unlike most of you, i’m not too big on noodles and i admit i know nothing about ramen. but i’ve heard good things about ramen house in phase one and what is a man won’t deviate from his norm, really? so that’s where i’m headed tonight with my good friend moosaalhu, his gf manike, and my sister faathumaafulhu who is visiting from the resort.

just as i enter the restaurant, moosaalhu calls me to say he’s not too far away. i’m used to being the first on the scene anyway so it’s not a big deal. and i’m pretty sure that faathumaafulhu has yet to leave home.

i get a table for four, take off my glasses, and scan the menu. not being a huge fan of soup noodles, i decide to have the laylam beef stir fry. then i wait.

‘hello husenfulhu!’ says manike. so, they are here.

‘hello guys, let’s order, i’m starved,’ i say.

‘what’re your glasses doing on the table?’ asks moosaalhu.

‘i wanted to read the menu,’ i tell him.

moosaalhu laughs.

‘you know you’re old when you have to REMOVE your glasses to read,’ says moosaalhu.

‘you’re no spring chicken either,’ i mutter.

‘what was that?’ he asks.

‘nothing,’ i say. ‘come on, quick, let’s decide on food.’

i get a call. it’s faathumaafulhu.

‘are you there?’ she asks.

‘we’ve ordered.’

‘i’m in the taxi.’

‘your voice tells me you’re in the toilet.’

‘i’ll be there in a few.’

we place our orders, moosaafulhu’s the same as mine, while manike got an inuyasha beef ramen. we also order a side of chicken momos because we’re hungry af.

faathumaafulhu arrives before the momos.

‘sorry i’m late,’ she says.

‘you will be,’ i say.

‘what?’

‘nothing, can you order already?’

she orders the inuyasha beef ramen as well, before reaching into her purse. she groans.

‘i left my cigarette pack at home,’ she says to manike. ‘do you have one?’

‘i quit,’ she says smiling.

‘wow! well done,’ says faathumaafulhu in admiration. ‘how did you manage that?’

‘i read a book,’ says manike.

‘it’s the only book she read last year,’ adds moosaalhu and manike jams her elbow in his ribs.

‘is it allen carr’s book?’ i ask her and she nods. allen carr is a famous anti-smoking advocate whose book is said to have helped millions. i read a chapter myself back in the day but wasn’t too impressed.

‘i can send you a pdf,’ manike tells my sister.

‘how did you quit?’ faathumaafulhu wants to know. ‘what’s the process?’

‘i cut down from a pack a day to ten in a couple of months and then went cold turkey,’ manike says with a note of pride.

‘wow,’ says faathumaafulhu. ‘that’s super impressive. man. i really can’t afford to smoke in this economy. who can, to be fair?’

‘aiminadhi,’ i tell my sister and she laughs.

‘we should’ve invited her,’ she says.

‘she’d take longer than you to get ready,’ remarks moosaalhu. ‘and on top of that i’d have to give her a ride.’

our food comes all at once, and even the momos have had some time to rest, not burning my tongue when i shove one down.

‘they must have everything prepped and ready here,’ says my sister, showing off her familiarity with hospitality. ‘no way they could do this otherwise.’

i like the noodles more than the meat, which is a bit chewy. the hand-made noodles though are quite the treat, savoury and sweet.

‘how’s the ramen?’ i ask manike and my sister.

‘not very flavourful, but good,’ replies manike.

‘i like the miso broth,’ says my sister. ‘but i don’t like the tinned mushrooms. not for this price.’

‘must be a family thing,’ laughs moosaalhu. ‘knowing food that’s come out of tins.’

i try some of my sister’s ramen, taking a bite with noodles, nori, and the sliced meat.

‘oh man!’ i exclaim. ‘it’s pretty good. the nori really takes it up a notch. did you try it like that?’my sister has a bite and nods her head vigorously.’it cranks up the umami,’ she says.

soon, we’re done and the server brings the bill.

‘832!’ i say. ‘that’s more than 200 each.’

‘don’t be so cheap, husenfulhu,’ says manike. ‘it was a good meal.’

‘i don’t have a job, man,’ i say.

‘how are you even surviving?’ she asks.

‘on the kindness of strangers,’ i tell her.

‘strangers?’ says moosaalhu. ‘i gave him breakfast just this morning.’

‘all right, all RIGHT, no need to tell the whole WORLD about your generosity.’

moosaalhu laughs and my sister grins at me, and off we go into the night to have a walk by the beach.