CONVOY DISTRICT (KGTV) -- A new self-serve ramen shop in San Diego's Convoy District is helping introduce locals to a popular trend from Asian convenience stores, offering hundreds of instant noodle varieties from across Asia.
The Ramen Station features instant noodles from Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Indonesian brands, creating what co-owner William Sutjiadi describes as a nostalgic, community-oriented experience.
"It's very homey, it's something that brings me back to my childhood. It's very community-oriented, you know, it reminds me of the late night, you know, with my family or with my friends in college," Sutjiadi said.
Sutjiadi and his business partner, John, developed the concept after traveling to Asia, where self-serve ramen stations are common fixtures in convenience stores.
"We see different trends from there that we can turn that into a business concept. This one in particular, we see it's really, really popular in Asia," Sutjiadi said.
The shop allows customers to choose from hundreds of different instant noodle options, add condiments and spice packets, and prepare their meals on-site. Popular options include Buldak Carbonara, a well-known South Korean brand.
For Sutjiadi, the shop's appeal goes beyond just serving food. He hopes the instant noodles will evoke memories and create connections among customers.
"A lot of 'remember when?' stories appear a lot, and we hear that a lot while we're at Ramen Station," Sutjiadi said.
The business aims to bring a taste of Asian convenience store culture to San Diego while fostering the kind of nostalgia that hits close to home for many customers.
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