Calling all instant noodle lovers! One way to get the attention of the youth is with instant noodles. I guarantee you the majority of your friends enjoy the occasional (or frequent) packet of noodles, whether as a guilty pleasure or a commonplace snack, quick and simple, or with a few add-ins. So why not take them to…
Ramen Boy in Shanghai
Hidden from plain sight, Ramen Boy may be hard to find and is certainly not the biggest bistro you’ll encounter in your life. But I assure you, there’s no other place with as many options for ramen within a 100-kilometre radius than Ramen Boy, a direct translation from “泡面男孩”.
Located inside the community at 112 Xikang Lu in downtown Shanghai (上海市西康路 112号小区里), look for the white entrance canopy with the big, burgundy characters. Choose to sit in their quaint, outdoor seating area with the instant noodle vending machine, or indoors to gaze upon their Instagram-worthy wall of noodles.
The clean, calm atmosphere is accompanied by attentive and friendly staff. The joint is also scattered with unique figurines, ranging from cartoon characters to the miscellaneous. Not to mention their odd painted depictions of people eating ramen and a lit-up sign reading, “My favourite type of men, is ramen”.
Their wall of noodles displays over 200 different kinds of instant noodles from all across east Asia, although not all are available all year-round. The menu separates ramen by country of origin; Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian. Also on offer is a wide array of side dishes and noodle toppings.
A signature noodle menu consists of the house favourites and the best sellers, varying in price and flavour. They’re not the cheapest option out there, with the average price being ¥48, depending on the number of toppings and noodle choice. A limited-time offer has the cheapest at ¥8.8 for a bowl of “Lo mien” that comes with a fried egg and veg. At the other end of the spectrum, the most expensive is no more than ¥60.
Not only are the menus in English or have pictures, there are also an impressive amount of vegetarian and vegan options and alternatives, 11 in fact, titled the “Green Choice”. They come with Omni-pork alternatives to place atop your noodles or vegan cheese for those who prefer their noodles cheesy, along with vegan side dishes. So, don’t worry vegetarians, you won’t starve here. And there is also a wide variety of seafood-based options.
For the spicy-noodle enthusiasts, check out the ample choices of spicy-Korean noodles, their spiciness indicated by the amount of “flames” in the descriptions, ranging from none and getting gradually spicier, with the spiciest having 10 flames!
Finally for dessert, a combination sweet and savoury, with the signature Spam and Crispy Ramen Ice-Cream for a mere ¥28. And to work off all those calories, Ramen Boy is located in a lively shopping district, perfect for a post-ramen afternoon stroll.
