2021 ‘また いらっしゃい’ Directed by John Daschbach
Without heir or apprentice, Masamoto Ueda's recipes will die with him, which is perhaps the secret to his vitality and hunger for new ingredients and experiences even after 40 years—he is able to invent new techniques and flavours without the burden of tradition
i want to live like this. agrarian style man, harvesting wild yams, cooking a big pot of ramen and creating long lasting relationships and community in the process. it's much better than my current lifestyle of ordering ramen, it's 3 minutes late, i'm yelling at the bicycle delivery guy, i make a complaint to uber corporation. the ramen is free, i don't enjoy a single bite, i'm crying as i watch 'come back anytime' looking at what my life could be.
As warm, comforting and welcoming as the food at its heart. Can imagine this becoming one I revisit like City of Gold.
When the guy who grows the pears starts crying coz the ramen somehow sustains him, I felt that.
Sweet, light, and just flavorful enough, just like Masamoto Ueda‘s ramen, Come Back Anytime is a delectable treat. Easy going down, the documentary is an endearing portrait of a family and their noodle shop which devotees swear is the only place to go for the right soy-balanced ramen. But of Masamoto Ueda, there is also an air of mystery which is exciting in the food, the idea that this food only lasts and describes himself and his lifetime and will stop being served when he is done making it. Such a temporary moment of light and sweetness is well worth documenting. Even if it creates no dramatic lift, sometimes you want to watch pleasant food docs and be hungry.
Come Back Anytime is not just about the food but how the food brought together a community of customers turned friends. It’s refreshing to see a regular ramen shop, no Michelin star here, with a ramen master who is not fretting about the succession of the shop or passing down his craft, which is so ingrained in the Japanese culture.
A much simpler film than the premise implies and all the better for it. Feels like a late afternoon dinner; filling, satisfying and comforting. My family adored this and they've never even had ramen. It made me so, so hungry. The vibes of this are so very Japanese, like Laid Back Camp or Restaurant to Another World. Comfort food for the soul. But also has thematic links to Honeyland (remaining self-sustaining and only taking what's needed) and Bloody Nose Empty Pockets (the end of a public institution is devastating for the people who call it home). A very neat little doco.
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A soothing, relaxing, meditative look at a year in the life of a Tokyo ramen shop, its owner, and its regulars. Not only is the food absolutely stunning to look at, but the people in this are fascinating to follow. The owner of the store is one of the most lovely people you could imagine, and the bonds he has formed with his customers over decades are so compelling. These customers are as much a part of the shop as the food is.
Reminds me…
matt and I both got spicy miso ramen to accompany watching this but due to my eating habits my bowl was done before the title card.
Completely pleasant documentary on the proprietor of a ramen shop, his shop and the community formed around it. I would have liked to see his daughters interviewed (identified but conspicuously absent).
A man dedicated to his craft and the community he formed around it… great stuff. I can’t recommend this one more!
