It’s week three of this ramen eating project, and while I have not totally abandoned eating out of the Prison Ramen cookbook every day, I do dread every time I have to make one of these putrid ramens, I was able to give myself a respite this week by only eating one ramen dish.
Unfortunately, this was not from the cookbook, so I’m still only at three recipes out of… However many ramen recipes are left. I don’t remember that number off the top of my head, and I can’t be bothered to actually check right now.
Instead, this week, I’m going to be talking about…
Rabokki
Wao. It just looks so pretty. Beautiful. Perfect.
I guess if we’re going to start off this journey, I need to explain what tteokbokki is. I’ve mentioned before how ramen is my favorite food of all time, but coming at a close second is tteokbokki, the spicy rice cake dish usually served out of a cart.
The simple elegance of tteokbokkis really what brings me into the dish. Each rice cake cylinder is perfectly coated in the addictingly spicy sauce. But alongside those flavors, you also get a hit of sweetness in every bite. And when you sprinkle in some sesame seeds on top, it just adds in a nice and subtle crunch.
And don’t even get me started on the fish cakes. The fish cakes bring an even more diverse flavor profile by adding in a bit of much-needed saltiness and… Well, fish flavor. Plus, the soft texture of the fish cakes complements the gummy texture of the rice cakes so well. It’s like a match made in heaven (also, there are vegetables in there most of the time, but this isn’t about them).
Everything about this dish is almost perfect. Almost. There is just one thing missing… Ramen.
It's just so beautiful; I want to cry. Seriously.
Yes, even a magical disk-like tteokbokki can be enhanced with ramen. It just adds an entirely new element to tteokbokki that just adds a different texture. I mean, everything I said in my original post can be applied here actually. Just the addictive nature of these ramen noodles makes this combination legendary.
Ramen + tteokbokki. Rabokki. Every time it’s on the menu, my body goes into autopilot, and I order it. Plus, because of the nature of tteokbokki, it just makes for a good dish to share with friends. Which is good since they tend to make the portion way too large.
But the best rabokki I’ve ever had? It’s the combination of the top three favorite foods: jjajang-rabokki. The combination of jjajang and rabokki. Which is a lot, I know, but just know that all these flavor profiles work… Somehow.
Jjajang is typically more oily and rich in flavors, so when it’s combined with the sharper flavors of tteokbokki, it brings out the best of both dishes. You’d think that they’d fight with each other, but they work together to create a melody even more beautiful than the symphonies they create on their own.
I will drive another hour to get this. Just to get this. No other motivation needed.
I just think that this is something that needs to be experienced in person. I’ve literally driven hours to get this dish, and I have never regretted the decision. Honestly, I might just make the trip again after finishing the rest of this ramen…
God only knows that I need a break from all these disasters.
Final Rating: 7/5. I will fight anyone on this.
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