Ramen bowl sets come with a ramen bowl, a ramen spoon, and chopsticks.
The standard size of a ramen bowl is 8 to 9 inches (20.5 to 23cm) in diameter.
And 3.5 to 4 inches (9 to 10 cm) in height.
A ramen spoon is made of ceramic or wood.
And its shape is very unique.
It is quite different from a Western spoon.
Chopsticks for ramen are typical pointy Japanese chopsticks.
They are usually made of wood.
1. Having a ramen bowl set is like having the master ball in Pokemon
Using a proper ramen bowl set, it is 100 percent sure that It will give your ramen a beautiful presentation and even your ramen will taste better.
2. Ramen tableware is important
30 years ago, when I was a kid, I had a favorite ramen bowl.
In my household, everyone had their own bowl and chopsticks.
My ramen bowl had a blue car print on the rim...
One day, my bowl was accidentally used by my sister by mistake.
I felt insecure and really wanted it back.
Have you ever had this kind of attachment to your things when you were a kid?
3. You also need to know these facts to pick out the right set
As discussed, the standard size of a ramen bowl is 8 to 9 inches (20.5 to 23cm) in diameter.
And 3.5 to 4 inches (9 to 10 cm) in height.
But there are more elements you should know…
The capacity, color, and materials.
4. 34oz (1000ml) is a good size for home-cooking
This size will fit a pack of instant ramen with some toppings. However, they are too small for someone who would like to have a larger portion.
5. 45oz (1350ml) is a commonly-used size in restaurants
It presents your ramen beautifully. They are nice and large, convenient to move around (even while filled), yet easy to store when not in use.
6. 57oz (1700ml) is a larger side of standard
Another popular size that is often used in restaurants which can hold a large portion of noodles, soup and toppings. This size is considered a "heavy-duty" bowl.
If you are an enthusiast, you also need to know this…
7. There are ideal ramen bowl colors by ramen types
You need to pick the color of ramen bowls based on the soup's color.
Because it will give you a better presentation.
Basically, if the soup is transparent,
It is better to pick white or off-white to show that the soup is clear and fresh.
And if the color of the soup is cloudy, you should pick a darker color bowl in order to emphasize the soup's richness and creaminess.
8. White-based bowls are for shio ramen
Shio ramen has a transparent soup base, so a white-colored bowl should be chosen.
White-based bowls that have subtle blue patterns or simple plain white bowls are commonly used for shio ramen.
9. White bowls with some red pattern are for shoyu ramen
Shoyu ramen soup is brownish but transparent,
I recommend bowls with a white center to show the soup's transparency.
White bowls with a red rim or red embellishments are commonly used for shoyu ramen.
10. Red, dark red, brown, or black bowls are for miso ramen
Miso ramen has a rich and thick soup, so you should pick deep-colored bowls.
Red, dark red, brown and black bowls match beautifully with miso ramen.
A solid color should be chosen without many or any patterns on the bowl in order to accentuate the miso ramen's rich, thick soup and toppings.
11. Black or dark navy bowls are for tonkotsu ramen
Tonkotsu ramen has a creamy light color but cloudy soup,
So it is better to pick a dark color.
Black or dark navy bowls are most suitable for tonkotsu ramen.
12. White bowls are for spicy hot ramen
The soup of spicy ramen is usually red, so white bowls help the bright red color stand out.
13. Common materials are ceramic, melamine, and stainless steel
Let’s take a look at the different materials used to make a ramen bowl and what works best for your needs.
14. Ceramic ramen bowls are most popular
A ceramic ramen bowl keeps your ramen hot for a longer period of time than its melamine or plastic counterpart.
There are so many beautiful hand-crafted designs available in the ceramic option.
The best thing about hand-crafted ceramic bowls is that no two bowls are exactly the same,
giving the user a unique one-of-a-kind bowl that is specific to them.
Ceramic bowls are typically dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe (unless otherwise specified).
However, in order to prolong the life of your bowl,
Hand washing your bowl regardless of the bowl’s material is the most preferred treatment.
15. Melamine ramen bowls are popular too
Melamine ramen bowls hold your soup noodles without transferring a large amount of heat to the bowl's exterior, making it easy to hold.
Unlike ceramic bowls, they are lightweight and difficult to break.
This is a perfect option in a household with many people and young children.
While they are dishwasher-safe and safe to hold liquids from a temperature range of -30°C to +120°C,
They should not be used in the oven or microwave to heat up food.
16. Steel ramen bowls are an unique option
Metal ramen bowls are not as common of an option for soup noodles as its ceramic and melamine counterparts.
The two main potential problems that affect the popularity of steel bowls are rust and heat-transfer.
To get into the technicalities of the material’s composition,
Food-grade stainless steel 304 consists of at least 50% iron and no more than 0.8% carbon.
Chromium and nickel components protect the iron from oxidation (which causes rust) and enhances corrosion resistance.
A double-walled stainless steel bowl will ensure the heat stays trapped inside the bowl, keeping your noodles piping hot, while the outer layer remains safe to touch.
17. Ramen spoons are useful
You use a ramen spoon when you drink ramen soup,
Or when you want to cool down the hot ramen noodles.
It also allows you to control the noodles easily,
So you can prevent getting soup stains on your clothing.
Did you know there are two kinds of ramen spoons?
There are otama-jakushi and renge.
18. Otama-jakushi looks like this
Ramen ladle is called “otama-jakushi”
We also call it “otama” too.
“Tama” means a ball, and “jakushi” means a ladle in Japanese.
More specifically, you add the word “mokusei”. This means wooden.
The length of this ramen ladle is around 10 inches (27cm).
19. Renge looks like this
This is a Chinese style spoon for soup, rice, and other foods.
It is usually made of ceramic while otama-jakushi is made of wood.
Renge is smaller than otama-jakushi.
The length of this ramen spoon is around 6 inches(15cm).
Now, let’s talk about chopsticks
20. Standard length of ramen chopsticks are 9 inches(23cm)
However, it depends on the size of your hands.
Do you know how to find the ideal length of chopsticks for your hand size?
Check it out…
1 Open the gap between your thumb and index finger and make 90 degree.
2 Measure the length from the tip of your thumb and index finger.
3 Multiply the number by 1.5
This is the ideal chopstick length for you.
21. Materials of chopsticks are wood, melamine, resin, and plastic
It depends on your preference, but for adults,
There is a tendency that a little heavier side is more comfortable to use.
22. The ideal ramen chopsticks are non-slip
Ramen noodles are slippery because they are soft,
And it is covered with soup and flavored oil.
In order to grab these slippery noodles, you need non-slip chopsticks.
23. There are many ways to make chopsticks non-slip
Having some rough surface on the tip of chopsticks is a common solution for it.
Grooved wooden chopsticks work for the same reason.
Another solution is square chopstick tips.
This is because the edges on the tips can grab the ramen noodles tightly.
Important:
Chopsticks are the tools you put in your mouth, so your priority is picking ones that you are comfortable with.
For example, I don’t like chopsticks that have grooved tips.
My mouth isn’t comfortable with them.
Here are some examples of the shape of chopstick tips…
24. Round tips are basic
But if you want to pick this shape for ramen, pick the ones that have a non-slip texture on it.
25. Square tips can grab noodles nice and tightly
These edges on the chopstick tips work well for noodles.
26. Pentagon tips are great too
For the same reason as the square tips, pentagon tips can grab the noodles well.
Along with that, a pentagon shape fits in your hand very well.
27. Tips that are randomly shaved are the other option
Having loose unevenness on chopsticks gives you a nice fit and grab.
Due to Covid, a lot of good ramen restaurants have closed
It makes me feel very angry.
I used to eat ramen out frequently,
But in this situation,
Ramen shops have started to shorten the hours, limit the number of customers, or even closed their shops.
It has affected the industry so much.
I am afraid good ramen will be gone
But meanwhile, you still can enjoy ramen in the comfort of your own home.
Here are some of my recommendations for ramen lovers.
1. Sapporo Ichiban Shio Flavor
MY THOUGHTS OVERALL ★★★★☆
In truth, Sapporo Ichiban delivers a good quality shio ramen experience.
Actually, it is very difficult to find good shio ramen.
Do you know why?
Because it is very difficult to make it since it is very simple.
There are many good shoyu and miso flavored instant noodles out there.
But I feel specifically, the shio flavor market is monopolized by Sapporo Ichiban.
Think about this for a moment having good shio ramen for your dinner with your favorite ramen toppings.
Now, you want some, don’t you?
2. Nissin Raoh Shoyu Flavor
MY THOUGHTS OVERALL ★★★★★
It is nearly impossible to make restaurant quality noodles at home without the right tools and equipment.
How can you beat that?
Using Raoh’s shoyu flavour will help you achieve this easily. This is top-notch ramen hands down!
One pinnacle of instant noodles is the soy sauce flavor. It is expensive compared to regular ones but let me tell you, it deserves every single penny.
In a nutshell, I loved every bit of it.
...And I am sure you will too.
3. The problem here is that no toppings come with these packets.
Here are some topping options and recipes for you.
Green onion
4. Have you ever faced these issues...
A lack of large, high-quality soup bowl sets at home?
Are you still struggling with...
😢 ...small bowls that aren’t large enough for soups, noodles and toppings.
😢 ...spillage every time you eat out of your bowl.
😢 ...low-quality tableware and utensils that don’t compliment your food.
Look no further,
Our best-selling bowls are here to fix all the issues you face with small, inefficient tableware.
After struggling with spillage and leakage during dinner time,
We decided to introduce APEX S.K’s large soup bowls to the market.
Want to hear why some people absolutely love our ramen bowls?
"These are perfect for homemade ramen soup nights! The bowls we have at home are not large enough and my wife has been trying to look for larger bowls. I'm so glad I stumbled upon these. They made a great Christmas gift for the whole family. Everybody was so excited and we can't wait to put them to use on our next ramen night."
"Amazing quality! They are very durable. I dropped it from standing height to test if they would break, but no dents or anything."
"The shape, the color, and the overall appearance of the bowl was exactly what I was looking for - the shape, the color"
Check our sets on Amazon..
About the Author
Kei is a self-proclaimed ramen lover, blog writer and founder of "Apex S.K. Japanese tableware".
"I am from Ibaraki, Japan.
Ramen is great! It can bring you a sense of happiness and satisfaction that no other food can. I have been eating ramen for 30 years.
If there is no ramen, my life would be miserable.
Ten years ago, I worked as an office worker. The job was really stressful - excessive working hours, low wages, unpaid overtime work, and constantly being yelled at by my boss.
I was new and alone, no girlfriend, no friends, and felt very lonely.
My only oasis was the ramen shop near the office. For me, the ramen chef there was literally an angel. I saw a halo on his head. (No joke)
Tonkotsu shoyu ramen was my all-time favorite. He made ramen with broth chock-full of umami flavor, nice chewy handmade noodles, and tender chashu.
My greatest dream is connect people with ramen through my blog. I want to share a lot of interesting and funny stories and ramen trivia with you.
Knowing more about ramen can help you appreciate your ramen and make it taste extra delicious."
Did you know that we offer more than just a ramen blog?
We also have an exclusive collection of ramen-inspired t-shirts and hoodies that any true noodle lover will adore.
Head over to ApexRamen and check it out for yourself.
7 Must Know Japanese Ramen Bowl Shapes, Sizes, and Materials
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