Picture this: It's a slightly chilly night in September and the first week of the Rugby World Cup. You've just finished watching a game at the pub and, hopefully, you're celebrating a victory with a pint or two. You want to grab some food on the way home, but leave the sushi and tempura for a nice dinner another day. A post-pub party calls for a steaming, salty bowl of 締めのラーメン (shime no rāmen), which translates loosely as "ramen to close the night."
Canadians have their poutine and the British have their kebabs, but when the Japanese are done drinking, they opt for ramen. 郷に入れば郷に従え (Gō ni haireba gō ni shitagae, When in Rome, do as the Romans do), step up to the bustling ラーメン屋 (rāmen-ya, ramen shop) and you'll be greeted with the heady scent of pork and garlic. Rather than hearing the sound of clinking glasses and low chatter, you are greeted by a cacophony of "いらしゃいませ!" ("Irasshaimase!," "Welcome!"), clanking soup bowls and impressively loud slurping, "ジュルジュル!" ("juru-juru," "sluuuurp!")
Don't sit quite yet.