The Japanese dish that has become a tourist attraction for thousands: ‘It’s a way of life’
It is widely regarded as a popular choice among a large number of individuals.
Long queues often encircle the blocks, and waiting an hour for your ramen is quite standard. What you're faced with may not be the best establishment, but a hot bowl of ramen never seems to disappoint.
Typically prepared before your eyes at small counters, this noodle dish begins around £5.40. It comes in various flavours and regional specialities. There are options like salty soy-based 'shoyu' or 'miso' paste, or fiery hot with a sprinkle of chilli. In some cases, it doesn't come with soup, but instead a sauce for dipping the noodles.
The curly noodles are lighter than the darker buckwheat "soba" or "udon", which are typically both flatter or thicker.
Sales of instant noodles in the United States have increased by 72% since the year 2000, based on data from NielsenIQ, a market research firm. In the 52 weeks up to 13th April, American consumers spent over £1.6 billion on ramen.
Across Britain, variations of the conventional soup are now appearing in eateries, according to Technomic, a research and advisory firm specialising in the hospitality sector. Del Taco, a Mexican establishment, has recently introduced Shredded Beef Birria Ramen, for instance.
Instant noodles, commonly found in the UK as packaged, pre-cooked noodle dishes, can be quickly cooked at home by adding hot water. The pioneering story of instant noodles began in Japan in 1958, when Momofuku Ando successfully created them in a garden shed, a remarkable achievement in light of food shortages at the time. He later established the renowned food company Nissin Foods.
While convenient, instant noodles do not match up to the real thing – a steaming hot bowl of ramen from a restaurant.
Some individuals in Japan visit ramen establishments multiple times per weekday, exiting looking utterly soaked, with an admirable display of culinary enthusiasm.
I'm probably a talking bowl of ramen," Frank Striegl says as he takes a group of about a dozen American tourists on a tour of Tokyo's quirky Shibuya district, describing it as "the ultimate ramen experience.
Guests are taken through a shabby entrance, often down a narrow staircase, to a low-lit room where tiny bowls of ramen are served, roughly the size of a latte cup or about a quarter of a standard ramen bowl. This allows diners to sample six different kinds of ramen, two flavours per course on their tour.
It includes a green ramen variant, with a similar profile to pasta al pesto. Syuuichi, meaning "weekly sale" which appears to be incorrect, features curry-flavored ramen instead.
"As they say, it's not just about savouring a tasty bowl of ramen, but also about learning about it," says Striegl, a Filipino- American who spent his childhood in Tokyo, referring to ramen as "food for the people".
Ramen is a dish that resonates globally, with many countries having their own twist on it, so I believe that helps explain its universal appeal," he said. "It's a dish that people can readily appreciate and support.
As the tour group enjoyed their noodles, Striegl explained that the origins of ramen can be traced back to the samurai period, where it is said that a local shogun developed a fondness for Chinese noodles, sparking a process of localising ramen that is still ongoing today.
Katie Sell, a graduate student on Striegl's tour, described ramen as "a type of comfort food, particularly during the winter months. Friend groups often head out to the local ramen shop, sit down, and simply appreciate enjoying it together."
He exclaimed, "I'm thoroughly enjoying myself there."
While ramen has never been more popular in Japan, ramen shops have struggled due to the impact of the pandemic, the appreciation of the value of the Japanese yen, and the increased cost of wheat imports and energy, as shown in a study carried out by Tokyo Shoko Research.
One advantage of the pandemic has been a surge in demand for a home delivery service that offers cooked and frozen ramen. Takumen.com, a company based in Japan, has seen its number of subscribers rise to approximately 500,000.
In Tokyo, a company called Gourmet Innovation has partnered with 250 top regional ramen restaurants to create packaged versions of their dishes, which can be prepared at home by boiling in water.
The co-founder and director of the business, Kenichi Nomaguchi, who aims to expand his company internationally, believes that ramen and animation are Japan's most successful export products.
What is it about ramen that makes it so appealing? Unlike pasta or curry dishes, he points out, it can be particularly tricky to recreate at home. "Making it from scratch involves hours of cooking stock, with elements that include pork, beef, or chicken, various fish or bonito flakes, and 'kombu' kelp. Some stock uses oysters, for instance."
In addition to the various soup bases and flavourings, herbs and spices can be added for extra zest. Toppings can include bean sprouts, barbecue pork, boiled or raw egg, seaweed, pickled bamboo shoots called "menma", chopped spring onions, cooked cabbage, sugar snaps or sweetcorn.
Some people believe that a bowl of ramen isn't perfectly complete without a slice of narutomaki, a white fish-shaped cake featuring a pink spiral design.
Some particularly unusual types of ramen include coffee ramen and ramen with a topping of ice cream or pineapple.
Jiro-style ramen, hailing from a renowned restaurant in Tokyo, boasts generous heaps of vegetable garnishes, a substantial slab of barbecued pork reminiscent of beef steak, and a generous amount of pungent, grated garlic soaked in a rich, pork-based broth.
A key factor is making an impression. Therefore, the portion of pork needs to be substantial, so it leaves a lasting impression, according to Kota Kobayashi, who serves Jiro-style ramen at his chain "Ore No Ikiru Michi", which translates to "The way I live my life".
Kobayashi is a former professional baseball player with the Yokohama Bay Stars and once played with the Cleveland Guardians' minor league set-up before turning to.ribbon business ventures.
"As I hung up my baseball boots, I decided that a bowl of noodles would become my new passion," he said with a grin.
He can ponder on the intricacies of ramyeon. One cultural distinction he has observed is that Americans usually discard the noodles and absorb the broth, whereas the Japanese predominantly consume the noodles and sip the soup in moderation.
Just providing a pleasant taste isn't enough for good ramen, he maintained - entertainment is also essential.
In Mr. Kobayashi's restaurants, the chopsticks are kept on a shelf in a box, and newcomers ask where they are. The regular patrons, on the other hand, know exactly where to find them. It's not unusual for Mr. Kobayashi to greet returning customers, saying, "Welcome back," despite not recalling their specific details.
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