Pumpkin Meditation

Obsession of the month would have to be Ramen Halu. It's lucky this particular establishment has so few seats that almost every visit involves waiting in line for a table. Otherwise I'd likely be there every other day.

The menu is simple, three soup bases, two kinds of noodles, the combinations are fixed. Try as I do, I've not yet succeeded in having them substitute my favorite noodles in my favorite soup base. They do allow you to control the amount of fat and salt in the soup. I shudder to think how a more fat, more salt soup would taste. I usually request they dial back in both categories. But as much as I enjoy the soup, it's the chewy noodles that keep me waiting in line again and again. Totally different than the packaged variety, I favor the thick, substantive noodles that disappear all too quickly from the bowl.

On my most recent visit I decided it was high time I try the Halloween Special, which promised "bats and a full moon in your bowl." The noodles had pumpkin incorporated into them. I couldn't tell much difference between the pumpkin and regular thick noodles, save, perhaps, a slight sweetness in the squash variety. I was amused by the seaweed bats and the half egg that was the moon. The cheese was a surprise, and a bit odd to be honest. But the broth was worthwhile. And the fried pumpkin chips a nice touch, though they were soggy by the time I found them.

Next time I'm getting the halu ramen. And the time after that the shio ramen. And the time after that...