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THE HEAT'S TURNED UP AT ALVARADO RAMEN Alvarado Ramen has attracted legions of slurpers to its steamy joint in Old Monterey. Ramen is Japan's ultimate comfort food; rich broth spiked with umami and spices and those familiar thin noodles we all remember from budget meals in college. This isn't Top Ramen, but owner Hank Kim's decadent 11-hour tonkotsu broth that bubbles away daily, fogging up the glass between the sauna-like kitchen and eager diners lining the bar. Ramen is meant to be eaten quickly, diners leaning over the bowl to get their complimen- tar y facial before lifting to their mouth strings of drippy noodles. In Japan there is no shame in slurping. In fact, it's considered a compliment to the cook. Diners choose among three broths (shoyu shio and vegetable), three levels of spiciness and from a bevy of toppings, including soft egg, corn, spinach, seaweed, chasu (pork) and karaage (chicken). Base price is $9.50, growing exponen- tially along with the diner's hunger. Lost among the slurping are a variety of appe- tizers and salads, macaron ice cream for dessert, and beer and sake. Alvarado Ramen is located on 487 Alvarado St. in Monterey. 831/643-9556 HASHTAG DELICIOUS AT CULTURA COMIDA Y BEBIDA Twenty years ago, restaurant buzz came through word of mouth, not social media. Diners ate without Yelping. No snapshots or Snapchats— or tagging friends along the way. But this is a new world, and Cultura Comida y Bebida in Carmel creates daily hashtags about the wondrous food and spirits from Oaxaca, Mexico. A hip clientele has embraced this chic, not- your-abuelo's Mexican food. It's organic and authentic, with elegant, fine-dining touches from executive chef Michelle Estigoy and Cultura partner John Cox, who ran the kitchen with Estigoy at fine-dining Sierra Mar. It's the inspiration of co-owner Sarah Kabat- Marcy, another Sierra Mar refugee, whose research for Cultura included many tours through Oaxaca, known for its rich mole, hot peppers, fried grasshoppers, butterfat bread and smoky mezcal. 158 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 6 Alvarado Ramen in downtown Monterey offers three types of broth: shoyu, shio and vegetable, plus three varieties of heat and plenty of toppings: from egg, corn, spinach, seaweed to pork and chicken. Macaron ice cream is a popular dessert item. Photo: Kelli Uldall food for thought Gour met Ramen Ar r ives on Alvar ado; Oaxacan Food and Dr ink in Car mel; and Mulligan Br ings Old Faves to a New Locale B Y L A R R Y H A R L A N D