Time Asia selected the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) as the best film fest in Asia.
Meanwhile, Korea’s own Teum Sae Ramen got selected as the best ramen (ramyeon) outside of Japan. Frankly, given how everyone knows Korean ramen is better than Japanese ramen, I’d say that probably makes it the best ramen anywhere.
29 Comments
No, I actually believe that. Japanese ramen is too bland. If I ain’t sweatin’ after eatin’, it ain’t ramen as far as I’m concerned.
Speak for yourself, Marmot. Everyone knows Japanese ramen is the best. Maybe you’ve eaten so much kimchi spice your taste buds have numbed
Adamu,
I think Marmot means by ramen the instant noodle kind not the “tampopo” restaurant variety. In the world of soupy instant MSG noodles, Korea is king.
Woops, my apologies Adamu, it appears that indeed the Marm was talking about the “Tampopo” variety not the instant noodle kind. As slashdot posters would say, I will RTFA next time. Mea Culpa.
“Frankly, given how everyone knows Korean ramen is better than Japanese ramen”
Robert, please tell me that was a statement made to garner comments, not something you believe to be true?
Ah ha, I was right! Living in Korea as long as you have I fear you will never be able to understand the subtleties of Japanese ramen. Not that I don’t enjoy a good instant bibinmyeun every now and again.
Actually, korean noodle ‘Ramyeon’ and Japanese noodle ‘Ramen’ is totally different food.
Go to China if you want to eat real noodles. Eat lamian and learn that the Koreans and Japanese can’t cook.
Just kidding, Robert. Actually Shin ramyon is my poison, and if I really want to offend someone either later or the next day, I’ll add an egg and cabbage kimchi, then top it with a slice of cheese.
I spent 4 years in Japan and the blandness of just about all their food was one thing I noticed right away. Their version of kimchi is some watered down stuff, barely has any zing to it at all.
Wow, a slice of cheese on Shin Ramyeon??? Similar to Koreans eating buttered bread with Kimchi. Ain’t it funny?
You’ve never had melted cheese on your ramyon? Buttered bread and kimchi…even I’ve never tried that one.
I love Shin Ramen. I also love Korean food (and my Korean girlfriend BTW). And I think Korea has superior packaged ramen. But when it comes to fresh kind, Japan wins the contest hands down. It’s the soup and the noodles themselves.
In the whole hierarchy of Asian soup noodles, I wouldn’t put Korea very high. It’s not that Korean noodles like kalguksu are bad, but I’ve yet to have a bowl of Korean noodles that I was seriously impressed with.
But anyway, the ramen argument is moot. The best noodles in Asia are Vietnamese pho!
Some Koreans eat bread with gochoojang (?³??¶”??? — Korean version of Nutella, eh?), and I used to know an American dude who put sugar in his rice.
“I spent 4 years in Japan and the blandness of just about all their food was one thing I noticed right away. Their version of kimchi is some watered down stuff, barely has any zing to it at all.”
You must have gone to the wrong part of Japan. Here in Kyushu they sell locally-made kimchi that is identical in taste to that provided in regular, everyday restaurants that I visited in Pusan.
As for ramen, I suspect that it’s the same with new food as it is with new music or other new adventures–the kind you experienced first becomes the de facto standard, and nothing else quite measures up, no matter how good it is.
I have to admit that the concept that it ain’t ramen unless you sweat is an odd one for me.
Then again, I do wish I could get kal gook su here in Japan.
My recipe for ramyon heaven:
I pkge JinRamyon (mild). Boil dried vegetables and ramyon together BUT NOT FLAVOR PACK. When boiled enough, remove the water with a strainer. Put soggy ramyon back in pot and then add the flavor pack. Mix around.
What have you got? Korean spagetti! Though surprised at my method, every Korean I have made it for has raved about it. Because the soupy water in the usual ramyon way is not diluting the flavor, my ‘Korean Spagetti’ (patent pending) is LOADED with flavor.
Zdunk:
Tried it. It works. Race you to the Patent Office. (How about giving the “hot” variety a try?)
Wooj:
Sugar on rice isn’t as bizarre as it might seem. Westerners from many countries are very familiar with rice pudding, which usually includes apples or other fruit, and is sweetened with sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. I’ve know many Westerners who sprinkle sugar on any sort of rice they’re served. I’ve also assisted foreign tourists in Korea in ordering soysauce to pour over their rice, much to the bemusement of local wait staff and customers. (Not nearly as bemused as I was, however, when pizzas in Korea were typically served with candied cherries and straight-from-the-tin green peas, and when “calzones” would often be sugar-glazed.)
shin ramen goes best with gim (dried seaweed)
Marmot seems to be getting more Korean with time…. ^_^
“I?€™ve know many Westerners who sprinkle sugar on any sort of rice they?€™re served.”
In all my years on Suffolk County Long Island, in my college years in upstate New York, in my short career years in New York City, I have yet seen an American, a Westerner, or even just a White person sprinkle sugar on rice. (In fact, I have never seen A person put sugar on plain rice.) I’m just curious which part of the Western world do people put sugar in their rice? Heck, I don’t know anyone who puts even plain salt on plain rice. (Sushi rice don’t count)
Actually Korean people USED to put soy sauce on their rice back in the day when people were poor and they had no banchan. Back in the day, I used to pour soy sauce, sesame oil, and some “ggaesogum” aka sesame salt on my rice and ate.
I was also amused when I saw a Korean bakery selling a “bagel” that looked like a donut and tasted like a donut and in fact, was a donut.
virtual wonderer — Suffolk County? If you don’t mind me asking, where abouts? I’m from East Islip myself.
Well, just in my scant few years in Korea, I’ve seen a german, an american and (i think she was) a canadian sprinkle sugar on their rice (yep, the korean variety) and cheerfully acknowledge having done so for years. Unheard of? Nah. Bizarre? Okay, I’ll go along with “bizarre” — especially when they slathered butter on it and mixed it all up!
Which reminds me, isn’t butter the No. 1 condiment for rice in the industrialised West?
(Oh come now, you’re not going to tell me New Yorkers never… Marmot? Can I get a witness?)
I?€™m just curious which part of the Western world do people put sugar in their rice? Heck, I don?€™t know anyone who puts even plain salt on plain rice
In France we have a few rice desserts, with sugar in them of course… And as for rice during a meal, we usually add some salt and a dab of butter just before eating…
While they won’t make you sweat, nagahama ramen are still very good. Robert, next time you do a visa run, try Fukuoka.
Naengmyeon es delicioso!
The American dude that I knew who put sugar in his rice was from Tennessee. He said it was normal to do that in his house when he was a child. But of course, from a Korean’s perspective it’s quite bizarre (especially if you’re doing it in a restaurant in Korea). As “virtual wanderer” pointed out, putting soy sauce in your rice (?°???? ?°???? ?¹??²¼?¨¹?¸°) used to be done when Koreans were poor, and probably still exists in some form. My mom used to mix rice with butter, sesame oil, and ????¡°??¼ for me, and I liked it.
Actually butter is done by Korean people too sometimes. When Korean cooks makes Dolsot Bibimbap, they might grease the Dolsot with Butter, so the resulting NooReungJee is buttery and crunchy.
Hmm. I have eaten Kheers and rice puddings like everyone else, but sugar and a plain bowl of rice… I donno, it sounds like putting sugar in Tuna salad or Knish.
Hmmmm … all said and done, where is Teum Sae Ramen anyway? Would appreciate an e-mail if you know it’s locale. Thanks.
OK. Answering my own question, their website’s here - http://www.teumsae.com
They now have stores practically everywhere around Seoul. Gave it the FatMan test, and it didn’t fare very well I’m afraid. My search continues.
You are invited to visit some information about rtln
- Tons of interesdting stuff!!!