New England: The Best Ramen I Ever Had Is At A Ski Mountain

Let's be clear: I love ramen. While I do not consider myself an expert, I have had my fair share of this delicious meal, and do seek it out occasionally. This past weekend, I had the best ramen I have ever had, and it was a ski mountain in New England.

Miso Hungry is the clever name the instantly got my attention. I was in Jay Peak, Vermont for my son's ice hockey tournament. The hotel and ice rink where the game is played are right at the base of Jay Peak ski mountain. If you have never been to the area, it's one of those great, relatively small places where you check your car in and then don't see it again until you leave. Everything is right there.

I was simply walking outside from the hotel room to the ice rink and saw this small white hut adjacent to an outdoor firepit. I figured it was your standard snack shack near the waffle cabin. However, I was wrong. Miso Hungry was such a great name for a ramen establishment. The whipping wind, cold air, and light snowfall paired with the noon hour, made for the perfect time for me to inquire what this Miso Hungry situation was all about.

Upon reading a concise menu at the window, I ordered the Roasted Sesame Shoyu Ramen. This contains soy-based ramen, roasted sesame, roasted garlic sesame oil, sliced pork, and, of course, noodles.

You can see in the small window of the hut, the employees slicing the fresh ingredients. It's all so fresh and hot. A great ramen, to me, has to master the broth and noodles. Miso Hungry served a bowl of perfectly prepared noodles that you can slurp or chew. The broth was the perfect temperature: it didn't burn. It paired nicely with the cold air. Furthermore, it was very easy to throw the spoon out and drink the last third out of the bowl.

I suggest not digging into the thin pieces of pork right away, as letting it marinade in the mix adds to the flavor of each spoonful. Not overwhelming amounts of spinach and carrots swim happily in the bowl as well. In fact, there's nothing in there that you look at and wonder what it is.

Sure, the Miso Hungry ramen has the advantage of being in the right environment where people are seeking out something warm. It has an engaging name, firepits as neighbors, and super-fresh ingredients all working together.

The even better news here is that Miso Hungry is not only at Jay Peak. They have found their niche and are also located at Stowe, Sugarbush, and Bolton Valley.

To get yourself prepared you can visit their website at MisoTohKome.com or follow them on Instagram.

As a father of four, my mornings are always a bit hectic. I enjoy being an early bird; however, I rarely have the time to prep a good breakfast. Therefore, I was quite thrilled to see that Tasting Table recognized three New England restaurants for having the best breakfast sandwiches in the country. I'm always looking for a good quick breakfast.

A morning in my world usually consists of a sunrise workout, followed by a scramble to get myself and the kids out of the house. Then I embark on an hour-long drive to the office. On the weekends, it's taking one of my kids to their sports game. Let's focus on the latter for a moment.

While I am more lenient on my breakfast choice (a banana or shake will do), I insist upon a healthy start for the little guys. Driving them all around New England on weekends requires a few drive-thru meals that you eat in the car. My preference is for the kids to have something substantial, with a protein they enjoy. A breakfast sandwich is often the choice.

The perfect breakfast sandwich should follow three simple rules. It's quick, both to order and make. It's fresh (not a microwaved egg slab pulled out of plastic). Finally, it's a balanced hand-held item that is not too heavy, processed or sugar-filled.

When trekking through interstates and unfamiliar towns at sunrise, it's easy to settle upon the quickest Dunkin' Donuts. Now, there are some other options that you (and I) should know about. These three New England restaurants ranking among the best breakfast sandwiches in the country.

Before we get into the list, it is necessary to give one other shout-out. The Portland, Oregon establishment named by Tasting Table has both the best restaurant and sandwich name. The "Yolko Ono" by Fried Egg I'm In Love.

Sofra Bakery and Café in Cambridge, MA, is the first stop. Tasting Table calls out "Geno's Egg Sandwich." This is a brioche bun filled with egg topped with halloumi cheese, feta butter, tomato concasse, and spicy green cilantro.

Next, we hop on 95 North and pull into the Elephantine Bakery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Here the selected breakfast sandwich is called the "Egg Simit." It's the healthiest of the three choices based on pure ingredients. This sandwich consists of egg, hummus, beat pistachio spread, feta, and spinach on a sesame simit.

I actually had a very hard time securing a quick bacon, egg, and cheese this past spring while in Maine for a lacrosse tournament. Now I know I need to go to a coffee shop next time. Tandem Coffee has something so good, it doesn't even need a clever name. "The Breakfast Sandwich" is simply egg, American cheese, and smoked paprika. However, when you rest it upon a homemade buttermilk biscuit, you reach a new level.