Ramen Vs Hot Pot: Which One Should I Choose?

When it comes to eating out, there are two major types of restaurants: those that offer ramen and those that offer hotpot.

Both are super popular in Japan, and both have become increasingly popular in other parts of the world as well. So, which one is better? Today, we’ll be comparing ramen and hotpot, and discussing which is the better option for you. Let’s get started.

What is ramen?

Ramen is a Japanese dish made from wheat noodles, soy sauce, and stock. Because of its popularity in Japan, Its also taken many other countries by storm.

What is hotpot?

Hotpot is a style of eating where the customer orders and pays for individual portions of food from a common boiling pot. Typically, customers will order a meat item (usually pork or seafood), a broth, and vegetables.

Other dishes that can be found in hotpot restaurants include eggs, corn, cheese, and among other things. The contents of the boiling pot can vary, but typically there will be at least one type of meat, fish, or seafood.

Instant Variety Ramen Vs Hotpot

Some of you might be looking to compare the instant variety ramen and hot pot, in which case you can watch the video below for the full breakdown.

Ramen vs Hotpot: Which one is better?

So, which one is better? Ramen or hotpot? While they both have their unique benefits, there are a few areas where hotpot beats out ramen. Let’s take a look at these areas.

Healthy Eating

When you order hotpot, you’re provided with a bowl filled with healthy ingredients. There’s no doubt that this is a major positive when compared to ramen, which is often considered a “greasy spoon” type of cuisine. While both offer protein, the hotpot variety offers vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, which are lacking in ramen due to its heavier usage of oil.

Variety

While hotpot offers a greater variety of ingredients, including many vegetables and dairy items, compared to ramen, these are items that are added to hotpot at the restaurant. This means that the components of your hotpot could be different from one restaurant to the next. By contrast, you can usually expect a consistent lineup of sauces and toppings at most ramen restaurants, meaning that you’re more likely to love it regardless of where you go.

Cost

Finally, the cost of ramen is often cheaper than that of hot pot. This is likely because ramen ingredients are cheaper than those used in hotpot, and many hotpot restaurants charge a premium for their meats, seafood, and vegetables.

Conclusion

So, which one is better? To answer this question, we first have to look at what each dish is made from. Hotpot is made from many different ingredients, whereas ramen is a more limiting cuisine. Because of this, hotpot offers customers a greater variety of choices, while also costing less.

When it comes down to it, hotpot is the healthier choice because it doesn’t contain oil, salt, or MSG. However, due to the variety of ingredients found in hotpot, it’s often more expensive than ramen. Therefore, if you’re on a budget, ramen is the better choice.

However, if you’re craving variety and something different, hotpot is the way to go. This is because most hotpot restaurants will offer a greater variety of ingredients than typical ramen restaurants. So, which one is better? It depends on your preferences, but either way, you won’t be disappointed!