Actual Human Waiter/From the Chef
It happens rarely, but occasionally you’ll visit a place where real people are taking your order. If it’s a ramen bar, you might be seated at a long table that runs along the edge of the open kitchen and speak with the chefs there without the assistance of a waiter. You know the rest.
Some restaurants offer what is known as “kaedama,” which is a useful extra detail. If you’re still a little peckish, you can order kaedama, which is essentially an additional serving of inexpensive noodles to add to your original broth. Even though it’s more prevalent in some prefectures than others, it’s still worthwhile to do when it’s an option. Just make sure to save some of the soup.
The ability to customize and make ramen bespoke to your specific tastes is one of the most exciting aspects of this dish. The majority of ramen restaurants offer a variety of toppings that you can add to your bowl, including but not limited to sesame seeds, pickled ginger, fresh garlic, and soy sauce. It’s up to you to choose which and how much of these components you want to incorporate; you may want to experiment to find the ideal ratio.
What Equipment Do I Need to Eat Ramen?
To consume ramen the Japanese way, you need three things.
Be Ready to Eat Fast
However, don’t linger too long saying “itadakimasu,” as your noodles only have a five-minute window before losing their ideal chewiness. When noodles are left in hot soup for an extended period of time, they become mushy, release starch, and disrupt the harmony of the broth.
Ramen is meant to be eaten immediately, hence the wild slurping (and little talking) you’ll hear in ramen shops as customers race to consume the contents of their bowls. According to ramen chef Ivan Orkin (a New York native who did the seemingly impossible and ran two successful ramen shops in Tokyo), a bowl of ramen should be finished within about 10 minutes.
It should be hot until the very end, how do you know you’re eating it fast enough? The effort required to inhale mouthfuls of noodles may cause you to break out in beads of sweat and have a flushed face, but this is a good thing.
One piece of advice is to place your head near the bowl and ensure that you are seated at a table with no outside distractions. Ramen is not a Netflix-and-chew kind of dish.
FAQ
How do you eat ramen like a pro?
- Hold your chopsticks the right way. …
- Choose your ramen at the vending machine. …
- Don’t share your bowl of ramen with other people. …
- Avoid seasoning your ramen right away. …
- When your bowl arrives, dig in. …
- Slurp away, loudly and appreciatively.
What is the best way to eat ramen noodles?
Ramen is best consumed in small, manageable mouthfuls, so try not to pick up too many noodles at once. To allow the noodles to absorb the flavor of the broth, dip them in and out. Hold your spoon underneath as you do this to help the noodles stand and to gather more broth.
Is it rude to not slurp your ramen?
Use the spoon provided for the broth when eating soup that is served in larger bowls, which frequently contain noodles such as ramen, soba, and udon. Although loud slurping while eating noodles might be considered impolite in the U S. however, refusing to slurp is considered impolite in Japan.
How do you pimp out Top ramen?
Add a ton of tasty toppings to your bowl of ramen to give it flavor, color, and texture. Here are some creative suggestions: sriracha, kimchi, sesame seeds, bacon bits, fresh herbs (cilantro, Thai basil, chives), nori (dried seaweed), toasted sesame oil drizzle, crushed chiles, furikake, or a wedge of lime.
