Ever since Washington University announced its campus closure a little over two weeks ago, our lives have changed a lot. Some of us are back at home, some are staying with family or friends and some of us are still in St. Louis apartments.

The past year has seen a strong push for quality ramen restaurants in St. Louis, with several new ramen restaurants opening and others expanding their ramen selections to capitalize on the increased demand. I recently visited one of each type: Hiro Asian Kitchen, a popular bar/restaurant on Washington Avenue, and Vista Ramen, a hip and cozy new eatery on Cherokee Street.

I made a commitment, and I had to see it through. I was going to try ramen noodles, a delicacy that had never graced my lips before.

A guideline many food critics follow is not to publish a review of a restaurant very soon after it opens for business. The growing pains involved with creating a menu from scratch, training new staff and judging customer interest mean that a restaurant might be very different a month after its opening. Nami Ramen, which has garnered an unfair 2.5 stars on Yelp since its opening in January, deserves a second look.