Ramen restaurants have been popping up in Toronto, in these past two years. There are always new restaurants and not enough money and time on my hands. I’ve been complaining to Dennis (my brother) to take me to one of these new ramen restaurants because he’s always eating at new and gourmet places. Today was the perfect day. He had a few days off work and it so happened that friday is my day off. After he ran his morning errand, we met up at Finch Terminal Station to go eat ramen and work together to make this blog post possible. The fact that we both had a day off, the weather was quite cooperative, as the morning clouds were disappearing and the sun was shinning by the time we were downtown.

This is the outside building/ restaurant. According to Dennis, this restaurant is a chain from Japan. Near the entrance to the restaurant, there were cute but fake noodle bowls. Dennis couldn’t capture it because there would be a glare in the picture.

This is where the food comes out from the kitchen. The waitresses set out trays and have the utensils ready for the bowls and orders. This is a convient way of organizing a restaurant, especially  if the restaurant is small like this one.

Simple lighting is always an added bonus for me. Delicate but yet fashionable. A must for my future home.

Very cute condiments for noodles and gyoza (Japanese dumplings).

Dennis’ ramen– he ordered the Shoyu Ramen (soy sauce flavoured). The side plate comes with a few slices of pork, nori, green onions, Japanese fish paste  (I think, moulded into a flower like shape) and golden needles (from Daylily flowers, it’s an asian flower edible species). ~$15

Shrimp and tofu salad. Contains shrimp, fresh cold tofu, lettuce, tomatoes and alfa sprouts with a nice light soy dressing, kind of simliar to the salad dressings at ayce sushi (all you can eat sushi). ~$6

Gyoza dumplings, a tad bit salty though, plate of 6 ~$5.50

My order–Tokusen Toroniku Ramen, a bit of kick with spice but not over powering. Different sides compared to Denis’, pork cheek, golden needles, green onion, bits of red think edible strings of unknown plus black fungus (mok yee, 木耳). ~$16

Verdict: Good, average service, nice lighting (big windows, I’m not a fan of dark restaurants). I’m always willing to try new foods. But this meal was quite pricy. Once is good enough (for me at least).

Santouka- Hokkaido Ramen website