurous of the competition, with White Oak Pastures’ beef cheek and Darby Farm egg yolk. Wait, is that a raw egg yolk? "It sure is!" Terry said with a mischevious grin. And it was AWE-some! Once mixed into the dark, savory broth, it became a creamy bowl of deliciousness.

VICTORY - THE WINNER

What set it apart: The pickled mushrooms had an unexpected flavor and the broth was surprisingly light. We weren't surprised to see then come out on top!

When I see a line for food, I jump right in. I don’t need to know what it’s for, I just need to know that it’s good enough for people to stand in line. So when I got in line for the Victory table, I was thrilled to see it ended at a bowl of miso-y goodness. Chef Melissa made the broth from char siu pork, pickled mushrooms and burnt garlic-nori oil. It was sweet with an umami flavor only asian-inspired food can achieve.

MAKAN

What set it apart: The most savory broth! And spring peas had a fun crunch!

Oh, Chef George! You never disappoint us with your ramen skills! He slow cooked beef brisket all day to accompany a 4 day broth. This one was literally comfort in a bowl. Somehow Chef George managed to get all the flavor of meatloaf & gravy into a bowl of ramen. I think I’ve found my new go-to comfort food. It was like a big, warm, savory hug and the brisket melted in your mouth. Don’t just take my word for it. Chef George is making a special batch of broth & brisket next week just for G&G so you can cook his Beef Brisket Ramen at home - it’s on our menu now!

PINE STREET MARKET & TWAINS

What set it apart: Somehow they made ramen a southern meal!

You all know we are fans of Rusty over at Pine Street Market. We were so excited to see him paired up with Decatur’s Twains. Rusty and Savannah took their ramen to the south with smoky collards and a touch of hot pepper paste. The pork terrine took it over the top!

ILLEGAL FOOD

What set it apart: Picked ginger. Need we say more?

In addition to a great bowl of ramen, Chris at the Illegal Food table had some killer delivery. As I waited for him to pile on the epic mountain of garnish, he told me all about what they are doing over at Illegal Food. “We make everything in house,” he said. They even pickled the ginger themselves using beet juice instead of food coloring. Chris told us “we don’t use any chemicals or food coloring in anything.” Their ramen had a cured duck egg yolk and smokey bacon oil. Now we just need to figure out where to stock up on smokey bacon oil.

THE PIG & THE PEARL

What set it apart: Kimchi. Pickled. Quail. Egg!

You guys, this egg! It was so good I didn’t even snap a photo of it. It was the egg to end all eggs. The Pig & The Pearl, Chef Todd Richard's new concept in midtown had kimchi pickled quail eggs! Small enough for just one bite and oh-so-creamy, it was definitely one of the highlights of the night and went perfectly with the charred barbecue taste of the smoked broth.