It was a scorching summer day in Bed Stuy and OC was headed to Do or Dine, a Brooklyn establishment known for their defiantly wacky albeit deliciously gourmet fare. Think foie gras donuts, and frog legs doused in a spicy Dr. Pepper glaze. But, this time we were having something decidedly off-menu, something "locally sourced” a la the bodega down the street. We had commissioned Do or Dine to re-create the latest culinary sensation, crazy popular in Taiwan, gone viral via The Huffington Post: Pudding Ramen.
Yes, pudding. And ramen. Together. Justin Warner, the chef behind Do or Dine is a pretty good sport. He gazed upon the ingredients laid before him––a $1.39 Nongshim Shin Bowl Noodle Soup in gourmet spicy flavor and a pack of Raymundo’s Caramel Flan. “It’s about turning a $2 meal into a $3 meal,” he explained. “It's one of those things that when we’re 70, we’ll tell our grandkids about. Like how my grandpa couldn’t afford chewing gum so he’d pull tar off the street and chew that.”
The first step involved boiling water. While we waited, Warner made some food forecasts. “Do I think it will be better than a $1.35? Yes. Better than $2? Possibly... from a flavor standpoint it will make sense. One thing we Americans hate about ramen is there’s no mouthfeel. This will solve that.”
The second step involved pouring hot water over the noodles. Justin was familiar with the process. “I have an Amazon subscription for this stuff. I get a big case every month. You could prick me and it would ooze from my veins. The reason the HuffPost people fucked up is because they used Nissin Cup Noodles. That's like chicken noodle soup. ” The smell of spicy ramen wafted through the air. What did he think was the origin story here? Chef said, “I think it was discovered out of despair.”
The next step was placing (or plopping) the flan into the ramen. Justin stared into the bowl, mesmerized. “It’s kind of beautiful” he said quietly. “I love the wiggle.” Using a one-chopstick technique he’d picked up working at a Korean restaurant, he began to mix the two ingredients. And then, finally, he tasted it. Silence. “Mmmmm. Yeah. Pretty good. It has a spicy ice cream flavor. I would eat it. I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t.” How did it rate on a scale of one to Ippudo? “I’d give it a solid two.” How did it compare to just straight-up regular ramen? “I’d say it was a lateral upgrade—not so much better but different. A cool trick.”
But, was it good enough to add to Do or Dine's inventive menu? “I’d put it on the Masochist Special list.” He rechristened it "Flamen," a combination of the two ingredients but also German for “flame.” As for the staying power of the trend, “I would not say it’s the next Cronut. But for collegiate cooks, it will be a big thing. They’ll put Led Zeppelin on and make this.”![]()
Chef Justin Warner of Do or Dine, with his version of Pudding Ramen. Photos by Patrick Spears
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Yes, pudding. And ramen. Together. Justin Warner, the chef behind Do or Dine is a pretty good sport. He gazed upon the ingredients laid before him––a $1.39 Nongshim Shin Bowl Noodle Soup in gourmet spicy flavor and a pack of Raymundo’s Caramel Flan. “It’s about turning a $2 meal into a $3 meal,” he explained. “It's one of those things that when we’re 70, we’ll tell our grandkids about. Like how my grandpa couldn’t afford chewing gum so he’d pull tar off the street and chew that.”
The first step involved boiling water. While we waited, Warner made some food forecasts. “Do I think it will be better than a $1.35? Yes. Better than $2? Possibly... from a flavor standpoint it will make sense. One thing we Americans hate about ramen is there’s no mouthfeel. This will solve that.”
The second step involved pouring hot water over the noodles. Justin was familiar with the process. “I have an Amazon subscription for this stuff. I get a big case every month. You could prick me and it would ooze from my veins. The reason the HuffPost people fucked up is because they used Nissin Cup Noodles. That's like chicken noodle soup. ” The smell of spicy ramen wafted through the air. What did he think was the origin story here? Chef said, “I think it was discovered out of despair.”
The next step was placing (or plopping) the flan into the ramen. Justin stared into the bowl, mesmerized. “It’s kind of beautiful” he said quietly. “I love the wiggle.” Using a one-chopstick technique he’d picked up working at a Korean restaurant, he began to mix the two ingredients. And then, finally, he tasted it. Silence. “Mmmmm. Yeah. Pretty good. It has a spicy ice cream flavor. I would eat it. I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t.” How did it rate on a scale of one to Ippudo? “I’d give it a solid two.” How did it compare to just straight-up regular ramen? “I’d say it was a lateral upgrade—not so much better but different. A cool trick.”
But, was it good enough to add to Do or Dine's inventive menu? “I’d put it on the Masochist Special list.” He rechristened it "Flamen," a combination of the two ingredients but also German for “flame.” As for the staying power of the trend, “I would not say it’s the next Cronut. But for collegiate cooks, it will be a big thing. They’ll put Led Zeppelin on and make this.”
Chef Justin Warner of Do or Dine, with his version of Pudding Ramen. Photos by Patrick Spears
