By now, we’re far enough into the pandemic to be fully versed in COVID dining. You eat noodles out of a box. “Soup in a bag” is no longer something from a legendary Kids in the Hall skit — you can actually order soup that comes in a bag, now. We’ve eaten soggy meals that have been bathed in their own steam while sitting in a red delivery pouch. So, what’s the alternative? To replicate the restaurant experience at home — or, at least a reasonable facsimile of the restaurant experience. Tokiwa, winner of the Best Soup category, offers DIY ramen kits for take home. Choose from any of Tokiwa’s varieties and order for next-day pickup. You get the goods to make two ramen bowls — they have to be ordered in pairs — and it should take about five minutes of prep work after you bring the goods home. But, the bowls that will arrive on your table won’t have been steaming in a plastic container for 30 minutes. — Steven Sandor
11978 104 Ave., NW, 780-761-1400, TokiwaRamen.ca
Depending on traffic, I take one of two routes home from work. One is Calgary trail, which is longer by distance but usually flows faster. It also flows right by Seoul Fried Chicken’s convenient storefront parking lot, which makes picking some up last minute even more tempting than the chicken itself. SFC veterans know to order ahead of time so they don’t end up in the line that inevitably leads outside. But even if you do order on arrival, the building’s redesign makes the process efficient: Enter through the north door, place your order, then shimmy left to pick up your dish and exit through the south door. It’s kind of like the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld, except no one will yell at you. — Cory Schachtel
7904b 104 St., NW, 780-761-3616, SeoulFried.com
If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s that takeout is important, but packaging is key. No one wants to order a dish that ends up being soggy, lukewarm or, even worse, cold. Dagu Rice Noodle solved that problem with innovative takeout packaging. The takeout container has two levels to separate the soup and noodles from each other. Without the separation, the noodles would change texture and the broth wouldn’t be as flavourful as if it were mixed in right before eating. The containers are also microwavable. Your soup will taste as hot and fresh at home as if you’ve just ordered it at the restaurant. – Katrina Turchin
10408 Jasper Ave., 780-426-6686, DaguYEG.ca
