What do you eat when you are sick, but hungry?

I never really had a preoccupation with the best dish to eat when suffering an illness, because usually, I lacked the appetite or energy to indulge. This year, in true form to the last years upheavals, even my appetite has decided to switch things up. Yesterday, I found myself going through an intense bout of hunger – knowing full well anything hearty would not sit well, however.

Thanks to the benefits of Social Media (like being able to get foodie recommendations from around the world), and the conveniences of the digital age (yay for UberEats!), I found the food for me – in sickness and in health: Shoyu Ramen!

See, I don’t have a whole lot of experience in choosing, or dining, on Asian cuisine – save for the transcendent Japanese breakfast I treated myself to at Toky-inspired restaurant Tjing Tjing Torii, a couple weeks ago.

A friend of mine recommended a place in town for my sick-food search, called Downtown Ramen. And…?

It is one of the best restaurant recommendations I have ever had!

The Shoyu Ramen dish I ordered, is all light soy-sauce-based broth generally (I asked for extra spicy) with rolled Chashu Pork Belly, Spring Onion, Nori, Egg, chilli, and handmade noodles – and I’m a little bit in love!

The heat of the chilli and spices opened up my throat and, crunching into the onions while the heat of the spices and herbs still lingers, blasts tastebuds and ones nose with pure and fresh herbaceousness. The noodles, nori, egg and pork belly work hand-in-hand to smooth the sharp whip of that first flavour wave, and the broth binds the juxtaposed elements into a satisfying dinner.

...the kind of satisfying dinner you wake up the next day, and write a blog post about.

It is said that in Tokyo, noodles require culinary artistry, together with freshness, to make an utterly satiating meal. Clearly, the chefs at this Cape Town haunt take their noodles seriously, as every ingredient in the bowl was delectable individually, but a memorable sensory experience together – with the handmade noodles providing a pleasant mouth-feel and flavour balance.

Commendably, the food is packaged to be tasty-looking too; So that even amid the global pandemic, customers can have that measure of quality “I didn’t prepare this meal myself, thank god!”, and it truly adds to the experience – despite the fact that this Shoyu Ramen dish is considered casual dining in Japanese yokocho (street food alleys).

I may have to order this for the rest of the week…you know…for wellness sake!

The change in season here in Cape Town is really kicking my ass.