Ramen Reverie
By Jordan Swartz
“What would your last meal be?”
It’s a time honored game that has stumped its fair share of contestants. Maybe yours is a family recipe passed down through generations, or perhaps it’s a comfort restaurant item that’s associated with sweet memories, or maybe it’s just a trash fast food sandwich combo that hits a certain neurological sweet spot.
I’ll give you a second to think of yours… good?
For me, the answer has long been a quick-draw, base instinct, no thought answer: veggie ramen.
While, in my experience, no single serving of ramen has ever been the platonic ideal of the dish, ramen as a whole is, for me, the platonic ideal of food – it’s well balanced, filling but not too heavy, and monetarily democratic. A big, warm bowl of deep, flavor-rich broth, slightly toothy noodles, with a variety of veggies piled atop. It’s dropped at your table with the steam still pouring from the top like a chimney vent. Or maybe you’re enjoying it right from the small pot you cooked it in at home, your face hovering above the emanating aroma like a gifted sommelier smelling wine: notes of miso and garlic, starchy noodles, and maybe a hint of ginger and mushroom.
Issei Noodle on W. Orange Street in Lancaster City delivers on all of the above. With a selection of small plates, daily specials, and a wide beverage menu, my eyes are always laser-focused on their noodle dishes. Offering their own takes, classics, and a number of vegetarian dishes – both with and without broth – as well as a variety of add-ons, Issei always has what you’re looking for.
Issei Noodle is the type of spot that every city needs, the type of cozy, delicious restaurant that makes a neighborhood what it is. You can be a regular at Issei while also remaining anonymous; when you walk through their doors, it’s a low key affair. Simply take a seat, hang out for a minute, order some drinks and small plates or your emotional brothy salve right away. There’s little fanfare and no pretension. Everyone’s too busy checking other patron’s tables to see what they ordered – a telltale sign of a good neighborhood spot.
I’ve yet to find a life situation that isn’t made better by a trip to the ramen shop, and – thankfully – we have Issei Noodle.
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