Earlier this month K-Ramyun, Austin's first-ever self-serve Korean ramyun joint, had its official grand opening in Cedar Park. Unlike other noodle spots in town where you can order your bowl from a menu or counter, here, you'll choose your own ingredients and add them yourself in a cafeteria-meets-convenience-store setting.
American ramen-lovers may hit a point of confusion here; although we use the word "ramen" interchangeably whether we're eating fresh noodles at a restaurant or dried noodles with a flavor packet at home, the word "ramyun" specifically refers to the latter.
Here's how the store works: Diners can grab a tray and select from a towering shelf of packaged noodles, just like they'd see at a grocery store, but with way more options. Each package includes instant noodles in a specific flavor profile. This shelf is the central focus of the little shop and includes over 60 ramyun flavors in colorful bags, varying from spicy, to seafood, to cheesy.
With vegetable bases, there is something for everyone — except, unfortunately, those looking for gluten-free options.
This shelf includes more than 60 flavors of traditional Korean ramyun. Photo from K-Ramyun via Yelp
Diners will then take their tray and pick from 25 topping options including eggs, cheese, corn, bean sprouts, and scallions, and they can also choose from a variety of frozen desserts from the freezer. Much like checking out in the school lunch line, guests will then take their trays to the cash register, pay for their goods, and then head to the "cooking station."
If you're not a fan of cooking, this cooking station may be just your speed. Guests simply mix their noodles and toppings into a cardboard bowl, and put it underneath a machine that will add a pre-determined amount of boiling water. Staff will be standing by to give help if needed.
Cooking stations keep it simple and include bowls, plus a machine that adds boiling water.Photo from K-Ramyun via Yelp
From there, diners can pull a stool up to one of the few tables or counters lining this small space, and dig in. Aside from the white tables and stools, the design of the space is very simple. White walls, a few pops of color, the colorful "noodle shelf," and just for fun, a photo booth along with props like headbands, sunglasses, and hats, and a small area where guests can hang their photos. The vibe is simple, and the focus is the noodles.
K-Ramyun is located at 1821 Lakeline Blvd. in Cedar Park, and is open Mondays through Saturdays, from 10:30 am to 8 pm.
