Ramen - Outside Japan

Outside Japan

For Instant ramen outside Japan, see Instant noodles worldwide.

Ramen has become popular in China in recent years where it is known as rìshì lāmiàn (日式拉面, "Japanese Style lamian"). Popular Japanese ramen chains serve ramen alongside distinctly Japanese dishes such as tempura and yakitori, something which would be seen as odd in Japan.

Wagamama, a successful UK-based chain serving pan-Asian food mainly in Europe, is known for its noodle soups marketed as ramen (but which are quite different from ramen in Japan).

In Korea, ramen is called ramyeon (라면). There are many varieties of Korean ramyeon, such as kimchi-flavored, seafood-flavored and beef-flavored. Some restaurants serve variations of ramyeon containing additional ingredients such as dumplings, tteok, cheese, etc. It is usually served with vegetables, such as carrots and green onions, and eggs on top.

In Central Asia the dish has thicker noodles, is significantly spicier, and is known as laghman.

In North America, Japanese instant noodles were imported starting in the 1970s bearing the name "ramen", causing the term "ramen" to be often used in North America to refer to instant noodles. Many restaurants now exist, however, that specialize in Japanese-style ramen, especially in major urban areas with large demand for Asian cuisine.