I’m not sure that anyone in Seattle knows how to cook pork

I’m not sure that anyone in Seattle knows how to cook pork better than Derek Ronspies at Le Petit Cochon in Fremont. I still consider his 18-ounce, bone-in “Phat-Ass” pork chop the best in the city. So maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that he also can make a mean pork noodle bowl—basically, a take on tonkotsu ramen. It’s more noodles and meat than broth; the chunks of pork practically melt before you’ve had a chance to chew them, and the addition of kale, black trumpet mushrooms and pickled garlic scapes provide a wonderful vegetal foil and zing to this rich dish. The small pool of milky broth that these hand-cut, chewy linguine noodles are served in has been rendered down to the most savory essence of pork (made from pork bones and the head of the pig). Every drop is a concentrated testament to how good a lovingly made soup base can be. The topper: a luscious six-minute cooked duck egg. If it weren’t so darn good, it’d be a perfect starter to share. But take it from me: You’ll want every last bit of it to yourself.