Ramen vs Pho vs Chow Mein vs Spaghetti

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who makes the best noodles

  • Japan - Ramen

  • Vietnam - Pho

  • China - chow mein

  • Italy - Spaghetti


Results are only viewable after voting.

Insomniator

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2002
6,294
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same.

I like ramen, pho, and occasional chow mein but I couldn't eat it everyday like spaghetti. It would be the same as eating jjamppong, jjajangmyeon, naengmyeon, kalguksu, japchae everyday. And most of korean/chinese noodles are way better than ramen, pho, or chow mein.

Wow I forgot about jjajangmyeon... I could eat that every day... I guess korean wins then! Is jjajang different at a chinese restaurant vs a korean noodle house? I know its originally chinese...
 

Svnla

Lifer
Nov 10, 2003
17,986
1,388
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I tried all four and I have to vote for Pho. A hot bowl of Pho from a good restaurant = yummy.
 

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,231
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Never really got the Pho love. Maybe we just have shitty Pho here, but I've been to a few recommended places and I've only ever found it to be ok. Not bad by any means, just not something I go out of my way to consume.

KT
 

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
all depends on what I'm in the mood for.

I wouldn't eat ramen with a tomato sauce, but I wouldn't put spaghetti in soup.
 

glenn1

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
25,383
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Never really got the Pho love. Maybe we just have shitty Pho here, but I've been to a few recommended places and I've only ever found it to be ok. Not bad by any means, just not something I go out of my way to consume.

KT

It can be very good but the broth is key. Poll leaves out the l33t option however - mohinga.

Mohinga-Burmese-fish-nood-001.jpg
 

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,231
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It can be very good but the broth is key. Poll leaves out the l33t option however - mohinga.

Mohinga-Burmese-fish-nood-001.jpg

Never tried that; sounds yummy.

You are totally right by the way; the place I go to is all about the broth and there is no place better around here that I've ever tried anyway.

KT
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,688
2,810
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Wow I forgot about jjajangmyeon... I could eat that every day... I guess korean wins then! Is jjajang different at a chinese restaurant vs a korean noodle house? I know its originally chinese...

It's not Chinese. Chinese in Korea started it and Koreans have embraced and made it their own. You won't find it in China or anywhere in the world unless it's Chinese Korean restaurant. But it's de facto delivery food in Korea. Every home in Korea has at least two restaurants that will deliver it within 5-10 minutes.
 

jaedaliu

Platinum Member
Feb 25, 2005
2,670
1
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It's not Chinese. Chinese in Korea started it and Koreans have embraced and made it their own. You won't find it in China or anywhere in the world unless it's Chinese Korean restaurant. But it's de facto delivery food in Korea. Every home in Korea has at least two restaurants that will deliver it within 5-10 minutes.

You sure it's not chinese? the entire name is the phoneticization of the mandarin term for the chinese dish. I order it chinese restaurants that don't have any noticable korean leanings.

The flavor of both are similar, but the 2 places I've had it from Korean restaurants usually have a thicker and sweeter sauce than the chinese restaurants.
 

Imported

Lifer
Sep 2, 2000
14,679
23
81
Wow I forgot about jjajangmyeon... I could eat that every day... I guess korean wins then! Is jjajang different at a chinese restaurant vs a korean noodle house? I know its originally chinese...

I love jjajangmyun.. Much more difficult to find than ramen or pho though.

For Vietnamese noodle soups, bun rieu cua > pho any day. Whenever I visit my mom's I try to ger her to make it since its so good.

dsc_2232.jpg


Of the four choices, ramen.
 

andylawcc

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
18,183
3
81
there are no losers here, they are all winners.

and there are many types of "chinese noodles", chow mein is just one type.
 

dbk

Lifer
Apr 23, 2004
17,685
10
81
pho ftw.. ill eat some lamyun (, and not lo mein), at home if I have nothing else to eat. I love soba, too yumm. spaghetti is boring as crap, though
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,688
2,810
126
You sure it's not chinese? the entire name is the phoneticization of the mandarin term for the chinese dish. I order it chinese restaurants that don't have any noticable korean leanings.

The flavor of both are similar, but the 2 places I've had it from Korean restaurants usually have a thicker and sweeter sauce than the chinese restaurants.

I'm sure it's not Chinese. That said, you won't find it in regular Korean restaurants. It has to be Chinese restaurant serving Korean style Chinese. That's why jjamppong and jjajangmyun are so hard to find outside of Korea. Luckily there's great place near Emory University in GA which serves the best jjamppong, jjajangmyun, and chicken kkaunpunggi. It's better than the ones I had in Korea.
 

Insomniator

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2002
6,294
171
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I'm sure it's not Chinese. That said, you won't find it in regular Korean restaurants. It has to be Chinese restaurant serving Korean style Chinese. That's why jjamppong and jjajangmyun are so hard to find outside of Korea. Luckily there's great place near Emory University in GA which serves the best jjamppong, jjajangmyun, and chicken kkaunpunggi. It's better than the ones I had in Korea.

I'm pretty sure its chinese originally... the restaurants that serve it usually serve Chinese style Korean food. They might not even have Kimchi, despite being run by all Korean people.

From about.com's recipe on it: Jajangmyun (Chajangmyun, Jjajang myun) is one of the most popular noodle dishes in Korea. It is the Korean adaptation of a Chinese black bean noodle dish with the same name, and you can find it in every Chinese restaurant in Korea.

From wiki: The dish originated from zhajiangmian (炸醬麵, literally "fried sauce noodles") in China's Shandong region.[citation needed] The pronunciation of the dish's name is nearly identical to that of its Korean counterpart. But Korean jajangmyeon differs from Chinese zhajiangmian, as Korean jjajangmyeon uses black Korean chunjang including caramel, and onions.[citation
 

glenn1

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
25,383
1,013
126
I'm sure it's not Chinese. That said, you won't find it in regular Korean restaurants. It has to be Chinese restaurant serving Korean style Chinese. That's why jjamppong and jjajangmyun are so hard to find outside of Korea. Luckily there's great place near Emory University in GA which serves the best jjamppong, jjajangmyun, and chicken kkaunpunggi. It's better than the ones I had in Korea.

Availability probably depends on where you are - Korean restaurants serving mostly pasty white person clients is probably going to stick to bulgogi, japchae, and that sort of thing. My 3 y.o. daughter does like jjajangmyun though, while she geneally refuses naengmyeon which seems much more kid friendly. She'll try my sundubu jjigae though and always insists on being allowed to crack the egg into it. Odd.
 

Insomniator

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2002
6,294
171
106
Availability probably depends on where you are - Korean restaurants serving mostly pasty white person clients is probably going to stick to bulgogi, japchae, and that sort of thing. My 3 y.o. daughter does like jjajangmyun though, while she geneally refuses naengmyeon which seems much more kid friendly. She'll try my sundubu jjigae though and always insists on being allowed to crack the egg into it. Odd.


In Fort Lee (jersey) the restaurants that serve kbbq are different than the noodle houses that serve jampong, jajang etc. They are just different types of restaurants. Korean vs Chinese Korean.
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,688
2,810
126
I'm pretty sure its chinese originally... the restaurants that serve it usually serve Chinese style Korean food. They might not even have Kimchi, despite being run by all Korean people.

From about.com's recipe on it: Jajangmyun (Chajangmyun, Jjajang myun) is one of the most popular noodle dishes in Korea. It is the Korean adaptation of a Chinese black bean noodle dish with the same name, and you can find it in every Chinese restaurant in Korea.

From wiki: The dish originated from zhajiangmian (炸醬麵, literally "fried sauce noodles") in China's Shandong region.[citation needed] The pronunciation of the dish's name is nearly identical to that of its Korean counterpart. But Korean jajangmyeon differs from Chinese zhajiangmian, as Korean jjajangmyeon uses black Korean chunjang including caramel, and onions.[citation

I stand corrected. My preference is jjamppong as I like the spicy seafood broth. Is there Chinese equivalent jjamppong as well?
 

Insomniator

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2002
6,294
171
106
I stand corrected. My preference is jjamppong as I like the spicy seafood broth. Is there Chinese equivalent jjamppong as well?

Good question actually... I imagine they would. Do they have the bowls split in half that lets you get both dishes in one order where you go? Thats the best!