(Continued from previous post)
Hong Kong has long been known for its vibrant dining-out culture.
With many dual-income households and compact kitchens being common, eating out instead of cooking at home has become a natural and accepted choice.
Breakfast, lunch, and even dinner are often enjoyed at nearby diners or cha chaan tengs.
In this environment, eating out isn’t a special occasion—it’s simply a part of daily life.
Within such a city, Japanese ramen—especially in its early days—was a weak contender as a dining-out option.
As mentioned in the previous post, ramen was seen as “too salty” or “too rich,” and few people would go out of their way to eat it.
For most Hongkongers at the time, if you were going to eat out, Chinese cuisine or something that matched local tastes felt like the natural choice.
On the other hand, Demae Iccho instant noodles had already found a firm place in Hong Kong households.
Boil for three minutes in a pot—done.
People had grown used to the flavor, and more importantly, it was easy to prepare and clean up after, making it ideal for busy mornings or quick evening meals.
Brand recognition was strong, to the point that some may have thought,
“Japanese ramen = Demae Iccho.”
In other words, people were familiar with the idea of ramen,
but the culture of choosing to eat ramen at a restaurant, as a deliberate experience, had not yet taken root.
This lack of cultural positioning—combined with the initial taste mismatch—was one of the reasons why Japanese-style ramen took time to gain popularity in Hong Kong.
But tastes and preferences evolve.
Increased exposure to diverse cuisines, more frequent travel, and a growing fondness for Japanese culture all played a role.
Gradually, the idea of “going out for Japanese ramen” began to take hold in Hong Kong.
We’ll explore the signs of that shift in the next post.
(To be continued)