🍜 Philly-made ramen duo take Tokyo | Morning Newsletter

Welcome to Sunday. The clouds should part for some sunshine today.

Philadelphia’s ramen power couple are getting ready to reboot their noodle game in Japan. They took restaurant critic Craig LaBan on a slurping tour of their favorites abroad.

And anti-ICE protesters swept onto the streets of Philadelphia on Saturday, with more demonstrations expected today. Clips of Sheriff Rochelle Bilal calling the agency “fake, wannabe law enforcement” went viral over the weekend.

Scroll along for these stories and more.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Thriving in noodle paradise

They set the gold standard for ramen in Philadelphia at Neighborhood Ramen in Queen Village, which closed at the end of 2024. Now, Lindsay Mariko Steigerwald and Jesse Pryor are living their best lives in the ramen capital of the world.

🍜 Their move was driven by a desire to make their famed noodles alongside the best, as well as to explore and enjoy the upper echelons of Tokyo’s artisan ramen.

🍜 It will likely take many more months before they can open up shop there. In the meantime, the duo have launched ramen tours, which map out a taste of their favorite spots.

🍜 Pryor told Craig LaBan: “I want to eat ramen every day. I want to go to different shops all the time, be inspired and just soak it up. It’s hard to do that in Philadelphia.”

Join LaBan for a taste of their fledgling ramen tour.

‘ICE out’ protests

Demonstrators took to Philadelphia’s streets and those of other cities across the country on Saturday in response to the killing of Renee Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis this week.

Activists have condemned the fatal shooting as evidence of a violent federal agency, while Trump administration officials insist the agent who shot Good three times had fired out of self-defense.

More rallies are planned on Sunday in communities including Trenton, Abington, Cherry Hill, Ardmore, and Ambler.

Read more in Michelle Myers and Jeff Gammage’s dispatch from Philly’s Saturday protest.

In related news:

• As the Trump administration sends more federal officers to U.S. cities, a local resurgence of the Black Panthers militant group is making its presence known in Philly.
• Sheriff Rochelle Bilal has made headlines and invoked criticism for sending a blunt warning to immigration officers who commit crimes in the city.

What you should know today

• A man was charged with stealing skulls and bones from a Philly cemetery. Police say he may have tried to sell them on Instagram.
• A Philadelphia man who went by the alias “YP SlumBoy” was arrested Thursday by U.S. Marshals and charged with killing the mother of his child, tampering with evidence, and other crimes.
• Investors have turned vacant Exton office buildings into a suburban rarity: 24 studio and 8 single-bedroom apartments.
• It’s no secret that Philly has an action-packed year ahead, but there’s more happening beyond the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th birthday celebrations. Inquirer columnist Stephanie Farr lists 14 other events to look forward to.
• The playoffs are finally here, as the Eagles officially kick off their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champions on Sunday at the Linc against the 49ers. Use our quick viewer’s guide to get ready for the game.
• When we debated the best ways to snuff out bad SEPTA etiquette, you responded with your own ideas. Here are our favorite suggestions from Inquirer readers on how to handle subpar public transit manners.

❓Pop quiz

Which billionaire is behind a plan to redevelop much of downtown Gladwyne?

A) John Mars

B) Jeff Bezos

C) Jeff Yass

D) Elon Musk

Think you know? Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: This New-York born author “took to Philly like a fish to water” 15 years ago.

CAMERA SADE

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Bernice Kaplan who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: East Falls. Crust Vegan Bakery has relocated to a larger location in the Northwest Philadelphia neighborhood.

🦅 Photo of the day

This Birds devotee has made a name for himself on social media through his Eagles-centric parodies, to the tune of popular songs by Billy Joel and Hall & Oates. His many fans include the famously estranged duo, as well as Questlove and State Rep. Joanna McClinton.

⚽ One more sports item to go: England’s famed Premier League gets a lot of coverage in the United States. But there’s nothing like seeing the spectacle in London, especially as races for World Cup squads play out on PL stages. Soccer reporter Jonathan Tannenwald has the story from the capital city.

🎶 Today’s track goes like this: “The thrill, unknown, you will or you won’t / A dream to try for, hope that you’d like more.”

👋🏽 Thanks for spending part of your morning with us. Go Birds.