Sushi in the United States is an Americanized version of Japanese sushi, and so is the ramen. Well, here are the differences between the two
Pizza Hut (I-talian), Panda Express (Americanized Chinese food), Poke (mainland pooky), to Taco Bell (cuz Muuuuurica) are all of the Americanized versions that many of us love…. “mmmh, mmh, mmh good, my Taco Bell Mexican Pizza (I love Italian food).”
Even though Taco Bell is an Americanized version of Mexican food, it is cited as the *most popular Mexican restaurant in the United States regardless if it’s straight out of Mexico City or not.
* The Harris Poll “Taco Bell is America’s Favorite Mexican Restaurant
Travel the World Through Your Stomach
Although if you have never had a real Italian pizza, or an authentic Mexican taco, you just might want to thank yourself for trying it because when you do, you just might fuggedaboutit that Sbarro slice you just had at the mall.
American Ramen
Many restaurants outside of coastal cities and rural areas have been developing an Americanized style ramen.
From Colorado to Ohio restaurants are serving up American ramen from $10-$18 with an average price of about $13.
Google “ramen recipes” (I clicked on images to give you a visual).
Japanese Ramen
This is Japanese ramen from Japan and also Japanese ramen chains in the United States (primarily in large coastal cities, mainly in LA to SF and NY).
In Japan, Japanese restaurants offer up ramen priced as low as $6 to $12 with an average of $9 (affordable for the everyday salaryman).
Even the Michelin starred ramen restaurants to the most infamous of restaurants start at $8 for a solid bowl of ramen.
Want to learn more about Japanese ramen, follow Andrew @ramen_beast on Instagram.
Japanese ramen is all about less is more and focuses on quality above all else. The top restaurants produce their own stock to even noodles and some of the toppings themselves. Not to mention utilizing locally sourced ingredients.
Regional styles vary from tonkotsu (Kyushu/Southern Japan), shoyu (Tokyo), miso ramen (Hokkaido/Northern Japan), to a number of other styles spread throughout Japan like Kitakata style in the Tohoku region.
Tonkotsu (pork stock), shio (salt flavoring), shoyu (soy sauce flavoring), tori paitan/chintan (stock), to miso (flavoring) ramen.
In an upcoming post, I will go further in depth on the differences between American and Japanese ramen.