Must-try: Kinton Ramen perfects the beloved Japanese street food
At 7 on a Friday night, the sidewalk outside Kinton, the six-month-old noodle bar on Baldwin Street, is lined with chattering Japanese students, canoodling couples and eager gastro-tourists—all willing to wait an hour and a half for ramen. Their dedication is entirely justified. Chef Nobuaki Urata tops his spicy garlic ramen with a heap of raw garlic so recklessly huge, it inspires trepidation at first. But once it melds with the chili-spiked pork broth, fear becomes fascination. The soup evolves as you eat: lip-searing heat gives way to buttery sweetness that ends in a caramel flourish from the torched, blackened pork belly lingering in the bottom of the bowl. It’s little wonder the typical posture of diners is a reverential hunch. 51 Baldwin St., 647-748-8900
A little late on this, aren’t you?
Their bowls are MUCH better and authentic than the picture’s styling would lead you to – as in, ramen noodles are usually in the broth, not floating mid-bowl.
Agreed Mike, ramen really does not need any styling at all, this picture hides a major part of the dish… the delicious broth!
The picture actually doesn’t look much like a Kinton Ramen bowl, at least one that hasn’t sat for 2 hours.
Kinton is great, I eat there at least once a week. The trick is to go for lunch and show up at 11:50, you’ll never wait.
Somebody hire a better photographer. Noodle has absorbed the soup and looks horrific.