Ramen Bones

Miki Nolin, Owner of Ramen Bones Food Truck

Miki Nolin had just returned from Japan and she was thinking about ramen. She went there to study the process of making ramen and was now considering opening a food truck. It would be a good way to get her foot in the door to see how Knoxville would respond to it and also how she would do with it herself.

Miki Nolin (L) and Kumi Alderman

She also believed that a food truck, as opposed to a restaurant, would give her the flexibility to test recipes to see if this path was the one she wanted to take. 

Ramen Bones Japanese food truck serves the downtown Knoxville area. Owner Miki Nolin opened the truck a little over two years ago, noting that Knoxville had a lot of Asian restaurants, but none specializing in ramen. While some places do have it on the menu, Miki says it’s really hard to make good ramen. The decision to open Ramen Bones came while working at a bakery and considering her next step.

Born near Hiroshima, Japan, Miki moved with her mom to the United States when she was around seven-years-old, while her dad, an English teacher, stayed in Japan. They lived in Michigan, Virginia, California, and Ohio before moving to Knoxville. 

Miki’s mom helped her get the food truck business started and still cooks with her every weekend. It took about a year for the truck to gain a consistent following, but Miki’s friends helped spread the word.

Miki’s future plans include opening a restaurant. She already knows how she wants the kitchen to look, but still needs to create a business plan, garner investors, and decide other logistics. She thanks Knoxville for the support she has received over the years!

Miki’s truck can now most often be found on weekends at the Central Filling Station and Southside Garage, with exact whereabouts posted on their website, www.ramenbones.net.

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