Ever heard of Ramen? The mouth-watering, deliciously-satisfying meal that is both nutritious and great for your taste buds. Well, this Japanese favorite is slowly creeping into everyday American Food culture, especially since KyuRamen, the restaurant chain opened up its locations in the United States. Beyond the Japanese and Asian communities in the U.S, Ramen is gradually attracting followers across the country who are constantly seeking new and exciting tastes and flavors.
Founder Gary Lin is a fond lover of Ramen himself. In fact, it is his love for the meal that convinced him there are a lot like him in the U.S. who’d love it. Since KyuRamen opened its doors in New York and New Jersey, it has played host to original lovers of ramen in the U.S. who have for long sought a haven for rich-tasting ramen, as well as new converts who can’t seem to get enough of it. Gary spent two years perfecting the recipes to a point where professional chefs are not required, only detailed ramen masters.
KyuRamen’s journey is both inspiring and a breath of fresh air. Although there are several other meals and desserts on the restaurant’s menu, Ramen is its in-house delight. As Gary says, the goal is to propagate the ramen culture and encourage more Westerners to have a taste of this amazing cuisine- which is loved around the world by the way- and have it ingrained in the American food circles.
Gary dreams of a time when KyuRamen becomes the spot where every American desires to visit and tries their very first bowl of ramen. “Of course they’d love it, so we know they will always come back”, he giggles. Serving nine different types of ramen, Gary and his team ensures that every meal is a beautiful experience and a journey into the vast rich cultures of Japan. This is achieved through a fascinating back-of-house approach that is customer-centric and an equally exciting front-of-house experience that is comfortable, memorable and instagrammable.
The teams at KyuRamen take their time when setting up a menu for a new location. It begins with serving the nine different flavors of Ramen in a bid to understand the people’s eating and tastes preferences, and tailor the menu to suit those tastes. “We’re expanding really fast in the U.S. and that shows that people love our Ramen; they enjoy the pork broth soup, the noodle, the pork Chashu and every other thing our Ramen contains. We are hoping to share the world of ramen with communities everywhere,” says Gary.
Plans are already underway to set up other locations in the country. It doesn’t matter where you are; the warmth, ambience and comfort are the same. You’re simply at home here; one that drips of Japanese flavors and nuances wrapped in American urban connotations. On Instagram, where the brand has more than 23,000 followers, there is a collection of rich dishes and cuisines, all embodying the richness, taste and nourishment that Ramen stands for.
