Features
The Runner
April 6, 2022
O Ramen serves delicious eats
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By Alexis Shofner Staff Writer Over the years, O Ramen has become more than a spot to eat; it has evolved into my favorite comfort space away from home. I paid the restaurant my first visit in 2018 a year after their grand opening in March of 2017 at 5139 Ming Ave. I can genuinely say that since my first visit, neither the food nor the service has let me down. Thanks to their vegan options, I have become a frequent ramen consumer and I always find myself comparing other’s ramen dishes to theirs. The interior of the space is decorated with anime characters framed on the walls, dimmed lighting, lo-fi music, and a mural of four well-known ramen eating anime characters on the back wall. Since it was not busy during my arrival, I was seated as soon as I walked in and the host was friendly the entire time, but according to Yelp, it seems that wait-times and staff issues are the main reason behind low-rated reviews. To start off the meal, I
Photo by Alexis Shoftner/ The Runner
Five count veggie gyoza with sweet and savory dipping sauce. ordered an appetizer of the vegetable gyozas and a side seaweed salad. The gyozas are filled with mixed veggies and are pan fried, giving them a crisp exterior on both sides while still having a slightly chewy texture. It is paired with a gyoza dipping sauce made of soy sauce, sugar and a few drops of sesame oil. The seaweed salad consists of fresh seaweed served atop a bed of shredded cabbage. It serves a cool, refreshing bite with a crunchy texture coming from both the seaweed itself and the cabbage. It is delicious on its
own, but I added and mixed in the leftover gyoza dipping sauce to enhance the flavors. As much as I enjoy O Ramen’s food, I find that the actual ramen noodles themselves are a bit too heavy to digest and take up too much space in the broth. My order, the only vegan option, is the shio tofu ramen but with a substitution of udon noodles. The vegetable broth in this dish is full of umami and topped with steamed broccoli, bean sprouts, cabbage, corn, green onion, carrots, and tofu. The vegetables hold up to the broth rather well
and have a slight crunch to accompany the chewiness of the udon noodles as they both absorb the saltiness of the veggie broth. Each mouthful of this soup is wonderful and comforting; it would be even more so on a chilly day or when you’re sick. According to Google Reviews, they hold a 4.6 out of 5 stars versus their Yelp average of 4 out of 5 stars. O Ramen serves quality food for a quality price. At just $12 for the shio tofu ramen, served in a large enough bowl that could fill you up alone, it makes eating on a budget easy and tasteful.
Photo by Alexis Shoftner/ The Runner
Fresh seaweed placed atop a bed of shredded cabbage.
Photo by Alexis Shoftner/ The Runner
Shio tofu ramen with udon noodle substitution.
Chicken Enchiladas de Mole Oaxaqueño
Photo by Marlene Herrera/ The Runner
Dip corn tortillas into mole sauce. By Marlene Herrera Staff Writer With summertime coming, my family makes sure to prioritize making all our favorite warm foods before the weather gets too hot to enjoy. One of my family’s favorite meals are chicken enchiladas de mole de Oaxaca, which is an ingredient typically hard to come by because of its lengthy preparation time and ingredient list.
For our family, the preparation and cooking of this meal are done and shared together. Servings: 15 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 55 minutes Total time: 70 minutes Ingredient list: 2 cups of Mole de Oaxaca paste 2 ½ pounds of boneless chicken breasts 1 pound of queso fresco
Photo by Marlene Herrera/ The Runner
Add chicken and roll into a wrap. 1 cup of Crema Mexicana ½ of an onion 1 bunch of cilantro 2 whole avocados Maseca Corn Flour Water Directions: Fill a pot halfway with water and set over medium-high heat to boil. Add a small piece of onion and a pinch of salt to water. Add chicken breasts and alllow to cook thoroughly
for approximately 20-25 minutes making sure to save the broth. Place a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir the mole paste in the saucepan and slowly add the saved broth (2-4 cups) until you reach a stew-like or preferred consistency. After it reaches a boil, let the sauce simmer over a low heat. While the cooked chicken cools down to be shredded, prepare the corn flour to make tortillas.
Photo by Marlene Herrera / The Runner
Top enchiladas to your preferance.
Use 1 ½ pounds of Maseca flour and add water to reach a firm but sticky consistency. Knead for 3 minutes. Using a cast iron tortilla press maker, form round palm-sized pieces of dough to press and place on top of a flat gribble to allow the corn tortillas to cook. Cook for at least 60 seconds on each side and only flip once. To prepare to plate the enchiladas, dip the tortillas one by one into the mole
sauce. Add shredded chicken in each and roll into a close wrap. Drizzle the Mexican cream over the enchiladas to your liking. Next, begin to prepare ingredients to place on top of the enchiladas. Cilantro should be chopped very finely to add as garnish. Similarly, the queso fresco should be crumbled to coat the plate evenly. Add thin slices of onion and avocado to your liking.
