If your preferred restaurant vibe is school cafeteria, your preferred pasta is ramen, and your preferred means of service is self, then The Ramyun Library in Carrollton is for you. Jihoon Lee and his business partner, Solyi Lee, modeled their new dine-in noodle shop after popular automated ramen shops in Korea, where customers pick a packet and cook the noodles themselves. You’ll also find samgak gimbap (seaweed-wrapped tuna and rice), fried dumplings, and Korean sweet pancakes, plus flavored lemonades and milks.
Growing up in Korea, Jihoon Lee often found himself grabbing a bite from a 24/7 ramen shop, where getting and making a bowl is incredibly easy. Customers choose and pay for a package of instant ramen (called ramyun in Korea) at a kiosk, and then they help themselves to their selected noodles and cook them using an automated machine that adds hot water. The last step is to choose from fresh toppings, such as kimchi, sesame seeds, and thinly sliced scallions.
Jihoon and his business partner, Solyi Lee, have brought the instant ramen concept to Texas with The Ramyun Library. The shop’s nearly all-white interior turns the sprawling shelves of colorful instant ramen packages into pop art. Dried ramen noodles affixed to one wall create a textured backdrop. K-pop blasts over speakers while music videos play on TVs.
The shop is loosely based on the ramen shops in Korea in the sense that the customers do the cooking on their own. The difference is The Ramyun Library experience isn’t cashier-less, making the process easier to navigate for newbies.
How it Works
1. Pick your package.
When you’re ready to order, head to the kiosk to choose a package of stir-fried or soup-based ramen. The Ramyun Library only has Korean varieties, but those include vegan and veggie options, so there’s something for just about everyone.
Kathy Tran
2. Select your toppings.
Toppings such as dumplings, mozzarella, fish cakes, sausages, and mushrooms can be added for an additional cost. After you pay, a ticket will be printed out, and an employee will call your name when it’s time for you to get cooking.
Kathy Tran
3. Head to the hot plate.
You’ll be handed a tray with a special heatproof bowl, your ramen package, and your requested toppings. The counter is lined with Lazo ramen machines, which have hot plates that fit the bowls perfectly. Place your dried ramen noodles in your bowl, and set your bowl on the hot plate.
Kathy Tran
4. Add hot water.
An employee behind the counter pushes a button, and the machine fills the bowl with the right amount of hot water. Then it’s time to disprove the idea that a watched pot never boils.
Kathy Tran
5. Season away.
If you are making soup-based ramen, you’ll want to add the powdered seasoning before the water boils. Stir-fried ramen must be drained before sauces are added. (An employee will guide you if you’re unsure of what to do, but you can also peek over to see what your neighbor is doing.) Don’t be shy. You can agitate the noodles as you see fit.
Kathy Tran
6. Stir and eat.
Once the noodles are cooked, it’s time to give them a final mix and slurp them up. Bop along to K-pop while you’re at it.
Kathy Tran
Experienced ramen lovers have their choice of more than 40 different flavors. For something spicy, try the Nongshim Shin noodles, which are thick and wavy and float in a deep red broth. Even spicier, a red pack of Buldak stir-fried noodles will set your mouth on fire. If you prefer something a bit milder, Jihoon recommends the sesame ramen, which has a tamer soup base featuring eggs and veggies.
Jihoon and Solyi chose Carrollton for their first restaurant because of the city’s link to the Korean community. To Jihoon, The Ramyun Library is a tiny, delicious, and fun piece of home that he can now share with a wider audience. “Ramyun is very popular in Korea,” he says. “But the people there already know how to cook it.”
This story originally appeared in the June issue of D Magazine with the headline “Ramen on Demand.” Write to feedback@dmagazine.com.
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