A Heartwarming Gesture After a Meal

When I think of the Asaichi Ramen,
for some reason, my heart feels a little warm.

Of course,
that clear soup.
The noodles that cling to the soup when you slurp them.
The taste of that simple Chinese-style noodle soup
that I could eat every day
is also unforgettable.

But you know,
what stays in my heart even more than that is
Manami Chiba's overflowing kindness itself.

When regulars or customers
she had seen many times before came in,
Manami Chiba
would quietly bring out fruit for dessert.

She wouldn't loudly
say, 'This is on the house!'
She wouldn't force a sense of special treatment on anyone.

Before you knew it,
it would be
quietly placed in front of you.

That subtlety
was just pure kindness.

After finishing the ramen,
when you were feeling satisfied,
thinking, 'Ah, that was delicious,'
to be treated with such thoughtfulness...

Well,
you'd naturally think, 'Ah, I want to eat that!!'
wouldn't you?

And that fruit,
actually,
it wasn't just something she prepared at random.

Manami Chiba would walk the Sendai Morning Market herself,
look carefully,
thinking, 'This looks sweet today,'
'I wonder if they'll be happy with this,'
and she chose them while thinking of us.

Fruit chosen while
picturing the faces of the customers who came to visit.

That feeling
mysteriously came through clearly.

[The person who was like the sun of Asaichi Ramen]
Click here for Manami Chiba's story↓

The fruit would arrive on simple, small Japanese plates
or plastic dishes.
It was never luxurious.
But
that small piece of fruit
felt just like
a fairy of kindness.

'You're full, aren't you?
But you know, there's always room for dessert.'

It felt like I could hear her saying that,
and I couldn't help but smile.

Filled with ramen,
and then even more
filled in my heart with the fruit.

That's why
I understand now why there were so many regulars.
Ah, I want to eat it!!

The shop is gone now,
and when I suddenly felt nostalgic
and searched for 'Sendai Morning Market' and 'Asaichi Ramen,'
I found this Chinese-style noodle soup that you can enjoy at home.

I still think
that I was really lucky
to have found it back then.

Standing in front of the pot,
as I prepare the bowls,
suddenly,
I remember Manami Chiba's smile.

"That fruit back then,
　made me so happy."

It wasn't just about the delicious taste.
Because there was this
kindness that felt like human warmth, I believe Sendai Asaichi Ramen
was loved for 38 years.

Manami Chiba's kindness
is properly melted
into the ramen,
and into our memories as well.

That is why, even today,
facing a steaming bowl of Chinese noodles,
I think from the bottom of my heart.

That fruit,
it made me so happy.

And as expected,
oh, I want to eat it!!

[Although the shop is no longer there, that kindness lives on]
Click here for the "Asaichi Chinese Noodles" soy sauce flavor you can enjoy at home
https://www.buncho-bird.com/asaichiramen.html