#34 The Sun also Shines [PART3. Spain] ep.XVIII "Do you slurp?"

 Cold season making me want ramen may be because of Hokkaido instinct.

It was a good opportunity that my friends asked me out for the most popular ramen restaurant in Madrid. "Kagura" is a part of chains of bars and restaurants ten minutes away from Puerta del Sol in the center. When I walked by there a few days ago, I saw more than ten people lined up. It's rare to see lines in Spain.

I hadn't missed Japanese food much since I came to Madrid, but this must raise my expectation.

 As we entered, it's structured as usual Spanish apartment having long aisle to the back and there are some tables there. You can find some old Japanese posters on the walls. A poster sometimes I see at izakayas in Japan of Sapporo beer with woman in kimono got my attention.

It's because Sapporo beer.

I couldn't find any Japanese-looking staffs. You might take this racism, they don't seem making efforts to hire Asians.

As we have seats, a menu was written in three languages; Spanish, Japanese and English. Do Japanese residents living in Madrid come here? As sgins saying, pork-born soup ramen is their speciality. I ordered it.

They aren't using "weirdly web-translated strange font written Japanese as garment", and it was quite normal menu to see even in Japan which making me comfortable.

My friends ordered miso and vegetable ones.

 Two slices of grilled pork were appealing the most. Looking good. The soup was white one from pork-born same as pictures. It didn't smell that strong. And, here is something. I removed it immediately. This was horrible. It's a slice of lemon. In Spanish, limón, in German, Zitrone, and in Japanese, remon. Or lemon, you decide it.

It made everything terrible.

Some restaurants in Japan may do this, but they must stop it as soon as possible. At least it doesn't go well with this soup. I tasted the soup first. I didn't squeeze the lemon at all, but its acid was already invading the bowl. Non-hot soup was knocked it out.

Everyone at our table got ramens at the same time, so this temperature may be the usual. I carry noodle into my mouth. Not slurping but brought it to the mouth. It's a bad manner to make noise when you eat noodle in western culture. The noodle, it wasn't also a hero. I have no idea what kind of noodle they use, but it was cooked too much. I didn't expect anything like ones in Sapporo, but you could have done it better. I can do better at home. Please let me do it at your kitchen.

 The grilled pork was just okay. The good things are green onion and wood ear mushroom. I couldn't find green onions even at asian supermarket but only two times thicker European ones, and its green part tastes completely different. Wood ear muchroom? What's that?

 Anyways, I want to enjoy eating. No matter what this is, it's been a half year to have ramen in front of me. I didn't touch instant ramen from the supporting box.

I want to slurp it so bad.

A taiwanese girl and the two Czechs came along with me meaing nobody on my side. Forgive me for Japanese to eat Japanese food at Japanese restaurant. I begged to allow me to slurp it for once, and they gave me a permittion with a pity.

"Go ahead." They stopped their hands to look at me. I'm a panda now. No, it cherry blossom 'cause i'm japanese. Pulling up too cooked noodle. I know how to do this. Slurping as usual. I need noodle to get into me with this speed.

Non-Japanese friends showed a bit of surprise and laugh. Some other people took a glance at me to see an inmature stranger.

What do you think of this?

NEXT: The Sun also Shines [PART3. Spain] ep.XIX "Enemy's enemy is our side of side"