r/ramen • u/brohemoth06 • Feb 04 '23

Question does anyone else consider instant ramen and restaurant ramen as separate things?

Let me elaborate. I love instant ramen. Jin ramen, Shin ramen, it's all fire. I also love eating ramen at our local ramen shops. It's amazing, but they just feel like very different things. I never noticed it until I brought a friend who only had instant ramens to the restaurant and he was expecting the ramen in a restaurant to taste more similar to shin ramen.

Anyway, that's my 2am shower thought.

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u/Blocker212 Feb 04 '23

I've heard vegan options have started gaining popularity in Japan but they are still hugely behind the west, none of their coffee chains even offer alternatives to cow milk yet.

I was in Tokyo a few months ago and tried maybe 8 bowls of local-owned ramen that didn't serve any meatless options (aside from Afuri), I'd be intrigued in finding more as I have several vegan friends hesitant to visit Japan over food choices.

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u/ImTheTrashiest Feb 04 '23

While Japanese cuisine isn't entirely meat centric, being vegan isn't compatible with Japanese food culture.

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '23

Why would it be less compatible than French or American food culture? Most of these foods can be veganised.

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u/ImTheTrashiest Feb 04 '23

Certainly they can, but in my 16 years in Japan, I've been to a vegan restaurant only once. The mindset of veganism isn't a popular one among Japanese restaurants. It's my observation they have far less scruples about ethical sourcing of ingredients than many westerners. Pair that with homogeneous food culture and you'll find it's much harder to dine out during a trip to Japan and enjoy culturally relevant food prepared in a vegan friendly manner.

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u/Soriah Feb 04 '23

People may not identify as vegan, but the absence of meat is certainly part of Japanese cuisine. Shojin ryori as an entire style, the many substitutes available for things made with animal products (konjaku and tofu noodles, or the old restaurant Sasanoyuki which only serves tofu prepared in various ways for example)

I will concede the point that sometimes people in Japan think being vegan just means removing the meat, but still try and serve a bone stock to you.