Weekly Lunch Pick
Kenzo Ramen Japanese Noodle House
This no nonsense shrine to Japanese noodles delivers a spicy noon-hour jolt for less than $10 By Renée Suen
Bowled over: The “King of Kings“ ramen meal at Kenzo
Noodle House
Image credit: Renee Suen
The Place: Despite its recent relocation from Yonge and Steeles, this popular noodle shrine has kept the focus on the food, not the decor (or the service, for that matter). In a new setting between hospital row and city hall, the nondescript, dineresque space is bustling.
The Crowd: Techies, city administrators, med students and research scientists commune over steaming bowls of spicy noodle soups, only pausing to sip water and the wipe sweat off their brows.
The Deal: Specializing in giant bowls of egg noodles swimming in house-made broth, Kenzo Ramen lives up to its name. All selections cost less than $10, so our only hesitation is which flavour to choose: salty shio ($5.95), vegetarian miso ($6.95), shoyu soy sauce ($5.95) or thick orochong ($7.95). Non-soup items—yakisoba ($8.95), gyoza ($6.95), takoyaki ($7.95)—are available, but it’s best to stick to the ramen.
The Meal: We order the house specialty, “King of Kings” ($9.95), a hot Satporo-style ramen with fatty slices of barbecued pork hiding beneath green onions, fish cake, seaweed, braised sprouts, carrots and a semi-set boiled egg. Served slightly cool, the jelly-like yolk is as gorgeous to behold as it is to consume. Sheets of dried seaweed add a crispy texture to the slurp-tastic meal, giving our spice-triggered runny noses a break from the broth.
The Time: No nonsense servie gets us in and out in 32 minutes.
The Cost: $13.50, including tax and tip.
Kenzo Ramen Japanese Noodle House, 138 Dundas St. W. (at Elizabeth St.), 416-205-1155, kenzoramen.ca.
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It's just ok. Probably about as good as you'll get next to the real deal in Osaka or Tokyo. You know it's really good when you keep wanting more and more. Didn't get that here. Noodles were a bit over cooked.
August 5, 2009 | by ykcirAjisen may be slightly better, depending on your preferences.