The culturally indispensable website Wikipedia is known for its obsessively comprehensive

cataloging of highly specific minutia, from the ecology of Star Trek planets to the sexual

appetites of classical composers. Yet on the Wikipedia page dedicated to a well-known

Japanese noodle soup, the history section begins simply and cryptically, quote, the origin

of ramen is unclear. What is known is that, typically, chicken or pork broth-based noodle

soup exploded in popularity after World War II, when the importation of an inexpensive

American wheat made the hardy calorie-dense dish plentiful and affordable. Mostly known

in the US because of the instant variety pioneered by Japanese scientist Momofuku Ando, in

Japan, ramen restaurants are ubiquitous, and in recent decades they have come to the

states in areas with dense expat populations. In March of 1988, a Japanese chef named Hitoshi

Hada Naka opened a nine-seat ramen shop of his own in Asahai Kawa, declaring his mission

statement to his family as, I'm going to make delicious ramen. The shop expanded

it with a sprawling sensation across six provinces in Japan and now has several international

outlets across Asia and North America. This week on Do Boys, Hokkaido Ramen, Santooka.

Welcome to Do Boys, the podcast about chain restaurants. We're a part of Ferralodio.com.

If you'd like to support us, go to the website, click support, and use our Amazon affiliate

link. It helps out the podcast, helps the network. But right now, let me introduce myself.

I'm Nick Weiger alongside my co-host. Before photograph come to life, Mike Mitchell, the

Spoon Man. What the fuck, man? That insult was courtesy of Tyler Moss. Thanks, Tyler. If

you have an insult, you'd like me to read on the air. Hey, Tyler. I'm going to kick the

shit out of you. email roastspoonmanageemail.com. How are you, Spoon Man? Not great after Tyler's

bullshit comments. I'm going to fucking kick his ass. It's time these fucking Do Boys

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