At Strings Ramen on Frances Street, jigoku, also known as Hell Ramen, is an amalgam of seriously spicy shoyu broth with asari, ground pork, crispy pork skin, and various chilis.

It’s available in spice levels 1 ($13.95) through 5 ($23.95). Level 5 is the centerpiece for the Monster Hell Ramen Challenge: Those who finish an entire bowl earn a $50 gift certificate, a commemorative T-shirt, and a refund.

Judging from the ominous warnings on the menu and the copious amounts of chili listed alongsi

On a recent Monday afternoon, the weather was 83 degrees, humid and sunny. “Would anyone want ramen on a day like this?” I wondered as I walked into Strings Ramen.

My question was answered the moment I entered the airy, plant-laden restaurant housed in a former sub shop. The 64-seat spot was bustling; every table was full for a few minutes after I arrived.

Luckily, the entire Strings operation is as efficient as it is delicious, which is to say (spoiler alert): very.

The flagship Strings Rame

In 1905, 11-year-old Frank Epperson mixed himself a soft drink by stirring powdered soda into water with a wooden stick. He absentmindedly left his glass on the porch overnight.

The concoction froze, and the serendipitous result was the Eppsicle, ultimately patented as the Popsicle.

These days, Epperson’s accidental alchemy is enjoying a renaissance. Ice pops have evolved beyond a simple freezer aisle staple, popping up everywhere from major music festivals to gourmet menus in flavors like bla

It’s late autumn or early winter or maybe almost spring. The crowd is sparse because the college kids didn’t come out, or because the show starts too late, or maybe because the show starts too early. Outside, someone needs some change, someone needs a cigarette and someone is talking about their band or a friend’s band or a band they heard once. The bar is sticky with spilled Jameson’s from shots knocked back too quickly, whatever New Glarus seasonal is sloshing from the tap, and wilted limes di