Get ready for ramen

The line for ramen at Rex Hospital’s café, in Raleigh, N.C., tends to be particularly chatty. “Everyone has a story from when they ate it growing up,” says Executive Chef Ryan Conklin. “People start talking about how they used to eat it in college, and they love that we’re serving it here.”

If food brings people together, there might be no dish that does it better than this spicy noodle soup. But ramen being served in cafeterias today is wholly different from the cheap, prepackaged stuff known for sustaining cash-strapped university kids. Using scratch-made broths, savory proteins, fresh vegetables and herbs and a bevy of spicy sauces, operators are serving flavorful soups that rival those found in trendy urban noodle bars.

For broth, go big

When Michigan State University Executive Chef Kevin Cruz went to China, he learned that one of the keys to a successful ramen was a deeply flavorful broth. “If you go to the Szechuan region, all the broth will be screaming hot and the color will be vivid red from the hot peppers,” he says. “In the coastal regions, the broths are heartier and have more onion, garlic and herbs.” Developing his own recipe proved a balancing act: The broth had to taste as authentic as possible for the college’s growing Asian population, while still remaining palatable to their American counterparts. Now, in addition to offering a spicy Shanghai-style broth, Cruz also offers a Mex-Asian fusion-style broth loaded with cilantro and roasted corn. For vegetarian customers, there’s a soy and miso broth.

Ron DeSantis, director of culinary services at Yale University, in New Haven, Conn., is a broth evangelist, too. Whether it’s beef, chicken, pork or vegetable, he emphasizes the importance of acidity, relying heavily on ingredients such as citrus zest, lemon grass or rice wine vinegar. For umami, he’ll add dried shiitake mushrooms or nori. 

Offer tons of toppings

Of course, broth alone doesn’t make for a satisfying soup. Fresh noodles are equally essential, according to Dawn Aubrey, associate director of housing for dining services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). “They’re thicker, more tender and they absorb more flavor,” Aubrey says. Having proteins that complement the broth matters, too. At UIUC, students can get Korean barbecue ramen by pairing beef bulgogi with beef or pork broth. For vegetarians, smoked tofu meets its match in a rich, salty miso broth.

Then there are the add-ins, which bring ramen to life. Raw vegetables including shaved carrots, julienned peppers, thinly sliced leeks or snow peas, bean sprouts, napa cabbage and even kimchi add brightness and crunch. “The broth is hot enough that it gives them a little wilt but doesn’t completely cook them,” DeSantis says. Sautéed shiitake or maitake mushrooms lend a meaty texture and more Asian-inspired flavor.

And the vegetables are just the beginning. At Rex, Conklin’s customers can round out their soups with chopped cilantro, scallion, sambal sauce, peanuts, cashews and lime wedges. Bamboo shoots, edamame, soy sauce and crispy wontons are some of the toppers set out at Muhlenberg College, in Allentown, Pa. And at UIUC, it’s all about the sauces: Aubrey serves red and green sriracha, gojuchang and ponzu.

Eggs are another biggie. DeSantis has a seven-minute steamed egg with a fully cooked yolk. Conklin is experimenting with a soft-boiled egg that is marinated overnight in soy sauce and mirin.

Keeping service speedy

A highly customizable dish, ramen poses the potential for speed-of-service issues. At Muhlenberg, the broth is kept hot in two soup wells, and staff heat and dip the noodles and greens (either spinach or watercress) into individual bowls. Then, “we set up a salad bar with all of the condiments and sliced grilled chicken breast or flank steak. People can help themselves,” says Director of Culinary Operations Jon Middleton.

That approach doesn’t work for everyone, though. “We tried self-service at the ramen noodle station, and it was a holy mess,” Aubrey says. “So we went back to assisted. It’s being made for them, but they’re finishing it themselves.” Students still have the option of customizing everything that goes into their soup, and trained staff are also encouraged to make recommendations for flavor combinations.