Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo’s Most Unlikely Noodle Joint ($18) is the end-all-be-all guide to ramen from Ivan Orkin, the iconoclastic New York-born owner of Tokyo’s top ramen shop. Back in 2007, a middle aged Jewish dude called Ivan Orkin, who hailed from Long Island, decided to do something crazy. In the insular, food-zealous megalopolis that is Tokyo, Ivan opened his ramen shop. He was a foreigner, or gaijin, who was trying to make a name for himself in a city that has fierce opinions about about ramen. The first customers came through the door due to curiosity but soon word spread about Ivan’s delicious handmade noodles, his complex yet clean broth and his many thoughtfully and lovingly prepared toppings. Ivan soon became a celebrity and a regular fixture on Japanese TV. This is the incredible story of Orkin’s rise to superstardom and a cracking read it is too.
