Along with Samurai Sam’s® Rice Bowls, Yakisoba bowls inhabit a prominent section of the menu. This leads customers to ask, “What is yakisoba?” If you own a Samurai Sam’s restaurant, your friendly servers are probably familiar with that question. Here are some facts about the wok-stirred noodles to help you and your staff become yakisoba experts:
- Every day’s a holiday at Samurai Sam’s: did you know yakisoba noodles are served at outdoor festivals in Japan? You can even get them in a hot dog bun, but we keep things on the healthier side by sticking with meats and vegetables.
- Food trucks are all the rage these days, and yakisoba noodle dishes are often served at outdoor venues. Quick preparation makes them ideal for such locations, and we offer yakisoba bowls so we can serve nutritious options in a flash.
- Yakisoba is not served in soup: it’s meant to be fried. We wok-stir the noodles to minimize the amount of oil used in cooking.
- In Japan, yakisoba sauce goes on the noodles. At Samurai Sam’s, the teriyaki sauce brings a signature spin to this popular dish.
- Soba noodles are buckwheat based, whereas yakisoba noodles are made with wheat flour. That means, unfortunately, yakisoba is not gluten-free. Check the allergen chart and make it available to your customers so they can order with confidence.
- Yakisoba noodles are more similar to chow mein than ramen or udon because of the way they’re prepared: tossed in yummy sauce and stirred with veggies and meat, chicken or seafood.
- Yakisoba is generally more filling than rice, so if customers are looking for a meal that will tide them over and reduce the urge to snack between meals, recommend they try a yakisoba bowl.
- Nutritionally, yakisoba noodles don’t bring much to the table by themselves. That’s why we toss them with fresh vegetables and offer a number of nutrient-packed protein options. Combining different food groups results in a healthy, hearty meal!
- Yakisoba is not ramen. Customers might mistake the two, because popular instant noodle brands sell ramen alongside yakisoba in the supermarket. As with ramen, yakisoba prepared on the stove with fresh ingredients is very different than microwaveable instant foods. The taste and texture of the wok-stirred yakisoba bowls attest to their higher quality.
When we opened the first Samurai Sam’s, the goal was to prepare quick, healthy, Japanese cuisine-inspired meals that satisfy dietary needs and taste buds at the same time. Yakisoba is one of the menu staples. If you are a franchise owner and you have questions about any of the menu items, please reach out to the brand. We’re here to help.
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