Ramen is one of the most favourite foods in my life. I believe I will be excited to talk about how much I am obsessed with ramen, what the best ramen for me looks like or take people to my go-to place in the future. Plus, since I have worked at a ramen restaurant in Vancouver for almost two years, I believe I am the one who is most enthusiastic about ramen in Vancouver.

To begin with the general idea, Ramen is a type of Japanese noodle soup dish that typically consists of wheat noodles served in a meat or fish-based broth, often flavoured with soy sauce or miso, and topped with various ingredients such as sliced pork, seaweed, green onions, and boiled eggs. It is a popular and versatile dish with many regional variations in Japan and has also gained popularity worldwide, with numerous ramen restaurants serving different styles of ramen across the globe.

Speaking of Vancouverian Ramen, we can typically find Tonkotsu-based ramen restaurants and then come with less salty soup than the Japanese version. Every restaurant is prone to have the vegetarian option because Vancouverian expects all restaurants to have a vegetarian menu as a common standard but in case people want some gluten-free noodles, that tends to be a headache for the restaurant. There still would be a low chance of no gluten noodles and they might end up getting complaints about that. Plus, Canadian people don't much appreciate the salty taste and hot soup as Japanese people expect Ramen, we most likely experience less salty getting cold ramen to meet local demands. 

Let me tell you how I usually give advice when choosing the best ramen local. When people ask for recommendations, I tend to start with the question "Are you in a mood for rich or light" to figure out their preferences. If people choose rich, I take them to some tonkatsu ramen restaurants, if a person chooses light, then I take them to my go-to place which has more Japanese authentic options with shoyu or shio ramen. 

Interestingly, there is a huge difference between Canadian and Japanese preferences when it comes to ramen. We are less likely to share our opinions or feedback on the certain ramen that we eat simultaneously. Similarly, it is applied to Sushi which Canadians tend to imagine as Carifolnia roll compared to Nigiri Sushi. So basically I would try to see if the person prefers the Japanese version or Canadian version of ramen. Don't lose hope whenever they go for a Canadian taste of ramen. Don't be disappointed because we are in Canada... 

Me, because I am from the northern part of Japan where ramen is the most popular meal for every occasion, I would say, I love terribly way richer fish flavour ramen with thick noodles which is perfect for a harsh winter. Unfortunately, most Canadians specifically dislike this taste and flavour but still looking forward to meeting someone who becomes a big fan of my home taste someday indulging in the same ramen in a cold winter.