It’s hard to talk about positive things coming out of the last few months, especially in the context of the restaurant industry. As you all know, restaurants have been hit very hard by the (necessary) restrictions on dining-in and it remains an open question as to how many of them will make it to whenever it is we return to whatever normal will be when this is over, or at least when this is better.. We’ve managed to eat well so far via takeout and support many of our favourite places in this difficult time. The only new thing we’ve encountered was Doug Flicker’s foray into ramen via “take home and prepare” kits back in May. I previously reported on our very first Bull’s Horn ramen experience right after that first week in May. We got another set of kits the following week but then the ramen thing went on hiatus for a while. It’s now back again. Takeout ramen kits are available every day they’re open and since they’re now also open for dining-in on their parking lot patio they also have special ramens available on Wednesday’s only for people eating on the patio. I can report that no matter which way you go, the ramen will be excellent.

Last week’s take home kit was a shoyu ramen with smoked pork char siu and the dine-in special was a spicy miso ramen with kimchi, ground pork and Minnesota corn. I asked if it might be possible at all to get a take-home kit of that one as well and Chef Flicker was kind enough to make me one to go with the shoyu ramen kit. I can’t promise that this will be possible going forward but it’s a pretty solid bet that each week’s take home kit will be bloody good. You should follow Bull’s Horn on Instagram to get the advance scoop on each week’s offering. Oh yes, if you’re doing takeout you should call ahead for contactless curbside pickup.

I have a look for you at both kits from last week, but first a look at the second iteration we had in May, which was also a shoyu ramen but on that occasion with smoked moulard duck and nori.

And here is last week’s spicy miso ramen with kimchi etc.

Finally, here is last week’s shoyu ramen with smoked pork char siu.

We have really enjoyed all the ramen kits we’ve gotten from them so far. I’ll say again what I said the first time: this is the best ramen we’ve had in Minnesota by some margin. If I had to pick one style among the ones we’ve had so far I’d say the shoyu ramen is my favourite, and i think the missus would agree. But we’d happily eat any of them again. If all goes well and the world returns to something resembling normalcy at some point, I believe the plan is to have a stand-alone ramen shop named Yami Ichi adjacent to/part of Bull’s Horn. We hope very much to be able to eat there next year. But before that we will certainly make and eat at least a few more of their ramen kits. I suggest you do so too.

Okay, coming up on the food front later this week: another recipe on Thursday and then probably my last India trip report on Sunday. Some booze in between. Next week’s pandemic takeout will probably see a return to St. Paul.