Ramen

Nongshim Korean Clay Pot Ramyun Instant Noodle

My added spam was the most enjoyable part of the Nongshim Korean Clay Pot Ramyun. The ramyun does live up to its name for being chewy after being soaked in hot water for 5 minutes. However, the taste wasn’t that memorable. When I see the word “clay pot”, I was expecting Korean specialty hot sauce and a bit of sweetness from caramelized ingredients. Unfortunately, none of which was present. The Nongshim Korean Clay Pot Ramyun has got the texture, but the taste is 2 stars at best.

Sutah Ramen Hot & Spicy Noodle Soup by Samyang

Samyang’s Sutah Ramen is pretty cheap at $4.97 for a package of 5. That’s only a little more expensive than $1 per package after tax. I like the texture of their noodle, which is clearly advertised on the packaging. The spicy flavour is good but the soup base is a little boring. I would recommend this ramen for people who enjoy the chewy texture of noodles. It’s a luxury to be able to enjoy this at home. I would probably try to make my own soup base though.

Benkei Ramen on West Broadway Vancouver

Benkei Ramen is a seasoned ramen joint that’s been around for a while. Their price went up a little but remained in the same range throughout the years. That is why it is still a ramen place a lot of people default to. I personally think their ramen is too soft and feels a little overcooked. Their special dish is the curry ramen, with the soup similar to the miso ramen that is too thick to drink. Benkei Ramen is an okay ramen joint with a very competitive price of $13 per person. Because of that, there’s always going to be customers willing to come here instead of Raman Santouka across the street.

Ramen Gaoh in North Burnaby

Ramen Gaoh created lots of hype when they first opened. We came to see if we can withstand the spiciest ramen in Vancouver but left with disappointment. The food quality is not bad, but they can be more careful when cooking. I like both the exterior and interior decoration. The dining area has a good atmosphere. Since Ramen Gaoh is opened by the group that opened Ramen Gojiro, Menya Kouji Group, I was expecting a little more for $20 per person.

Best Japanese Individual Hot Pot in Vancouver

Nabebugyo Hot Pot Cuisine focuses on an individual hot pot experience similar to the ones in Japan. Business strategy or not, I admire them for taking an opposite approach to the tips culture. The 4 pieces of meat per meal are a little less, but I am not sure how many pieces of meat are fair to ask for a $14 meal. Ultimately, Nabebugyo Hot Pot serve different styles of hot pot and ramen that taste authentic. This is probably the only place where you can get to have a hot pot meal for less than $15 in Vancouver.

i-Cafe Cantonese Cafe

Cantonese Cafe has gained enough traction over the years by putting Cantonese spins on major cuisines like American, French, Singaporean, Malaysian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Taiwanese, and Japanese food. I personally find it insulting because you simply cannot miso in your noodle and call it Ramen. However, there is definitely a demand for this type of food, so who am I to judge? That being said, I would stick to the Asian cuisines offered in i-Cafe. The ever-increasing food cost has reached $14 for a lunch special with a cold drink. What you have to be a little careful about Cantonese cafe such as i-Cafe is some of the semi-hidden costs. For example, $1 extra for cold drinks, or $1 extra if you want to swap out for Ramen noodle.

Tsujiri, Japanese Matcha cafe in Richmond

Compared to Nana’s Green Tea’s $9.80 parfait, Tsujiri’s $14 parfait feels like a whole other ball game. The parfait at Tsujiri is 150% more expensive, but they seem to use more interesting toppings. I’m not sure if these topping is worth the extra $4 to you. The lone line up seems to indicate the worthiness of these toppings. I personally cannot justify the cost because they simply can charge higher for a parfait in 2019, but will leave the decision up to you guys.

Nana’s Green Tea, Japanese Matcha Dessert Franchise in Vancouvr

Nana’s Green Tea is a very good matcha dessert shop. They lived up to their name, everything related to matcha has a rich taste to it. It is well controlled so it doesn’t taste bitter. The cost of $8 per person on average is a little high, but their premium matcha is from Kyoto. It is very authentic and nothing is watered down. Please note that they also serve Hojicha dessert, ramen, and Donburi. I would definitely recommend Nana’s Green Tea.

Kamamarui Ramen and Don, Burnaby Ramen

I don’t understand why people are lining up for Kamamarui Ramen and Don. The only reason I can think of is perhaps there aren’t authentic ramen places nearby. I think these are all going to change as soon as the Marutama Ramen opens on Kingsway. Unfortunately, Kamamarui Ramen and Don is not worth the $15 per person price point for me. For the same price, I can get a better crafted authentic Japanese ramen from somewhere else.

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