extranoodlesyvr-blog

[extranoodlesyvr-blog]

Gyo Para

Introduction

Usually this is the spot in reviews where people talk about the things they were doing before getting to the restaurant. Mr. Noodle and I have agreed that neither of our lives are exciting enough to talk at length about, so instead we’d like to give you some background information about the restaurant, Gyo Para. Gyo Para is the reincarnation of a ramen restaurant from the nineties called Gyoza Paradise. It was opened in 1993 on Thurlow and Robson by the Aramaki family. Boy, how I’m sure that spot has changed over the years!

The concept was simple back then too-- serve a small selection of great ramen and gyozas. The son of the original owners has decided to continue to family business and works as the head chef at Gyo Para. They focus on using natural flavours and avoid adding MSG to their dishes. They also pride themselves in using the “Neu G7 Water Activation System” from Japan to purify their water, which they use as the base for their ramen broth. 

The Place

Gyo Para is located near the intersection of Broadway and Arbutus which makes it very easily accessible by the 99 B-line. We parked around the corner along arbutus, where you can often find free 2 hour parking on the street. The first thing you notice when you enter the restaurant is the large “gyoza paradise” painting from the original shop on the wall. It’s vibrant colours and nineties style really makes it stand out amongst the otherwise minimalistic and wooden decor. Unlike other ramen restaurants, the space is actually quite open, with a very large communal table in the center. That being said, the place can still only host at most 30-40 people.

When we got there, it was fairly busy, so we were sat at the bar. Although we know some people aren’t big fans, we actually don’t mind sitting up at the bar-- it brings us closer to the action. From our bar seats, you could see straight into the kitchen and there was a hanging tv playing a Japanese film on Netflix. The space behind the bar was a bit disorganized, with some dirty plates and rags waiting to be taken into the back. In all fairness though, the restaurant didn’t have many places where the servers could put things down to rest and it didn’t really bother us much.

The Menu

With a concise selection of five ramen you won’t have too many options to weigh before making up your mind. Gyoza and fried rice are available if you’re looking for something additional to snack on. I think it would be heretical not to order gyozas from a place called “Gyoza Paradise”, so we got ourselves an order of the pork ones. We don’t rate non-ramen items in our reviews, but we would definitely recommend getting an order if you have room! The gyoza skin was incredibly thin, but still crunchy and nicely caramelized from the frying. The filling was also very tender and juicy--- they were honestly really frickin’ good gyozas. Mr. Noodle also ordered himself a beer. They only have one draft beer, Kirin, which comes in 16oz for $4.75. There are also a few other drink options like hot tea and highballs.

The Ramen

I appreciate shorter menus, because I find that makes it easier for me to come to a decision. In fact, this decision took almost no time at all-- I was set on the Butter Corn Miso Ramen. Butter and corn are no strangers to the ramen world, but in Vancouver you rarely find them as toppings on a “default” menu item, but rather as sides that you can add. One can’t miss out on this sort of opportunity!

Broth: Wow. This broth was seriously delicious. If you haven’t had butter in your ramen before, the concept may seem sort of strange. There’s no reason to be intimidated though! Once the butter melts it gives this lush richness to the broth, with a warmth reminiscent of hearty comfort foods. Definitely worth a try!

I think Gyo Para uses a white miso in the broth, since the miso flavour is delicate and not too in-your-face. I think lighter miso was a good choice since it balances out well with the richness contributed by the butter. In addition, the broth wasn’t too salty nor too heavy which was just what I wanted.

Noodles: I try to be cautious when it comes to evaluating whether ramen noodles look hand-made or *store bought*. I don’t want to go around making any false claims! I’ll say instead then, that these noodles were fairly generic. They had that familiar yellow colour and standard thickness. They were pleasant to chew on but not quite al dente. It seems that there are a good handful of ramen places that use this type of noodle in Vancouver. They are not necessarily memorable nor anything particularly outstanding. Nevertheless, they get the job done and contribute to an overall enjoyable ramen experience.

Toppings: The Butter Corn Miso Ramen came with two pieces of chashu, green onions, seaweed (wakame), a few chopped vegetables (carrots and broccoli), and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Oh, and a generous helping of corn and butter, of course.

I enjoyed my chashu. The pieces were soft, tender and about 1cm thick. Fat is gratuitously marbled throughout the meat, adding good flavour and richness to each bite. The corn was crunchy and slightly sweet, which was a nice contrast to such a umami-filled broth. I also liked the way the butter came in a beautifully rectangular slice, perched delicately atop the ramen.

I am definitely a vegetable person. However I found that the small pieces of carrots and broccoli didn’t really add much to the overall dish. There was only perhaps 2 or 3 thin slices of carrots and a random broccoli floret here and there, so their inclusion didn’t feel very purposeful. I wouldn’t have missed them if they weren’t there. Price: This ramen cost $11.95. I personally thought that this was a very fair price, and would happily pay the same again in the future. I  think that since butter ramen is harder to come by in Vancouver, this ramen warrants a “novelty” bonus factored into my calculation. Now, for some of you, the lack of an egg may be a setback but i think the price if justified even without it.

Presentation: I felt excited when my ramen was brought to our table. The bowl looked very appetizing and the yellow and greens caught my eye. The butter was placed delicately, still solid and unaffected by the steam from the broth around it. It was almost as if it was waiting for me have a first look (and take photos) before melting away gracefully into the soup.  The corn and sesame seeds seemed  a bit scattered in their placement, and I had a few stray wakame climbing up the walls of the bowl. But that’s me being nitpicky, this was definitely a solid bowl. 

Mrs. Noodle’s Verdict

Broth: 4.5 Noodles: 3.5 Toppings: 3.5 Price: 3.5 Presentation: 4

Mr. Noodle got himself the Shoyu Ramen. I’m actually surprised he didn’t get the cold ramen (they had a sesame flavour!) but he said he was in the mood for something hot and uncomplicated. Broth: This broth was very clean. It was thin and clear but still very flavourful. Mr. Noodles appreciated how the shoyu brought a subtle earthiness to the dish and didn’t think that it was overly salty or oily. He feels that the broth harmonizes very well with the noodles, but probably wouldn’t be a broth that he would drink straight from the bowl.

Noodles: The shoyu ramen used the same noodles as the noodles described above in my miso ramen. Mr.Noodle felt that they were a little bit on the soft side, and would have been perfect if cooked for just 20-30s less. 

Toppings: This ramen had very humble toppings: two pieces of chashu, half a ramen egg, menma, green onions and spinach. Mr.Noodle thought that the chashu was good although he would have probably liked to see more of the fat rendered out. There were two distinct lines of fat, which may be a bit unappetizing to some. He also felt that the meat could be a little bit softer. Otherwise, the chashu had a nice texture and flavour. As for the egg-- this was really good! The texture was perfect. Soft and runny, but at the same time not falling apart. Sometimes you get ramen eggs that are too fragile and disintegrate into the broth. This egg held itself together well and was Mr. Noodle’s favourite topping of the dish. 

As for the other toppings: the spinach added a nice green colour, but didn’t have much flavour. The slight crunch was appreciated though! The menma was pretty average, similar to most other menma we’ve had. Finally, the green onions actually brought a really nice freshness, which definitely elevated the flavour of the ramen.

Price: The Shoyu Ramen cost $9.45. Part of the single-digit club! Mr. Noodle thinks that any ramen under $10 is incredibly reasonable, and this one is no exception. One would probably expect to pay around $11-12 at other restaurants for a comparable ramen. $9.45 is very fair for what you get, especially since an egg is included and you get two pieces of chashu. Presentation: This ramen was fairly simple so there weren’t too many components have to think about. Everything was organized neatly and overall looked very appetizing.

Mr. Noodle’s Verdict

Broth: 3.5 Noodles: 3 Toppings: 3.5 Price: 4.5 Presentation: 4

Conclusion

Piece of Vancouver history. We never got the chance to try the original, but very glad we got to visit version 2.0. Will be back!

Gyo Para Gyoza & Ramen Bar 2120 W Broadway Vancouver, BC V6K 2C8 604-288-2941

Website Facebook

Rating: 3.8 Ramen Eggs

[extranoodlesyvr-blog]

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

Introduction

We’ve only just made it to our third review, and the Extra Noodles family has already expanded! I wanted to introduce to you a few guest stars that will occasionally show up in our reviews: Auntie Noods and Uncle Noods (who clearly chose their own names) who are very close friends to Mr. and Mrs. Noodles. We are excited to have them on board, especially since that gives us many more reasons to go out and eat! Despite the smoky skies from the past few days, Auntie & Uncle Noods wanted to check out the second round of fireworks, and figured they would stop for ramen somewhere nearby. Since they planned to watch the show from Jericho Beach, instead of English Bay downtown, they decided to visit Hokkaido Ramen Santouka on Broadway. Let’s see what they had to say!

The Place

As you may have already guessed from the name, Santouka started in the 1980s in Japan’s northern island, Hokkaido. The business was conceived by founder Hitoshi Hatanaka, who simply told his family: “I’m going to make delicious ramen”. And that was that. Now, Santouka has over 50 locations worldwide, 20 of them being in Japan alone, and 37 overseas.

Vancouver is home to two of the three Canadian locations, with the first shop downtown on Robson St., and their newer location on W Broadway, a short walk from the Canada Line. The second location is still relatively new, opening its doors only as of late January 2017. 

Parking isn’t too hard to come by around the area. Everything is paid parking, however, you can usually find a spot along the various side streets off W Broadway. Auntie and Uncle noods arrived at the restaurant at 7:45 pm, and there seemed to be quite a few people waiting at the doorway. Nevertheless, they didn’t have to wait long and were seated rather quickly. The restaurant was definitely a full house, and the Noods were glad they arrived when they did-- beckoning a new wave of people waiting to get in shortly after them.

The restaurant itself is small and cozy. It is fairly traditional in decoration, and several interesting photographs of the Ainu (the Japanese indigenous peoples) are hung on the walls. Due to the place being pretty busy, it took about 7-10 minutes for someone to take their order. This wasn’t that bad of a wait, but Auntie and Uncle Noods were pretty quick to decide what they wanted. They were definitely ready to eat!

The Ramen

Interested in how we come to a decision? Check out our rubric page for a detailed break-down of our rating system!

After some deliberation, Auntie Noods had settled on ordering the Shoyu Chashu Ramen with an added Ajitama. Ready to eat, she definitely spent a bit of time debating between the regular and large size. Ultimately, opting for the “safer” option, she stuck with the regular size and was glad she did (she was super full by the end!). Here’s what she thought:  

Broth: Auntie Noods was very impressed with their shoyu broth. The first thing that comes to her mind is “umami”. It was rich, flavourful, and full of that savoury umami goodness you know and love. Now, although it was packed with flavour, it wasn’t too intense by any means. The broth wasn’t too thick or “fatty”, which met Auntie Nood’s expectations perfectly. Similar to our experience at Yah Yah Ya, you have the option to choose how firm you want your noodles, as well as how much salt and fat (lard) you’d like in your broth. However, unlike Yah Yah Ya, the servers won’t ask you about your preference, and will go with the default “regular setting” if you don’t specify that you’d like something different yourself. So in this case, Auntie Noods got “regular” for firmness, salt, and fat. Now, Auntie Noods felt that the only drawback of the broth was that the soup became a bit too salty after a while. She had to use some of the ramen vinegar to balance it out after halfway. Ultimately though, this is the nature of a solid shoyu broth, and she will probably order the reduced salt version next time. She definitely recommends giving the regularly salted version a try first though, since everyone’s palate is different! Also, just a side note: ramen vinegar wasn’t available at the table, so if you need some-- know that it’s available, but you just have to ask for it.

Noodles: Auntie Noods is definitely part of the “thick noodle” camp, where thinner noodles are not as much her style. However, she accepts that thin noodles are more common, and she assures me that her preference does not influence her rating.

Auntie Noods found that the noodles were very typical. They had an average texture and taste-- nothing too flavourful or interesting. However, they definitely weren’t bad. If anything, the noodles were a very passive component to the dish, acting moreso as a vehicle for consuming the broth.

She ordered noodles with the “regular” firmness, and found her noodles to be decently hard with a good bite. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for Uncle Noods’ noodles (which you can read about below). Ultimately, to her it felt like her ramen experience consisted of enjoying the broth more so than the noodles. Toppings: The Shoyu Chashu Ramen came topped with one piece of nori, one naruto, green onions, bamboo shoots (menma), and sesame seeds. In general, most of the ingredients were fairly soft, aside from the mild crunch you get from the menma. Not a whole lot of textural contrast.

Santouka’s normal shoyu ramen usually comes with two slices of chashu, but the Shoyu Chashu Ramen comes with a double serving of Chashu (for an extra couple of bucks). Auntie Noods found the chashu to be inconsistent. She had some pieces that were too tough, and some that were too fatty with barely any meat on it. Out of the 4 pieces she got, she felt that only ~1.5 of those pieces were tender with a good combination of meat and fat. She felt this sort of defeated the purpose of her ordering extra chashu.

This ramen also doesn’t usually come with an egg, so you have to order it separately for an extra cost. Overall, Auntie Noods thought that the egg was good. It was cooked well, not overdone and had a slightly runny center. There wasn’t too much of a noticeable marinade flavour to the egg, but it was still tasty. You also get a whole egg, rather than just one half. Notably, the ramen egg also came on the side of the bowl (rather than being served already in the ramen). This meant the egg was a bit cold when she got it, and had to warm it up a bit by letting it sit in the broth first. Price: The Shoyu Chashu Ramen (normal size) costs $13.80, with an additional $1.60 for the ajitama. This brings the bowl to a final price of $15.40. Auntie Noods found this to be on the expensive side, considering she paid extra for chashu that didn’t meet her expectations. Also, being a ramen egg lover, having to pay extra for an egg is a downside. With that said, the ramen was undeniably good quality, with the broth as the star of the show.

Presentation: The presentation of the ramen was fairly standard. The toppings were neatly organized with an appetizing sprinkling of sesame seeds on top. As mentioned before, the ajitama was served on the side. Auntie Noods thinks that she would have preferred for the kitchen to put the egg straight into the ramen for her. It would have warmed up the egg so that it would be ready to eat right away, and the bright yolk would have added an extra pop of colour to the dish.

They use very nice, blue ceramic bowls (donburi) which are signature to the Santouka franchise. At first glance, it appears rather small, having a narrower diameter than your typical ramen bowl. Don’t be deceived-- the bowl is rather deep which can host a solid serving of ramen. The bowl itself comes perched on a small round tray, which is probably used to make it easier for the server to carry. Auntie Nood’s Verdict

Broth: 4.5 Noodles: 3 Toppings: 3.5 Price: 3.5 Presentation: 4

As for Uncle Noods, he ordered the Shio Chashu Ramen with added ajitama in the large size. Santouka is known for their shio broth, so seems like the one to try! Broth: The broth was creamy and rich, but not overbearingly so. Uncle Noods says that the broth was definitely the best part of the ramen-- exceeding his expectations. 

Noodles: As for the noodles, they were much too soft for Uncle Noods’ liking. They were cooked past al dente, and were on the mushier side. All in all, they were not anything particularly special, and deserve an average rating.

Toppings: The large Shio Chashu Ramen came with five pieces of chashu, one naruto slice, green onions, wood ear mushroom (kikurage), bamboo shoots, and a single red pickled plum. Uncle Noods felt that there was a good ratio of toppings to ramen. However, the toppings were pretty “as expected”-- leaning on the traditional side. That said, they were still tasty. The chashu was flavourful but quite fatty as described earlier.

Price: This ramen in the large size costs $14.80 with an additional $1.60 for the ajitama. So altogether, the final price was $16.40. Sharing the same thoughts as Auntie Noods, Uncle Noods found the ramen on the pricier end, especially since the noodles didn’t quite meet his expectations. He feels that the ramen is worth the price you pay, but you’re definitely not getting a “deal” by any means. 

Presentation: Uncle Noods is a man of few words. He describes the presentation as “appetizing” like most other ramen. The pickled plum was a nice pop of colour! He was also intrigued by the Santouka’s special bowls which were “surprisingly deep” and a larger portion than expected.

Uncle Nood’s Verdict

Broth: 4.5 Noodles: 3 Toppings: 3.5 Price: 3 Presentation: 3.5

Conclusion

So in conclusion, this is somewhere they would visit again! If the broth is your favourite part of ramen, then this is definitely a place you should try!

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka 558 W Broadway Vancouver, BC V5Z 1E9 (604) 565-1770

Website Facebook

Rating: 3.6 Ramen Eggs

[extranoodlesyvr-blog]

Kokoro Ramen

Introduction

We hope everyone had a great long weekend! For this review, Mr. Noodle and I wanted to try somewhere new. A bit of internet searching informed us of Kokoro Ramen on Victoria St., which was all the prompting we needed to make a trip over!

The Place

Kokoro Ramen is located on the corner of a fairly busy intersection (Victoria x 41st), a place that does not have many ramen options nearby. We found free parking just across the street, and there was plenty more available along the residential side roads. We were welcomed by a friendly yellow awning and enticing display of plastic ramen in the window.

We arrived at around 6pm, since Mr. Noodle usually finishes work at around 5. There were plenty seats available, with only a handful of tables eating at the time. The servers noticed us right away and welcomed us with a hearty “irasshaimase”. We were sat by the window, which was quite nice since the natural lighting made our photo-taking much easier.

Like many other ramen joint, the interior was sleek, modern, and primarily wooden in decor. The room is large and spacious (unlike most other ramen spots) and a large mural with a minimalistic seigaiha pattern sat upon the wall opposite us.

The Menu

The menu was fairly concise, with a five staple ramen options (including a vegetarian option), as well as several “special” ramen. Now, at the time when we went, two of the three special ramen were unavailable. It was a shame because we were interested in trying the salmon ramen. They did, have a separate seasonal menu with an additional few special ramen selections including a yuzu tsukemen and their version of a tan tan. It looks like for each day there is a limited supply of special ramen available, so keep that in mind if you have your eyes set on a particular option. They also have a few combos available. You can either pair a full size ramen with one of their side dishes, or get a “healthier” combo which features a mini-sized ramen and a salad of your choice.

We were also given a separate sheet that explained their coloured-bowl system. Ramen served in white bowls are on the lighter side, where no additional fat is added to the broth and is served with half the oil than standard. You are also further able to reduce the salt and oil amounts by request. As for their black bowls, these ramens are heartier with much more complex flavours. Full fat and sodium levels, with the option for more if requested. Now, Mr. Noodle and I both like our ramen rich and flavourful, so you can probably guess which coloured bowls we got!

The Ramen

The first thing that stood out to me on the menu was the variety of vegetables in the ramen. You don’t often see pumpkin, broccoli, or zucchini in ramen (and not just in the vegetarian one either). I was tempted to order something with some of the vegetables, but I was constantly intrigued by the Tonkotsu Bubble Ramen. Why is it bubbly? What is the purpose of the bubbles? What does it taste like? These questions were imperative, and there was no way I would leave without discovering the answers.

Broth: And without further ado, I have all the answers to your burning broth questions. Our waitress wasn’t exactly sure how they made the bubbles for the ramen, but with some digging I found an article that divulges that the pork broth is actually frothed like a latte. To continue that latte comparison, the bubbles gave the ramen a completely different mouth feel. You get this velvety texture with an airy lightness to it despite the richness of the broth underneath. I admit, it was a bit strange at first, but that feeling went away after the first few couple of bites. I’ve definitely not had a broth like it!

As for the flavour, that too was very unique. It had a very hearty and distinct meat flavour, which I couldn’t quite decipher at the time. I realize now that it was the taste of bone marrow (for those of you who have had it), which was quite striking when you first take a sip. Now, I’ve had bone marrow a couple of times in my life-- and both times it was in small amounts served with some sort of bread. If i had to choose a word for this broth, it would definitely be “intense”. I think the flavour became a bit overwhelming for me after a while, but Mr. Noodle (a bone marrow fan) really enjoyed it. I definitely got the impression that some thought (and love!) was put into this broth. Noodles: This ramen was served with thin noodles and overall they were pretty good-- a bit on the softer side but not soft enough to be criminal. I think it was a wise choice to serve this with thin noodles, since the ramen broth packed a punch already. Thicker noodles would have made the ramen feel heavy and excessive. Other than that, the noodles weren’t very notable. 

Toppings: The ramen came with one piece of square nori, a thin lemon slice, some bamboo shoots, three decently size pieces of chashu, and a smattering of green onions. The chashu was quite good-- the slices were on the thicker size, but were still tender and meaty. I was impressed that it came with 3 pieces, since 2 seems to be the norm at most places.

Also, I have to say the lemon was definitely different! Initially I thought that it might be there to help cut through some of the richness of the broth, but I didn’t really sense much of a difference. I’ll admit that it’s a nice source of colour to contrast with the otherwise mostly tan-brown coloured dish. Overall, the toppings were fairly conservative, with the focus being on the chashu. Not much textural contrast aside from the foaminess from the broth and the slight crunch from the menma. Price: The tonkotsu bubble ramen was $13.50 (or $15 with egg). I’m usually happy to pay a bit more for novelty and unique experiences. However, considering the lack of toppings and the mediocre presentation, I felt that the 13.50 was on the pricier side and couldn’t be justified by novelty alone. I think a $11.50 - 12 would be a much more appropriate price range.

Presentation: So this is the part of the review where I have not-so-good things to say. The bubble ramen was definitely lacking in the presentation department, which is interesting seeing how their other ramen are all quite beautiful! From the menu, the bubble ramen doesn’t look half bad. It is obvious that there is a layer of foam on the top, so I definitely was expecting some of the toppings to submerge.

When the ramen arrived, the nori was soggy from already falling into the broth. The green onions were the primary colour component to the ramen, but you could barely see them. Unlike the menu photo, they were not arranged neatly in the middle, but rather sprinkled haphazardly around the bowl. I appreciated the pop of yellow from the lemon slice, but that too felt out of place as it floated aimlessly in the broth. The chashu and menma were mostly submerged beneath the cloudy broth, leaving little for the eye to decipher at first glance. I did appreciate the way that the “bubbles” contributed to the overall aesthetic, and for the novelty I give them some credit. I also quite enjoyed the custom designed bowl, and the very hardy (and spacious) ceramic spoons. However, ultimately the bowl looked like someone had already started eating, and now it was my turn to jump in and finish it off. Mrs. Noodle’s Verdict

Overall, I think the ramen was worth a try to satisfy my curiosity. Flavour wise the ramen was good, but the lacklustre presentation detracted from the experience. There was probably other ramen on their menu that I would have enjoyed more. 

Broth: 4 Noodles: 3 Toppings: 3 Price: 3.5 Presentation: 1.5

As for Mr. Noodle, he had his eye on the Creamy Deluxe Chicken Ramen with added egg (which I was admittedly eyeing too). The convenient part about eating out with your partner is that sharing is always an option! Being a hot day, Mr. Noodle also decided to order himself a beer. They (surprisingly) carried 33 Acres of Life, which was priced at a pretty standard $6.50. Broth: The chicken broth was rich and creamy, but not overly heavy. It was comparable to a tonkotsu in its cloudy appearance. According to the menu, this specific broth contains “dairy, shellfish and shrimp” so that’s something to look out for if you have allergies. This broth also shared a similar bone marrow flavour as the bubble ramen but much more subdued. The ramen had a distinct chicken flavour which met Mr. Noodle’s expectations. 

Noodles: Mr. Noodle’s ramen had noodles of the standard thickness, which seems to be about  3-4 mm (for future reference). He also found his noodles to be slightly past al dente, but nevertheless satisfying. 

Toppings: This ramen was loaded! It came with three pieces of chashu, corn, kabocha squash(!), snap peas(!), broccoli(!), a piece of nori, menma, and a whole ramen egg. As mentioned before, Mr. Noodle was also impressed with the vegetables, which really elevated the dish. The corn, snap peas, and broccoli added a nice crunch to the ramen, whereas the kabocha provided an extra starchiness in addition to the noodle. The chashu of Mr. Noodle’s ramen was very similar to Mrs Noodles-- tender, yet meaty and on the generous side. The egg was not overcooked and had a beautiful orange yolk.

Price: For $14.00 ($12.50 without the egg), the ramen is priced fairly. Mr. Noodles didn’t feel like he was necessarily overpaying, but he definitely wasn’t get a deal. Considering the plentiful assortment of veggies and ramen, the slightly higher price tag is warranted. However, if you’re looking for a more affordable chicken broth ramen, Marutama has a comparable substitute for less ($11.00, egg included!) 

Presentation: This ramen looks great! There was such a nice variety of colours: the yellow from the corn, the green from the peas and broccoli, and the orange from the egg yolk and kabocha. Mr. Noodle was thoroughly impressed by the presentation.

Mr. Noodle’s Verdict

Broth: 4 Noodles: 3 Toppings: 4 Price: 3 Presentation: 5

Conclusion

Final Thoughts: A decent ramen spot in a ramen-less neighbourhood. Kokoro offers some unique options for people who are fans of traditional ramen, and those who would like something healthier. The restaurant is spacious and welcoming, with pleasant service. The chicken ramen is definitely worth a try, whereas you could probably skip on the bubble ramen if you’re not overwhelmed with curiosity. We will stop by again if we’re in the area!

Kokoro Ramen 5695 Victoria Dr. Vancouver, BC V5P 4Y3 (778) 379-7688

Website Facebook Instagram 

Rating: 3.4 Ramen Eggs

[extranoodlesyvr-blog]

Yah Yah Ya Ramen

Introduction

Time to break in the new blog!

Thanks for checking out Extra Noodles’ very first review (although it is definitely not our first ramen!). We’re really excited to start this project together. Vancouver is filled with such an abundance of amazing food, yet sometimes we’ve found that it’s hard to find reputable reviews for certain restaurants. We’re hoping that Extra Noodles will be able to act as a trustworthy resource for people who are looking for a decent bowl o’ ramen, keeping the food in the spotlight.

We wanted to step away from the seemingly arbitrary rating systems that some other blogs use to evaluate their food. We want to make sure you know exactly what makes a place a “5”, and to make sure our ratings don’t fluctuate due to more unpredictable factors like mood / weather / how much sleep we got last night etc. Check out our rubric page for a more in-depth breakdown of our rating system.

Alrighty! Now that all that introduction stuff is out of the way, we can talk a little bit more about the important part: the FOOD. For our first food adventure, we decided to stay close to home and visited Yah Yah Ya Ramen in Richmond’s Union Square. Is it just me (Mrs. Noodle), or does anyone else find it interesting that all three characters for “yah/ya” in the name are the same, but the last one is spelled without an “h”. Weird.

The Place

Yah Yah Yah is a fairly casual joint. The place has what I would call a “wooden garden chic” with tasteful fake plants, and cute brown picket fences adorning the walls. Photographs of their other Japanese locations hung on one wall, and a hand-painted ramen mural decorated the other. Overall it has a traditional yet fresh vibe, and doesn’t scream kitsch. It’s clean too, which is always a bonus.

We arrived there around 6:00 pm, and we put our name down on the waiting list for two. It didn’t take too long at all for us to be seated-- 10 minutes at max. The same efficiency carried over to having our order taken, receiving our food, and grabbing the bill. Their menu features a modest array of ramen for different palates, including appetizer and additional topping options. And yes, they do have a kaedama option (for $1.50).

The Ramen

Mr. Noodle got himself the Cold Tonkotsu Ramen, looking for something lighter and refreshing. This is one of their summer specials, so if you’re interested in trying it you better hop over while you can. Unlike the hot ramen options, it only comes in one size, so prepare to KAEDAMA (please pronounce like so) if you’re on the hungrier side. Here’s the break-down:

Broth: This ramen was served with a cold broth, just enough to mingle and marinate with the noodles. The broth was light and refreshing, with a bit of a vinegary zing to it. Definitely different from the heavy and savoury mouthfeel you get with your typical hot tonkotsu.

Noodles: Since the noodles are cold, you don’t have to worry too much about them getting softer while sitting in the broth. They had a good texture, and a significant bite. Overall, a solid noodle.

Toppings: The cold ramen comes with a colourful assortment of toppings including bean sprouts, thinly sliced chashu, cucumber, and beni shoga (pickled ginger). Mr. Noodle isn’t personally a big fan of the pickled ginger, but he agrees it does add a nice zest to the dish. If anything, pickled ginger makes more sense in a richer ramen, so that it can cut through a bit of the heavier mouthfeel. Nevertheless, all the toppings were crisp and fresh. The chashu was very tender and falls apart as you bite it. Always a good sign!

Price: This ramen cost $10.25. Fairly standard for your usual bowl of ramen. It’s arguably a bit on the lower end, considering that it didn’t come with much broth.

Presentation: The toppings were organized into little mounds on top of the noodles. We wouldn’t say it’s necessarily meticulously organized, but they definitely weren’t thrown haphazardly into the bowl either. The colours really pop! Also, the insides of the bowl also had a few stray wet areas.

Mr. Noodle’s Verdict Broth: 3 Noodles: 4 Toppings: 4 Price: 4 Presentation: 3

As for Mrs. Noodle, I ordered one of my personal favourites— Black Tonkotsu Ramen. One of the great parts about Yah Yah Ya is that you get the option to customize your ramen. You get to choose how hard you’d like your noodles, how rich your broth is, and the amount of oil you’d like. It’s quite nice if you like your ramen a particular way (I know I do!)

Broth: I went with for the “normal” broth richness with the “normal” amount of oil. The broth was nice and hot when it arrived, and had that characteristic tonkotsu cloudiness to it. There was a healthy amount of black garlic, without it being overpowering (although that may be a skewed opinion because I really like garlic). It was dense and savoury, and honestly, the “normal” was rich enough for me. I think the “heavy” option would have been too excessive for my tastes.

Noodles: I don’t know about you, but I love me some nice al dente noodles. For that reason I ordered the “hard” noodles, so that they wouldn’t overcook too quickly in the hot soup. I also had the option to choose between the “normal” and the “thin” noodles. I went with normal, because the fatter the noodle, the more chew! When the ramen arrived, the noodles were sufficiently toothsome and chewy, and dare-I-say could be a bit thicker. Although the thickness is fairly typical of most places, so I’m not complaining! From the looks and tastes of it, I don’t think they prepare their noodles in house, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Toppings: My ramen came with two slices of chashu, black garlic, a half ramen egg, menma (bamboo shoots), and three pieces of nori. I was honestly surprised by the amount of nori, because usually you get one or two pieces at most. As Mr. Noodles mentioned above, the chashu was very tender and delicate. The ramen egg was runny, but not overly-so. The menma was crunchy and helped provide a bit of textural contrast to the dish.

Price: The Black Tonkotsu Ramen costs $11.25 for a normal size and $13.25 for a large. I personally got the normal-sized one, and I was very satisfied by the end of the meal. The richness of the broth definitely helped in the process of making me feel full. I think $11.25 is a fair price for what you get, especially since they included an egg and two pieces of chashu (yes I have been to places that only give you one smh).

Presentation: Honestly it wasn’t bad. The nori were tucked into a corner of the bowl (do bowls have corners?) and the rest of the toppings were on laid on the noodles. The menma and chashu were partially submerged into the soup a bit, which took away from the overall “oomph” factor. The bowl had some nice brushstroke markings on them as well, which I appreciated.

Mrs. Noodle’s Verdict Broth: 4 Noodles: 4 Toppings: 4 Price: 4 Presentation: 3

Conclusion

So in conclusion, would we come here again? Yes, definitely! Especially since it’s close to where we live. The familiar selection of ramen and the customizable options make Yah Yah Ya worth a try if you’re in the area. Yah Yah Ya Ramen 8388 Capstan Way #1423 Richmond, BC V6X 4B6 (604) 285-5113 Facebook

Rating: 3.7 Ramen Eggs