In Japan, eating ramen is a near goddamn religious experience.
You sit, you taste, and suddenly, youre speaking to God himself.
Ive loved ramen my whole life.
I grew up on noodles of all slithery kinds: udon, soba, vermicelli.
And of course, I fell hard for the sudden availability of ramen all around me.
Born and raised in Tokyo, hed eaten thousands of bowls of ramen in his lifetime (!
How do I order from a ticketing machine?
And what exactly is tonkotsu?
What is ramen?
Well, its a noodle soup dish originally imported fromChina.
Its usually very inexpensive, widely available, and customizable, at least in Japan.
Its made with a fermented bean paste and has a brown, thick broth.
During our lunch, I opted for shio, which is lighter and brinier than your usual ramen.
Shoyu tastes a little more like, you guessed it, soy sauce.
Yes, there are a ton of other kinds, too.
(By no means is this an exhaustive list.)
Some different parts of Japan have their own regional style of ramen, as well.
tonkotsu) generally has more calories and if a broth is lighter, theres generally more sodium (i.e.
Striegl mentioned that many ramen shops in Tokyo dont make the noodles themselves.
Instead, they outsource them to noodle companies who create them based on a particular shops desires.
What about the toppings?
Toppingsare pretty crucial to ramen.
In Japan, some shops are also becoming more experimental with toppings, Striegl said.
(It was much more common in the past, borrowing directly from Chinese noodle soups.)
Often times, your ramen will come with a number of these toppings without you needing to request it.
you’re free to choose to add any you like.
Substitutions, however, can be a little more difficult.
You could take a stab at substitute an item, but its generally not the best etiquette.
Im going to Tokyo soon.
How can I find a good ramen shop?
Of course, you could consult anyMichelin-starred ramen guideand you wont go wrong.
(Why advertise if its so good?)
By no means does this mean youve found abadramen shop, its just a helpful indicator.
For other good recommendations, it’s possible for you to check out5AM Ramens blogfor reviews, as well.
How do I order?
In that case, you wont be attended to in the way youre accustomed to in American restaurants.
Youll need to grab the attention of the waiter to order.
A simple wave is fineits not rude, Striegl reassured me.
you could point to any dish you like if the language barrier is a problem.
And photos in menus are extremely helpful.
Again, if you spot a darker broth, youre likely headed in a thicker direction.
If you see a clearer broth, it will be lighter and most likely a shio ramen.
What about those ticketing machines?
Yes, the experience of ticketing machines is probably very foreign, but its also extremely easy.
Its usually the most popular, he said, so you cant really go wrong.
You might also find side dishes like gyoza or even beer on the machine, too.
Then, you give the ticket to the waiter or chef, and youre all set.
Can I customize my noodles?
Sometimes, theyll have English optionsother times, theyll be in Japanese.
From experience, usingGoogle Translateon my phone was pretty helpful in deciphering words.
you’ve got the option to.
According to Striegl, its not bad etiquette.
In fact, its often a compliment to the chef.
Plus, its practicalyou ramen is probably very hot and itll cool it down.
He added that slurping has the ability to enhance the flavor of the ramen itself, too.
It helps aerate both the noodles and broth, allowing flavors to better develop.)
What else should I know so Im not an asshat?
You dont want to hold up the line.
(Youll want to place them horizontally on a surface.)
Believe it or not, both have pretty interesting context.
According to Striegl, both acts are associated with Japanese funeral and cremation services.
For this reason, passing food, in the same way, is bad form.
If youre with a friend, just pass the bowl itself.
How do I say thank you?
Before leaving, you’ve got the option to yell a quick Gochisou-sama or thank you!
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