Before experiencing Krunkwich, umami was just a concept that I had learned in my food science classes about a 5th taste type that combined all of the other four taste groups into one. My classes also taught me that this taste goes along with the taste of monosodium glutamate. All of this meant nothing to me until I ate at Krunkwich Ramen House in Des Moines, IA.
Walking into Krunkwich Ramen House, you are immediately greeted by a smiling cat, instantly lifting your mood. One might wonder how Alton Brown plays into all of this; which goes back to how I got to Krunkwich in the first place.
After band practice, I had mentioned to a friend that I was going to Des Moines and needed some food recommendations. My friend knowing my obsession with Chinese food and anything related to popular food media spoke of her love of Krunkwich Ramen House. She had been there multiple times and had even seen Alton Brown casually enjoying the Ramen fare. I looked up if he actually had been there and found a picture of him surrounded by a stack of differing leftovers.
Back to the appetizer—when first ordering, I decided that the Whiz tots were needed. I got the vegan Whiz tots and that vegan cheese was unlike most forms of vegan cheese (often plastic like). This cheese sauce reminded me of nachos one gets in elementary but with flavor profiles of being an adult. There also was a sprinkled spicy salty mixture on top of the tots bring them to another level.
I luckily was at Krunkwich Ramen House with my parents and was able to try three of the main menu items. Sandwiches are also on the menu but we stuck to the more traditional foods. First was the Krunk rice (Vegan) which was fried rice with shiitake mushrooms, carrots, onion, fresh ginger, and edamame. This fried rice is Krunk and according to Alton Brown the #bestfriedriceever.
Next was Vegan Ramen! with a great ginger seitan and fried tofu. I usually do not enjoy seitan but the flavor profiles incorporated into this made it a tasty form of plant protein. The broth in this Ramen was filled with umami notes and could stand alone. The noodles were just what was needed on the rainy day I visited and were very filling.
My favorite of everything I tried was the Japchae which was made with stir-fried glass noodles featuring both shiitake and black mushroom. These clear noodles were addicting and ended up claiming them as what dish I would have. If I had to recommend only one item on the menu this would be it. I also added some tofu to get some protein in.
Lifting up the noodles one could see where the sauce had gotten distributed. These noodles definitely had a playful aspect to them with being clear while the sauce is something I would come back for.
I left Krunkwich Ramen House warm and extremely full of noodles. Experiencing the epitome of umami flavors I somehow felt closer to Alton Brown seeing as he had referred to their fried rice as “#bestfriedriceever.” If one wants to eat like Alton Brown, Krunkwich Ramen House in Des Moines, Iowa is a must.