Chef Josh Ratza, celebrated for his fresh, handmade udon and ramen at Setsunai Noodle Bar on Lopez Island, ironically consumes a significant amount of instant ramen in his personal life. His restaurant, Setsunai Noodle Bar, recently moved to a larger location with scenic views and offers entrees priced between $22-$26, featuring noodles handmade from Skagit Valley flours and ingredients sourced locally.
Ratza is an enthusiastic proponent of instant ramen's versatility, having self-published a cookbook titled "Elevated Instant Ramen." This book has achieved a cult following in the San Juan Islands and among instant ramen enthusiasts. He views instant ramen as an affordable and satisfying food with significant potential as a base for various additions from one's refrigerator.
He demonstrates this by augmenting instant noodles with ingredients like chili crisp, a boiled egg, and pickled vegetables. He emphasizes that the noodles primarily serve to fortify the broth, which he describes as surprisingly tasty, creamy, and soothing, with spicy notes akin to a coconut chicken noodle soup found in Thai cuisine.
