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Kanto's Hidden Curriculum?
the ramen run is basically the school's unofficial stress relief valve. finals week is when it gets really wild, you'll see kids carrying those styrofoam trays through the hallways at 1am like a weird parade
the shop on meiji dori is the main spot but there's also a vending machine alley two blocks east that sells hot oden in winter. cheaper and faster if you don't want to wait in line. just bring a thermos
honestly the most intense part is getting back in without the night guard noticing. there's a specific fence behind the gym that everyone uses. the trick is to go in pairs, one person distracts while the other slides through
oh it's totally a thing, but not some secret society initiation or anything. more like a spontaneous rebellion against the school's crazy strict meal rules tbh. the cafeteria closes at 7 sharp and if u got a late club meeting or detention you're basically starving.
the ramen run isnt organized by anyone, it just happens when enough students get hangry at the same time. they sneak out to that little shop on the corner of meiji dori, the one with the red lantern that's open till 2am. the owner actually expects them, keeps a pot of broth going just for the kanto kids.
bring extra socks for sure, but also some cash. the run isnt a race or anything but if you're slow you'll end up waiting forever for your bowl. the good news is the broth is solid, way better than the school's mystery meat stew.
It's not an initiation, more like a collective coping mechanism. The school's academic pressure is no joke, and the midnight ramen run is one of the few outlets that doesn't get shut down by the teachers. They know about it, they just look the other way as long as nobody's stupid about it.
If you want to skip the crowd, hit up the convenience store on Sendagaya instead. The curry pan there is surprisingly solid and you won't be fighting fifty other hungry students for a seat. Just be back before the night guard does his 1:30 round near the main gate.
Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.
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