The Ramen Shop is like a Murakami dream: Replete with whiskey and records.

The chef is a Chez Panisse alum. The ramen machine is shipped from Japan. The menu, on which exactly three ramens are always on offer, rotates to reflect what is at its peak at the farmers’ market.

If you are willing to brave the often hour plus wait to sidle up to the bar or slip into one of the shadowy corners of the shop to down a bowl of ramen, you are in for a supreme treat. Consuming a bowl of ramen from The Ramen Shop in a transcendent experience.

I am a vegetarian, so it is often difficult for me to find ramen (a dish for which the hallmark is pools of pork fat gliding on the surface of a broth produced by soaking bones overnight) that I can eat.

The (completely vegetarian) Meyer lemon ramen at The Ramen Shop does not disappoint. The noodles are perfectly cooked–tender–not brittle, not soft. The salt cured egg is creamy. The king oyster mushrooms add texture and bursts of flavor, as do the wilted greens. And the broth! Rich with sesame oil and simultaneously sour and sweet from the squeeze of fresh Meyer lemon. I like to order mine with an extra egg.

The last time I went to the Ramen Shop, however, I took notice not only of the ramen I ordered, but also of the soda. It was a cinnamon grapefruit elixir that was undeniably refreshing. This weekend I am thinking of trying the following recipe (adapted from R&S), at home.

Mix:

1 c. soda water

1 T. cinnamon simple syrup*

The juice of a small grapefruit (or half of a large one)

* To make cinnamon simple syrup, bring 2 c. water to boil with 4 cinnamon sticks. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks and add 1.5 c. sugar. Return the mixture to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to one month.

What about you? Any exciting plans for the weekend? Happy Friday!