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Sunday, November 9. 2008
Ramen Restaurants - A Refuge For The Single
Usually when Friday evening approaches, I'm far too lazy to cook, so I decide to go out for dinner. More often than not, I go solo because I get off late. Typically, the restaurants around me involves waiting in line, which is a big time waster if I just want to eat and get out as fast as possible. Equally annoying is when you go into the restaurant and declare to the restaurant host that you're a party of one, and they rhetorically ask, "oh you're all alone tonight?" Yes, please rub it in.
From the business perspective, parties of one are inefficient for the restaurant, especially if it's a full house. Parties of one take up a table that could have served a larger party, so basically you have seats that are idle and not producing any money.
Thankfully, I have found a refuge where singles and parties of ones are treated with regard. That refuge would be Japanese ramen restaurants. Now, you're probably thinking, oh, top ramen, that's a pretty sad meal. I ask you to dispose of any preconceived notions of ramen that you might have, as these Japanese ramen restaurants make their ramen fresh every day, and it doesn't even come close to top ramen. Ramen noodles are a delicious, fulfilling, and inexpensive dinner. It comes in a flavourful and nutritious broth. See the picture below.
From the business perspective, parties of one are inefficient for the restaurant, especially if it's a full house. Parties of one take up a table that could have served a larger party, so basically you have seats that are idle and not producing any money.
Thankfully, I have found a refuge where singles and parties of ones are treated with regard. That refuge would be Japanese ramen restaurants. Now, you're probably thinking, oh, top ramen, that's a pretty sad meal. I ask you to dispose of any preconceived notions of ramen that you might have, as these Japanese ramen restaurants make their ramen fresh every day, and it doesn't even come close to top ramen. Ramen noodles are a delicious, fulfilling, and inexpensive dinner. It comes in a flavourful and nutritious broth. See the picture below.
So, this last Friday, I went to Kahoo Ramen for dinner, which is an extremely small ramen restaurant near my house. The place only has three tables (which can seat 4) and a bar which can seat 10. When I arrived, there were about 14 people ahead of me, all of whom were seemingly happy couples, and/or families. A lot of the couples wanted to sit at the tables, so their waits were going to be a while. Anyway, I go inside to talk to the waitress to put my name down on the wait list. I declare my party of one status as usual, and the waitress goes, oh, we have a seat open at the end of the bar, come on in. I walked past all the happy couples, who now seemed a bit annoyed at me for leapfrogging them, and I sat down at the ramen bar, victorious. It was probably one of the best feelings in the world. Why? Probably one part bitterness at them, and one part pettiness j/k.
In either case, when I sat down, the waitress told me how lucky I was, because those other people were going to have to wait for quite some time. What's interesting was that she pointed out that in Japan, ramen restaurants weren't really places that someone would bring a date to, nor was it a place to bring the family. Typically, they're frequented by single people who just wanted to eat and run; the example she gave were cab drivers as the core customers. I'm going to get my senior asian correspondent, Myron, to provide some more information about the ramen restaurants in Japan, and what the social connotations are if you eat at one of these restaurants, as I'm kind of curious now.
With this story, I declare Ramen Restaurants as safe havens for single people. I'm starting to ponder a business plan for a restaurant geared specifically towards single people, with an active discrimination against couples and groups. Anyway, last time I checked, there were no ramen restaurants in Victoria. When I return to Victoria, I should open one up as I can't live without one anymore.
In either case, when I sat down, the waitress told me how lucky I was, because those other people were going to have to wait for quite some time. What's interesting was that she pointed out that in Japan, ramen restaurants weren't really places that someone would bring a date to, nor was it a place to bring the family. Typically, they're frequented by single people who just wanted to eat and run; the example she gave were cab drivers as the core customers. I'm going to get my senior asian correspondent, Myron, to provide some more information about the ramen restaurants in Japan, and what the social connotations are if you eat at one of these restaurants, as I'm kind of curious now.
With this story, I declare Ramen Restaurants as safe havens for single people. I'm starting to ponder a business plan for a restaurant geared specifically towards single people, with an active discrimination against couples and groups. Anyway, last time I checked, there were no ramen restaurants in Victoria. When I return to Victoria, I should open one up as I can't live without one anymore.
--William Arthur Ward (1921-1994), Author of Fountains of Faith
Apart from that, there were also lots and lots of ways to get a decent meal outside the home. I found even supermarket sushi to be really good. And really, you're welcome anywhere on your own because of the huge numbers of businessmen getting a quick bite to eat.