Gojira Ramen and Sushi—Bring your appetite
By Christina Reed
The Hired Pen
Bishop, CA—Gojira Ramen and Sushi is open in the Bishop Plaza, and although it's been serving Japanese favorites for a short time…the restaurant already has a following. Known for its ramen and sushi dishes, in Mammoth Lakes, CA, the newest Gojira restaurant, in Bishop, carries the same levels of cuisine. It's a nice balance of flavors, freshness, and aesthetics, with a menu that offers something for everyone.
BJ James, the manager at Gojira, is bringing the same dining experience which has been popular in Mammoth Lakes, to the restaurant. He makes recommendations for the menu items, and he explains what makes each dish unique. It's a busy environment, with a lot of moving pieces, but the menu items are carefully outlined, and the presentation brings a sense of authenticity, with a twist of memorabilia.
Gojira Means Godzilla®! The classic, 1954 movie, “Godzilla®,” is the namesake of Gojira, and the portmanteau (the blending of “gorira” (gorilla) and “kujira” (whale), is an homage to the Japanese monster, which came to life after an atomic bomb woke it up. Collectibles of this famous, fire / flame-throwing monster adorn the walls of both restaurants, which seems appropriate for the two Japanese restaurants.
The Gojira Ramen is popular, and this dish features a spicy ball, ramen noodles, a miso broth, the classic half, soft-boiled egg, arugula, bamboo shoots, green onions, kikurage (mushroom) and fresh, crisp, bean sprouts. Customers can add: tempura shrimp, and extra pork belly or tofu or noodles or corn. Made to order, many of Gojira's menu options are vegan, gluten free, and they feature a variety of proteins and spices / seasonings.
Things to Know When You Go Ramen (means pulled noodle) is a Japanese noodle dish, usually served with a broth, and soy sauce and miso. The toppings are what make the ramen unique, as does the choice of broth(s). Gojira serves tonkotsu (pork bone broth) and miso (fermented soybeans with salt and mushrooms) in many of their signature dishes. And, you can experience either a pork belly or tofu topping(s), along with vegetables. Sushi (means “sour rice”) has a base of seasoned rice. Rice on the “outside” is called “uramaki,” while sashimi is the piece of raw fish (raw fish must be frozen first in the United States to eliminate parasites), and sashimi is made with only fish or seafood, so the crafting and ingredients are different.
Nigiri sushi is a handmade and “hand pressed” sushi, and its a technique which molds the seasoned rice in an oval shape, and then it gets a top of raw fish. Temaki is a hand roll which highlights fresh fish and crunchy greens wrapped up in a seasoned rice bed, and it can be topped with crispy seaweed. Maki, which is a hand cut roll, can be eaten with chop sticks, while norimaki, which is wrapped in nori (seaweed) is shaped into a cone, and can be hand eaten.
All of these dishes highlight foods and flavors with lots of energy; the dishes are lighter and easier to digest, and artistry and craftsmanship go along with being a skilled chef. Sushi and ramen came into vogue in the US in the 1970s in Hollywood, CA, (“Osho” Restaurant) where dining trends started leaning toward healthier, lighter, less fatty / heavy meals, and by the 1980s, the Japanese tradition of eating more fish, became an American notion. American sushi and ramen varies quite a bit from the traditional Japanese (maybe ninth century invention) plates, but Gojira Ramen and Sushi gives us a chance to sample the highlights of this cuisine…in our big back yard.