- Man in White Suit: I'll kill you if you make that noise once the movie starts! Understand? And... I also don't like watch alarms going off.
- Student of ramen eating: [voiceover] One fine day... I went out with an old man. He's studied noodles for 40 years. He was showing me the right way to eat them.
- Student of ramen eating: Master... soup first or noodles first?
- Old gentleman: First, observe the whole bowl.
- Student of ramen eating: Yes, sir.
- Old gentleman: Appreciate its gestalt. Savor the aromas. Jewels of fat glittering on the surface. Shinachiku roots shining. Seaweed slowly sinking. Spring onions floating. Concentrate on the three pork slices. They play the key role, but stay modestly hidden. First caress the surface with the chopstick tips.
- Student of ramen eating: What for?
- Old gentleman: To express affection.
- Student of ramen eating: I see.
- Old gentleman: Then poke the pork.
- Student of ramen eating: Eat the pork first?
- Old gentleman: No. Just touch it. Caress it with the chopstick tips. Gently pick it up and dip it into the soup on the right of the bowl. What's important here is to apologize to the pork by saying "see you soon." Finally, start eating-the noodles first. Oh, at this time, while slurping the noodles, look at the pork.
- Student of ramen eating: Yes.
- Old gentleman: Eye it affectionately.
- Student of ramen eating: [voiceover] The old man bit some shinachiku root and chewed it awhile. Then he took some noodles. Still chewing noodles, he took some more shinachiku. Then he sipped some soup. Three times. He sat up, sighed, picked up one slice of pork-as if making a major decision in life-and lightly tapped it on the side of the bowl.
- Student of ramen eating: What for?
- Old gentleman: To drain it. That's all.
- Gorô: Why are you working so hard?
- Tampopo: Good question. How can I explain? Everyone has their own ladder. Some do their best to climb to the top, while others don't even realize they have a ladder. You came along... and helped me find my ladder.
- Gorô: What was your husband like?
- Tampopo: He was a good man. He liked his liquor. Always in a hurry. In a soba shop he'd be ordering sake as he took off one shoe and soba as he took off the other.
- Tampopo: What about your wife?
- Gorô: She left with the kids.
- Tampopo: Why?
- Gorô: I don't know. I grew up in a miserable family, so I wanted to make my own home the warmest there was. I got married. We had kids. And we had a warm home. But I never felt comfortable there. I don't know how to act in a happy home. Before I knew it, my wife was gone... Maybe I'm just a cold-hearted guy.
- Gangster's Mistress: Darling! Hold on! Try to hold on! Darling!
- Man in White Suit: Did I ever tell you?
- Gangster's Mistress: About what?
- Man in White Suit: About hunting wild boar. In winter... there's nothing for boar to eat... so they root for yams. All they eat are yams. So when a hunter shoots one... he has to quickly slit its belly, pull out the guts, and grill them over a fire. The intestines... are stuffed with yams. Yam sausages, you see? You grill them... slice them, and eat them hot. Sounds good, huh?
- Gangster's Mistress: Yes... perfect with soy sauce and wasabi. Darling, what is it? Please hold on!
- Man in White Suit: I wanted so much... to eat them with you.
- Gangster's Mistress: You will! You'll get better soon... and we'll go hunt wild boar. Darling! Please don't die!
- Man in White Suit: Hush now. My final movie is starting...
- Gorô: The thing to watch here is how the owner remembers who ordered what and when. Right? That's how you do business.
- Man in White Suit: You're at the movies too, huh? Whatcha eating? You know how during movies some people eat potato chips and crinkle wrappers? I really can't stand... Tasty?
- Man eating snacks before movie: Yeah. Curry flavor.
- Man in White Suit: Make that noise after the film starts and I might kill you. You hear me? I also won't tolerate watch alarms beeping. But here's what I really don't want interrupted: They say that at the moment of death, you see a sort of short film, your whole life kaleidoscoped before your eyes. I'm really looking forward to that. A person's last film. And I don't want it interrupted! 'Darling, please don't die!' Stuff like that. None of that, you hear? Looks like our movie's starting.
- Man who runs to see dying wife: Darling, hold on! You can't die! What'll we do without you? Don't fall asleep or you'll die! Say something! Sing! Do something! I've got it: Cook! Go make dinner!
- Man who runs to see dying wife: Keep eating! It's the last meal your mother cooked! Eat while it's hot! Eat!
- Tampopo: Please tell me the recipe for this broth.
- Ramen shop owner in Chinatown: The recipe for my broth? Never! You're a pro. I can tell by the look in your eyes. I can't give a competitor my secrets!
- Tampopo: Please! I'll pay!
- Ramen shop owner in Chinatown: How much?
- Tampopo: Say... 50,000 yen?
- Ramen shop owner in Chinatown: Forget it! If you want to pay, loan me one million yen to be paid back in a year, interest-free. Then I'll give you the recipe for free.
- Tampopo: A million yen...
- Old man next door to ramen shop: Listen to me! Don't lend him that million. He bets on speedboats. You'll never get it back. Give me 30,000 yen and I'll give you his recipe. My shop's next door. Come back late tonight with the money.
- Rude owner of competing ramen shop: What? As if you amateurs could appreciate our ramen!
- Tampopo: Pops, people who eat ramen are all amateurs. Why make ramen they can't appreciate?
- Master of ramen making: Now listen: Ramen is a fascinating thing. Prepare it well and you're always rewarded with good ramen. Don't forget that. Let's review the basics of broth. Fowl spoils quickly, so buy fresh chicken and use it quickly. Chicken and pork have strong odors, so parboil them first, then rinse well in water. You can leave the vegetables whole. The tricky part is the heat. You need enough to release the flavor, but never allow the stock to come to a full boil like that. If it boils, the broth will cloud over. Most important of all is to carefully skim the scum off the top.
- Rude owner of competing ramen shop: What the hell? Why didn't you finish it?
- Tampopo: Sorry. I'm just full.
- Rude owner of competing ramen shop: Don't give me that shit! Who orders ramen when they aren't hungry? Wait a minute. You run the Lai Lai shop! Why are you here? Slinking around, trying to steal our business! We've been here since the postwar black-market days! We won't be insulted by a couple of rank beginners! Bow down and apologize, or finish every last drop!
- Gorô: If you put it that way, I'll have to spell it out. I couldn't finish it because it's inedible.
- Rude owner of competing ramen shop: How dare you!
- Gorô: Tampopo, come look. Watch closely. See how they change the water and trade places? No wasted motion. Not a word, either. Good shops are like this. They convey that focus to their customers.
- Master of ramen making: What about the name of the shop? The food's changing. Maybe it's time for a new name.
- Gun: Let's change it!
- Shôhei: Yes!
- Tampopo: Yes, let's.
- Master of ramen making: Any good ideas?
- Shôhei: Something unique.
- Gun: Easy to remember.
- Master of ramen making: Feminine...
- Shôhei: And appetizing!
- Gorô: I think it should be Tampopo.
- Master of ramen making: Tampopo! Yes!
- Gun: Clever!
- Tampopo: Tampopo.
- Gorô: Yup. Tampopo Ramen.
- Tampopo: Tampopo Ramen.
- Teacher of etiquette: Next we'll discuss the proper way to eat spaghetti. Grated cheese is used only on certain spaghetti dishes. This is spaghetti alle vongole. Does it take cheese? That's right. It does not. Now, please pick up your fork and spoon. Hold your spoon in your left hand. With the fork in your right hand, take three or four strands of spaghetti. Pressing them against the spoon, gently wind them around the fork. How is everyone doing? Very well. Now, I'd like you to eat without making a sound. The most important thing is not to make any noise. You absolutely must not make any noise! To avoid doing so, listen very carefully to yourself. Surprisingly, many people don't realize they're making noise. Let's try it. Please listen carefully. Even the faintest sound, such as this... is absolutely taboo abroad!
- Rude owner of competing ramen shop: You think your ramen's so special?
- Gorô: No, we just make normal ramen the normal way.
- Rude owner of competing ramen shop: Fine! We'll come try your 'normal' ramen. Be ready tomorrow morning. It better be good... or else!