One of my favourite family meals is Ramen, it’s easy, versatile and super delicious! I made my own variation of it this week with leftovers from our New Year dinner.
Much as I love fine dining, Ramen is not fine dining, it’s the polar opposite. It’s a comfort food and is considered a fast food in Japan (although there are now some Michelin star Ramen restaurants due to its increasing popularity). Ramen originated in China and was imported to Japan by Chinese tradesmen in the 19th century. After that there was no going back for the Japanese – noodles and soup, perfection in a bowl!
Ramen are typically categorized according to their soup base (soy, salt, miso or pork) and are served with a selection of toppings such as eggs and vegetables. However you can make your own variation using anything you have (this is what I do), so it can be a big bowl full of surprises!!
There are no strictly written etiquette rules for eating ramen, after all it’s fast food, but there are a few fun things to know about a traditional Ramen restaurant in Japan. There is a correct way the locals eat it so here are few unspoken codes of conduct that the locals abide by, some of which are actually quite helpful for westerners unaccustomed to Asian dining:
Queuing Etiquette: Most traditional ramen restaurants are small with few tables and sometimes standing room only so there will often be queues outside. The concept of ramen fast food is to queue, order, eat and go. Queuing in Japan is done in an orderly and quiet manner, noise pollution is a real No! No !
Ordering: Typically, most ramen restaurants have a machine to place your order. This avoids the need for cash and helps speed up the process and flow. You pay and order your ramen at the machine then give your ticket to the server (also called the master) who will serve you your dish when it’s ready. It’s not acceptable to sit without eating as you’re wasting a seat. So if you’re not hungry and only want to order a drink, you should go somewhere else.
Eating Ramen: Ramen should be eaten with chopsticks and a spoon and the basic principles of chopstick etiquette still apply.
Using chopsticks correctly:
Don’t place them upright in a bowl.
Don’t wave them around in the air.
Use them with one hand only.
Do not pass food with your chopsticks to someone else and no double dipping!
Place your chopsticks at the top of your bowl horizontally when finished or use the chopstick rest.
Using chopsticks & spoon correctly:
Chopsticks in one hand, spoon in the other.
Use the chopsticks and spoon together - as you would a knife and fork, each has a purpose and they work together.
Use the spoon to wrap the noodles over and around your chopsticks. This is a game changer!!
Unlike a knife and fork, you can bring both utensils to your mouth at the same time, believe me this helps!!
Other traditional tips:
Slurping noodles is ok, just have your napkin ready to wipe your mouth.
You can drink from the bowl… use both hands, lift the ramen bowl, sip and slurp!
A final note… I read somewhere recently that eating a bowl of ramen shouldn't take more than 5 minutes… so clearly it’s seriously fast food!!
Enjoy!!
Julia Esteve
The Etiquette Consultant