New Jersey residents no longer have to travel to Japan or Korea to experience the trendy self-serve ramen craze. Ramyun Lab – found inside Pizza X Cafe Inc (formerly Kudo Society Cafe) – brings the fun to Teaneck in Bergen County. The ramen lab lets patrons customize their bowl, choose their toppings, and craft a slurp-worthy masterpiece.
Ramyun Lab boasts over 50 different ramen flavors in total. This includes classics such as Shin and Jin, but also trending flavors like their line of Buldak stir-fry noodles. Beyond spicy flavors, they have instant versions of Jjajangmyun—a Korean-Chinese fusion noodle dish made with black beans. Popular toppings include kimchi, pickled radish, corn, rice cake, sausages, bulgogi, bean sprouts, cheese, and Spam.
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Build-Your-Own Ramen
“We wanted to open a self-serve ramen bar to bring comfort and nostalgia from Korea to New Jersey. As a Korean American-owned business, we know the value of bringing a little piece of home wherever you go, and these are tough times for everybody,” says HK Lee, owner. “We wanted to provide something affordable and delicious, whether it’s your study fuel, a quick dinner, or something new.”
Between Ramyun Lab and Pizza X Cafe, the updated location serves American-style cafe food with a Korean twist. For instance, Pizza X Cafe features pizzas with classic toppings as well as those with a Korean twist. (They plan to offer gluten-free pizzas as well). Bulgogi and kimchi are popular topping options for their Korean-inspired pies. HK raves about their specialty pizza, which includes mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, pepperoni, cherry peppers, and Mike’s Hot Honey.
About Ramyun & Pizza X Cafe
Though Pizza X Café and Ramyun Lab introduce new dishes, they are an extension of Kudo Society, not a replacement. The same popular menu items and Boba tea options remain on the menu. The location is also suitable for private parties and events. “We believe that no one ever grows out of a pizza party,” HK says. In fact, Ramyun and Pizza X Cafe aim to become the go-to spot for kids and adults’ birthday parties.
HK Lee and his wife are lifelong residents of Bergen County, ever since immigrating from Korea over 40 years ago. They’ve since formed invaluable connections to the community, especially as their two daughters are products of the public school system. Besides running local businesses, they support the community through donations to the local schools, churches, police, and fire departments.
Visit Ramyun Lab and Pizza X Cafe at 336 Queen Anne Rd in Teaneck. Look for them online to learn more.
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Photos: © Ramyun Lab | Calyx Ryu