This Labor Day weekend, in lieu of wading through throngs of SPF-scented tourists at the beach or scrambling to get your hands on a hot dog at whatever backyard barbecue you regretfully agreed upon attending, head to Costa Mesa for the Hokkaido Ramen Festival.
Hokkaido, a island located at the northernmost part of Japan, is the home of Sapporo (also the namesake of the famed beer), which is the birthplace of miso ramen. At this weekend’s festival, guests can enjoy bowls of rich Sapporo miso ramen for $13 a pop. Additions include jammy eggs, pork, corn, spice-tinged, and more. You can also get your ramen studded with butter; due to Hokkaido’s chilly environs and long winters, butter is sometimes added to ramen to keep the broth warm.
In addition to bowls of ramen, guests can look forward to menu items such as Hokkaido-style fried chicken, seafood rice bowls, fresh uni, ikura (salmon caviar), and scallops.
If you can’t make it to Costa Mesa this weekend for the ramen tasting, the Hokkaido Ramen Festival will also take place the following week, Sept. 8 through Sept. 10, in Torrance at the Del Amo Fashion Center.
Find it: Seiwa Market, 3151 Harbor Blvd. (at Gisler Avenue), Costa Mesa
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