Food/Travel
A Bowlful of Perfection: Discover the Best Ramen Ever!
If you’re European it’s closer than Yokohama or Southern China.
Some people might suggest that “The World’s Best Ramen Soup” can be found in Yokohama, Japan, where it was first created; having never been to Yokohama for Ramen, I would be inclined to say that it may well be found in S.W. France, at a small village restaurant called Aster.
Joshua Spacek, an American born chef and restaurateur from Portland Oregon, created the “magnifique” Shio ramen pictured above, as the featured dish of “Ramen Week” (November 29 to December 2, 2023) for his restaurant located in the ancient 12th century village of Les Cabannes at the base of Cordes-Sur-Ciel.
If you love Ramen and live in Europe, before you book your next flight to the “Land of the Rising Sun” plan a trip to Les Cabannes, and try Chef Josh’s take on this classic dish.
Aster is modern restaurant, based on seasonal products from the local “terroir”, not a Japanese restaurant, so if you want to try this gastronomic ambrosia you’ll need to book your flights and make your car reservations today! This winter treat for the locals, and the village’s few winter visitors, is returning to the menu for a one week engagement at the end of January.
The nearest airport is Toulouse about 1 ½ hrs away by car.
The nearest train station, Cordes-Vindrac.
For those that choose to eat vegetarian, “Ramen Week” at Aster offered them an option; a “Noukou Miso Ramen” with roasted oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, a soft-boiled egg and nori with a sesame and miso paste.
After decades of eating “supermarket bricks” embellished to make them palatable (sometimes even quite tasty), and numerous outings for “proper” Ramen in NYC, LA, Guangzhou or Toulouse, I must have eaten hundreds of bowls of Ramen and the Shio Ramen at Aster is “hands-down the best” I have ever had.
If you can’t make it to the next “Ramen Week” don’t be too distressed,
Aster offers many other seasonal dishes; like this delicious curry,
to be reviewed in an upcoming article, or these assorted plates…
Come and experience the great hospitality of Chef Josh and his awesome International team.
Aster Restaurant
17 Rue De L’arbre Vert, Les Cabannes 81
For Reservations: 06 49 70 67 43
aster.resto@gmail.com
For Opening Hours:
Check their Website: https://aster-resto.com/
Or Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/aster.lescabannes
(Note: Hours change seasonally so call as well).
A full restaurant review on Aster will be coming soon, if you’d like to read it and other stories about music, food and at a later date travel please subscribe with the link below. Thank-You.
An After Publication Edit:
Living in SW France I want to make this article accessible to…
Waiters and Uber Drivers get tips, and Medium Writers get thirsty…
A cup of Kofi would be lovely.
