Mumbai, June 18 -- A customer picks up a packet of ramyun-the Korean term for instant noodles-adds toppings such as eggs, cheese or chicken, and cooks it at a self-service station before digging in. The format, popular across South Korea and parts of Asia, is gaining traction in India, turning a simple at-home convenience food into a fine dining experience.

Indians' growing appetite for experiential dining and Korean food is fuelling the rise of self-service ramyun bars, creating a new growth avenue that requires lower investment and leaner staffing for restaurant operators grappling with slowing demand, rising costs and intensifying competition.

For Korean noodle makers, these bars mean access to a market beyond supermarkets and an opp...