Storm (arashi) in a bowl

After a day of cross-country skiing at the Nordic Centre in Canmore, we stopped at a small shopping centre in the town centre, looking for a good and nutritious meal. The flashing “Open” sign at Arashi Ramen seemed to be calling us. During the pandemic, one cannot sit in a restaurant, but didn’t mind eating in the car. We ordered Tonkotsu and Shoyu ramens, and after a few minutes the lovely server brought it to our car.  In a nutshell, here is why we liked Arashi:

·      Very kind and prompt service.

·      Containers. Yes! We all have had the experience of ordering takeout and receiving it in a bowl or package that would immediately leak. Not this one. This is a new, patented locked bowl that does not allow any spills, which was particularly appreciated in the parking lot.

·      “Arashi” means “storm “ in Japanese. And there was a storm of fresh, appetizing ingredients in the bowl, which blended well together for a delicious and very satisfying meal.

·      Pork belly. My husband and I agreed that it was the best pork belly we have eaten, and we are o strangers to pork belly. This one melted in our mouths. In fact, when we went to Arashi again next day for lunch, we ordered an extra portion for our spicy ramen.

So when you travel to Canmore, I encourage you to check out this little gem. Now is a particularly good time to support local small businesses, and this one deserves it.

P.S. For those of you who are not familiar with ramen: it is a Japanese noodle soup, flavoured with soy or miso sauce, full of various ingredients (depending on the type), which may include shredded pork, pork belly, seaweed, egg, tofu, scallions, peppers, chilli sauce (spicy variety), and many more. Apparently it was first introduced in Japan around 1660 by a Chinese neo-Confucian scholar, although other sources claim that it was the Chinese migrants who brought it to Japan much later. Well, whoever brought it… thank you!