The origins of ramen date back to the Tokugawa period (1603-1868) in Japan, though some believe ramen originated in China (1). In the 1950s-1960s, ramen quickly gained popularity, becoming a “key staple” of the working class (2). Despite its status as a “food that became so ubiquitous among the people,” in the 1980s and 1990s, ramen was essentially “rebranded” into what scholars call a “symbol of artisanal entrepreneurship.” (3)

Since then, ramen has been included in “Washoku”, a category of traditional Japanese foods that UNESCO designated as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage” (1) (though the category is often up for interpretation). At Japan’s ramen shops (called ramen-ya), ramen is often purchased using a ticket from a vending machine, considered a “unique eating system” (1) where patrons are encouraged to eat rather than socialize, focus fully on the food, and leave after finishing.  

According to Osaki Hiroshi, who has consumed nearly 17,000 bowls of ramen (2) and created the “Ramen Data Bank,” ramen has created an entirely new classification of cuisine,” on par with curry, pizza, and spaghetti. Expanding from food carts to  “yokocho” alleys (2) to night markets, ramen currently accounts for 26% of food eaten outside of the home in Japan, a craze that has reached foreign shores.

Image Credit: Fast Company 

Founded in 2004 by David Chang, a six-time James Beard award winner, Momofuku has proved itself as a staple of American “artisanal” ramen culture. With CEO Marguerite Zabar Mariscal at the helm (Mariscal is the great-granddaughter of Louis Zabar of the famous NYC food store), Momofuku has expanded throughout the US from urban noodle shops to consumer packaged goods. (5)

Momofuku, which translates to “lucky peach”, has restaurants in California, New York, and Nevada (6), such as the Peach Palace in JFK Terminal 8, Majordomo in Los Angeles, and Bang Bar in Las Vegas. One of the two ‘Momofuku Noodle Bars’ in NYC is the Columbus Circle location, a stone’s throw away from Central Park and just north of Hell’s Kitchen. The Columbus Circle location is reminiscent of the importance of ramen “of the people”, located on the third floor of the Time Warner Building.

Image Credit: Momofuku

Ramen types and flavors are regional, with “a variety of flavors, noodle types, and toppings” (2) based on four main ramen types that include miso, salt, shoyu, and tonkosu (7). Momofuku’s uptown location, which offers lunch, bar service, and dinner, includes a reimagined ramen selection. (8)

The menu includes adaptations of Shoyu ramen, Shio ramen, and a Miso/Tantanmen hybrid. The closest Momofuku variant to Shoyu ramen, commonly found in Tokyo, is their Smoked Pork ramen, made with BBQ-style pork. (9) The traditional Shio ramen, associated with the Hakodate region, is similar to the Garlic Chicken ramen. Popular in the Sapporo region, Momofuku’s Spicy Mushroom borrows from both Tantanmen and Miso ramen types. 

Ramen shops have long-since followed an “analog” aesthetic. Before electric and automated kitchen tools, ramen kitchens featured vintage hand-crank machines. (10) The famous food ticket machines (called shokkenki), which reflect Japan’s passion for vending machines, once had push-button mechanical units. (11,12) Walls were adorned with static signage, (13) including fabric curtains indicating whether a shop was open or closed, wooden signs, a-frame sandwich boards, and wayfinding signs with directions. (14) While artisanal ramen shops still rely on mechanical machines and classic tools, many shops have shifted to digital solutions. 

At Momofuku, the restaurant design follows a “minimal aesthetic” rooted in NYC bar culture, with an open kitchen, bar seating, and booths. There’s one exception: no screens. The design honors the “analog aesthetic” of the classic, yet modernized ramen shop, with a custom Split Flap displayed over the kitchen and bar area.

Serving as a new modern take on the nostalgic ‘train station board’, the custom Split Flap at Momofuku Noodle Bar is an engaging focal point for all dining patrons. The display, framed in our Classic Black casing, includes custom symbols, the lucky peach logo, and custom color flaps. 

Beyond aesthetics, the Split Flap rotates through menu items and cocktails, elevating specific dishes and drinks in tactile transitions and sequences. With the ability to send updates in real time (86 items, welcoming private parties and VIP guests), messages can also be scheduled, such as automating the board to swiftly transition from a lunch menu to a dinner menu to a bar menu.

Similar to a classic “Solari board”, an Oat Foundry Split Flap has long-term visibility, legible from up to 100 ft away. Ideal for a busy restaurant such as Momofuku’s Noodle Bar, this custom Split Flap includes 6-inch modules and 2.5” text, making it possible to read from the entrance, bar, and other key vantage points. With 100+ size configurations, Momofuku was able to scale its Split Flap to fit their bar area perfectly.

In 2025, Momofuku opened Super Peach in Los Angeles, installing another custom Oat Foundry Split Flap as an interactive menu. The restaurant, which is described by Eater as “futuristic,” integrated the mid-century styled Split Flap to bring movement and subtle sound into the space. (15) Another Oat Foundry custom Split Flap debuted at Peach Palace in JFK’s Terminal 8. (6) Oat Foundry previously collaborated with Momofuku on a Split Flap for the East Village location and on a display for Natural Products Expo West. 

Momofuku’s Noodle Bar, Super Peach, and Peach Palace have made headlines for their fresh take on ramen and other traditional Japanese dishes. The Columbus Circle location was described as “inject(ing) mischief and delight into mall dining,” by NY Eater. (16) NY Eater also covered the Peach Palace opening, as well as Super Peach in LA. Bon Appétit covered the East Village Noodle Bar back in 2013, calling it “fun, unexpected, and full of attitude.” (16)

Image Credit: Hollywood Reporter

Mechanical Split Flaps from Oat Foundry provide a much-needed respite from monitor menus and hot screens. From long-range visibility to a modern, sleek design, we take pride in customizing and sizing our Split Flaps to unique food and beverage spaces. The perfect balance of form and function, our large-scale Split Flaps last for decades, providing a signature, long-lasting staple to any ramen bar.

Resources

1. What is washoku, Japanese cuisine on Unesco heritage list? It depends who you ask
2. Brewed in Japan: The Evolution of the Japanese Beer Industry.
3. The Untold History of Ramen: How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze. California Studies in Food and Culture, 49.
4. Ramen’s Rise from Street Food to Global Phenomenon
5. How Momofuku Goods Became a $67 Million Powerhouse and Defied Its Doubters
6. Momofuku Restaurants
7. A Guide to Ramen in Japan
8. Ramen Database
9. Ramen Database, Types
10. How a Tiny Japanese Ramen Shop Survived 100 Years Without Using Any Processed Seasonings
11. 4 Easy Steps: How Do You Order Ramen Using a Ticket Vending Machine in Japan?!
12. Japan’s Unique Vending Machine Culture
13. Kanban: Shop Signs of Old Japan (and Bonus Content)
14. The Izakaya, Ramen Bar & Kaiseki Restaurant: What Makes their Design Distinct?
15. #1: Momofuku, NYC
16. Eater
    1. 1. 1. Super Peach Review
          2. David Chang Time Warner
          3. Momofuku’s Peach Palace, JFK Airport