By Joanne Sargent
For many of us, we have a favourite dish that mom used to make, the smell and taste of which brings back vivid, nostalgic memories of happy family times.
In the new film Ramen Shop, ironically, it’s not ramen, but a Singaporean dish called bak kut teh, a pork rib soup, that is Masato’s childhood dish that reminds him of his beloved departed mother.
The movie begins with Masato, a young chef, working in his father’s ramen shop in Japan.
Masato, who is half Japanese and half Singaporean, has mastered Japanese cuisine, but only experiments with Singaporean dishes in his spare time.
After his father dies suddenly, Masato finds himself needing to reconnect with his maternal heritage and he travels to his mother’s native Singapore to seek out long-lost relatives and hopefully get his hands on that family recipe for bak kut teh, which he never learned to make.
In Singapore, Masato finds himself confronting the damage left on the city and his family by Japan’s brutal invasion and occupation during WWII.
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The hatred for the Japanese meant that when Masato’s mother decided to marry a Japanese man, she was exiled by her family. Despite his mom’s greatest wish for reconciliation, the family remained torn apart.
But his parents’ mutual love of food is what brought them together and Masato hopes maybe it could be the key to healing his family’s rifts.
Reconciliation is interwoven with his exploration of local delicacies in his uncle’s steaming restaurant and in gourmet outings with a food blogger named Miki.
Masato begins a love affair with Singaporean cuisine, but the meal that obsesses him is the one that is reminiscent of his parents, the aforementioned pork rib soup, and he asks his uncle to teach him the true recipe.
Ramen Shop is more than just a search for an old family recipe; it’s a chance for a young man to reclaim part of his cultural identity.
Through the healing power of food, Masato finds forgiveness between long-estranged family members.
We are taken in by his excitement at discovering his past, the loss he suffered over his parents and his wonder at his new environs and family. Foodies will love it as we are introduced to many Singaporean culinary delights. Expect to leave hungry.
Ramen Shop plays at the Salmar Classic Cinema on Saturday, March 30, 5 p.m.
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