Update: Got brave and ate ramen at a con booth instead of my usual safe spot

I finally tried that little ramen stand at Anime Central last weekend that everyone always hypes up but I was too nervous to queue for. Turned out the broth was actually legit, not just convention food hype, and the guy running it gave me a tip on soaking my noodles longer. Has anyone else had a random con food moment that changed how you eat at events?

2 comments

2 Comments

troy_palmer767d ago

Bring a small bottle of soy sauce or chili oil in your bag for convention food. Some of those stalls run out of condiments fast and the broth can be bland without a little kick. Learned that the hard way at a con where the noodles were basically warm water. Also, timing matters hit the ramen stands during off hours like right when doors open or late afternoon when the rush dies down. That way you can actually talk to the cook and get tips like the soaking trick. Your next gamble might be the takoyaki, just check if they actually crisp the outside.

cameron_chen7d ago

That bit about hitting them during off hours is spot on. The soak tip only works if the cook actually has time to explain it to you, and that's not happening when there's a line of 20 hungry nerds behind you. I did the same thing at a smaller con last year where I walked up to a takoyaki stall maybe 30 minutes before closing and the guy was practically bored. He showed me how he lets the batter sit for a few extra seconds on the griddle so the outside gets that crunch instead of being doughy. Now I plan my whole con food schedule around the lulls between panels instead of during peak lunch rush. Your mileage may vary but going a little early or late is the only way to get the real deal from those booths.