Vancouver Ramen Shootout: Benkei, Kintaro, and Motomachi [Archive]

jlo mein

09-13-2009, 12:59 AM

I spent a month in Japan this past summer and fondly miss the wonderful ramen there, filled with tasty broth, flavourful and tender meats, and firm textured noodles. Seeking to find the best substitute in Vancouver I visited three of the most popular ramen joints that are located near the intersection of Robson and Denman. At each location I sampled the miso ramen which is my favourite.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m204/jlomein/IMG_6852_edit_640.jpg

Benkei certainly has the most Japanese like decor. I found the miso broth here to be the most flavourful and enjoyable of all three places. It also has a slight spice kick (they have a spicy miso available as well). Noodles were thinner than I like and too soft. In Japan, the flavour of the meat used is extraordinary and I found Benkei to come the closest, however it has a terribly tough texture. UPDATE: I have been to Benkei twice since this review and both times have gotten very tender and fatty meat. I also tried their bbq pork onigiri and its pretty tasty, although the rice quickly falls apart unlike other nigiri.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m204/jlomein/IMG_6750_edit_640.jpg

Kintaro is the most popular ramen restaurant in Vancouver by far, probably because they offer so many choices and variations. It has the most spartan and uninspired decor of the three. Here I ordered the rich miso broth (choice of light, medium, rich) with fatty meat (choice of lean or fatty). Ordering rich was a mistake as the broth comes incredibly greasy and covered in bits of fat (as seen all around the lip of the bowl). The miso broth was also surprisingly tasteless. Noodles were average and all the toppings (meat, eggs, corn, etc) were forgettable.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m204/jlomein/IMG_6853_edit_640.jpg

Motomachi is owned by the same people as Kintaro, and is meant as a more trendy upscale ramen restaurant. It seems to have the least seating and a fusion of Japanese and local decor. I believe most or all of the ingredients used are advertised as organic. The broth was much better than Kintaro but I still like Benkei better. The meats used matched the tenderness of the meat I found in Japan, but was still quite bland. Motomachi does certainly make soft boiled eggs right, getting the right texture and the organic eggs seem to taste closest to flavourful Japanese ones. The best part of Motomachi is they use the noodles I love! Its a thicker curly noodle that's yellow in colour, and has a slightly firm texture (pictured below).

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m204/jlomein/IMG_6855_edit_512.jpg

To conclude, I will probably not visit Kintaro again. As the broth is most important, I think I will eat at Benkei the most. Its also cheaper than Motomachi, and offers stamp card freebies for frequent customers. Motomachi does have the best noodles and the eggs are far above all others. All locations let me down on the firm kernels of sweet corn that were found everywhere in Japan.

Feel free to express your own opinions, especially if you enjoy other flavours of broth, or share other ramen locations around the metro Vancouver area.

bcrdukes

09-13-2009, 01:14 AM

Awesome review! Thanks! :)

ddr

09-13-2009, 05:15 AM

ou will have to try benkei
the new ramen place owned by gyoza king in richmond was way worse than kintaro

LiquidTurbo

09-13-2009, 09:04 AM

Before you dismiss Kintaro, try it again with light broth, less fat..

jlo mein

09-13-2009, 09:25 AM

Before you dismiss Kintaro, try it again with light broth, less fat..

Regardless of rich or light broth, I felt that Kintaro's miso broth was lacking in flavour when compared to Benkei. Some may prefer it that way, but every miso ramen I had in Osaka and Tokyo was strongly flavoured and I grew accustomed to it. I also felt that Kintaro's toppings were the poorest of the three restaurants, with bland overcooked eggs, mushy corn, and tough chewy meat (even though I got the fatty version). The noodles at Kintaro and Benkei are pretty much equally average.

BTW for Benkei visitors: be sure to show your student ID if ordering extra noodles, which reduces the price to $0.50. Two bowls compared side by side with a normal noodle serving and extra noodles showed that they give you almost double.

ilvtofu

09-13-2009, 02:42 PM

tried 2 different ramen at Benkei, didn't really like either, noodles weren't very good,
I love kintaro's cheese ramen, but I feel ashamed because it says ladies love it on the menu, (technically ladies just lo-o-o-ove it!) But yeah, I like their noodles
Not really worth the wait but IMO better than benkei

skyxx

09-13-2009, 03:20 PM

Awesome review! :thumbsup:

!SG

09-13-2009, 04:45 PM

nice!

now i want ramen!

BlackZRoadster

09-13-2009, 05:44 PM

tried all 3 places

hate benkei / motomachi but i love kintaro

ae101

09-13-2009, 08:15 PM

i just go to the one at the aberdeen food court lol but really i must try these 3 places

bcrdukes

09-13-2009, 11:40 PM

tried all 3 places

hate benkei / motomachi but i love kintaro

That's a very extreme opposite review. Can you explain why?

TRDood

09-14-2009, 01:12 AM

try menyu on broadway and cambie.

their ramen is pretty good, but still, ANY ramen in japan beats the best here.

RiceFarmer

09-14-2009, 04:55 AM

I found Gyoza King's broth was pretty good execpt their noodles weren't as good as Kintaros.

jlo mein

09-14-2009, 05:41 AM

i just go to the one at the aberdeen food court lol but really i must try these 3 places

I visited that place as well but deemed it unsuited to add to this review. The ramen at Aberdeen is a step above instant noodles, not much else.

Inaii

09-14-2009, 08:18 AM

I tried Kintaro, I liked it. There's a japanese restaurant on Thurlow and Melville that I think had way better ramen, albeit slightly higher priced. I'll have to try the other two you mentioned at some point.

Thanks for the review :)

ae101

09-14-2009, 11:58 AM

BlackZRoadster

09-14-2009, 12:54 PM

That's a very extreme opposite review. Can you explain why?

the pork is the softest (fatty) out of all three places, the miso soup base is the tastiest , the size is also the largest.

i guesss im' biased

bcrdukes

09-14-2009, 01:28 PM

^
Yeah, and that was my initial impression but how are you biased?

hotong

09-14-2009, 02:20 PM

Damn that looks good, going to try it out this week.

BlackZRoadster

09-14-2009, 05:32 PM

^
Yeah, and that was my initial impression but how are you biased?

i guess i've ate at kintaro all the time, and i've tried those other ramen places and had bad experiences so i was kinda pissed i wasted a trip to downtown and wasted a ramen dinner slot at these places.

TOPEC

09-14-2009, 07:05 PM

then has anyone try that famous raman place from asia, it's the one at parker i go to that place a lot in HK & when i found out that they had a location here i was sooooo happy till i realize the price of 1 bowl of raman was $10 i was like shit

that place is crap, its way worst than the locations in HK, and even then, the ones at HK isnt any good.

i used to love going to kintaro for their cheese ramen, but then when i tried the creamy tonkatsu at benki, it's alot better. now i only go to benki with the occasional kintaro visit for the cheese ramen.

willystyle

09-14-2009, 07:28 PM

Never tried Motomachi
Hate Kintaro. Portion is big, but the broth is extremely bland.
Likes Benkei, though the portion is smaller, but the soup tastes much better.

rouentahl

09-14-2009, 07:28 PM

then has anyone try that famous raman place from asia, it's the one at parker i go to that place a lot in HK & when i found out that they had a location here i was sooooo happy till i realize the price of 1 bowl of raman was $10 i was like shit

You mean Ajisen Ramen at Parker Place?

Mediocre soup. Mediocre noodles. The "tenderous rib" is very good (better than the toppings at Benkei or Motomachi) but then a bowl has 2 or 3 little pieces. Not worth the price.

ShyGuy

09-14-2009, 08:27 PM

what about G-Men in richmond? anyone tried that?

BlackZRoadster

09-14-2009, 08:34 PM

^ g-men is not good imo, too salty and small bowl

but the good thing was their onsen egg's and their negi cha-shu as a side dish

Meowjin

09-14-2009, 09:12 PM

you are eatting the big macs of japan.

rageguy

09-14-2009, 09:21 PM

benkei hands down. go there all the time. been to all the other ramen places (g-men, kintaro, motomachi shokudo, benkei, ajisen). benkei has aggressive pricing, tasty broth, pretty soft meat that is not too fat, and decent chewy noodles).

benkei's miso is really good. their creamy tokotsu (shiro) is also very very good too.

jlo mein

09-14-2009, 09:22 PM

ramen, but then when i tried the creamy tonkatsu at benkei, it's alot better. now i only go to benkei with the occasional kintaro visit for the cheese ramen.

To avoid confusion, its actually called Tonkotsu ramen. :) It has no deep fried port cutlet in it. Rather it is a creamy white broth made through long boiling pork bones, fat, and cartilage.

^ g-men is not good imo, too salty and small bowl

but the good thing was their onsen egg's and their negi cha-shu as a side dish

Onsen eggs? wtf are those lol. Eggs boiled in hot springs?

BlackZRoadster

09-14-2009, 11:35 PM

^ apparently you know what onsen eggs are, thats what they call them at G-men

Jer3

09-15-2009, 01:34 AM

while on the topic of noodles, is there any restaurant in vancouver that serves up authentic kishimen or tsukemen?

jlo mein

09-15-2009, 08:42 AM

while on the topic of noodles, is there any restaurant in vancouver that serves up authentic kishimen or tsukemen?

HEY IMMA LET YOU FINISH, BUT KIShIMEN ARE THE GREATEST NOODLES OF ALL TIME.

Thanks for Kanye-ing my thread. :p

VTTC

09-15-2009, 12:24 PM

I like kintaro... especially their fatty meat... but for a few times (like 2months ago), the main "noodle guy" was not there, the taste were suck!!! I almost gave up to go there, but now he's back, and it's a lot better now.

1337

09-15-2009, 07:33 PM

went to kintaro today after not going for about 3-4 months and the taste went downhill. The broth was very bland.

ilvtofu

09-15-2009, 07:49 PM

i guess i've ate at kintaro all the time, and i've tried those other ramen places and had bad experiences so i was kinda pissed i wasted a trip to downtown and wasted a ramen dinner slot at these places.

+1

LOL ajisen service is crap, woman who served my brother and I barely spoke english, and didn't speak canto either... so yeah, If they had gone for a cheaper more mcdick's style fast food style ramen, I would go more often.

Mugen EvOlutioN

09-16-2009, 07:22 PM

kintaro is pretty good, now past couple years when i ate there it was wayyy too salty so i stopped going for about 2-3 years. Gave a try early this year till now they improved IMO

gyoza kings absolutely blows balls, their ramen sucks, very very salty and blend. Went once never going back.

benkei which one is that???

is that the on near the end of robson across from safeway?
they do collect stamps as well as their white soup base ramen is really really good, with chicken.

The one beside HONS on robsons blows balls

all in all

PHO > tw noodle >ramen

soymilk

09-16-2009, 07:43 PM

It is just me or is the broth at kintaro is like drinking salty water?

insomniacRA

09-16-2009, 08:04 PM

you can ask for hard noodle at benkei

KuSouL

09-16-2009, 08:12 PM

um my japanese friends told me there was this place that opened maybe just over a year ago? it's on broadway if i recall correctly ... and i think the chefs are from ramen places in japan ... i still have the business card but it's not on me right now

i guess ... i'll leave the info here when i get it ~ or maybe someone here already knows what i'm talking about

Mugen EvOlutioN

09-16-2009, 08:25 PM

It is just me or is the broth at kintaro is like drinking salty water?

it is

hence why the very first time my friend took me there about 8 years ago i thought he was on fucking crack or either he lost his taste buds, cuz they were salty as fuck.

This year they seem alrit, guess salt was free back than

!SG

09-16-2009, 09:16 PM

bcrdukes

09-16-2009, 11:51 PM

skyxx

09-17-2009, 01:45 AM

^ I'm not sure if it's still good. I haven't gone recently, I used to go twice a week every week. I heard from a few friends that the quality has degraded. I guess I'll drop by sometime again to check it out. Ramen plus the Gyozas. :thumbsup:

LiquidTurbo

11-29-2009, 11:06 PM

Today I went to Kintaro and the noodles aren't as thick as they used to be! Apparently their noodle making machine broke down?

bcrdukes

11-29-2009, 11:27 PM

Taken from another thread:

Doesn't Kintaro hand make their noodles?

They used to, but the machine broke so they buy the noodles now. Apparently, the machine costs $20,000 to fix/replace.

No wonder it tasted a little different today. When will the machine be fix/replaced?

I don't think it ever will...it broke about 10 years ago. :lol

6793026

11-30-2009, 03:09 PM

you are right, kinatro used to be very very salty. When i go there, they ask teh same question, 'how do you like ur broth and noodle?" I answer: "just like how i like my women, rich and fat"

Maybe it's hte long line up, maybe it's the "super hot" small kitchen/ dining area, but definitely the open kitchen seeing them hard at work sitting there does make it tastier for me. It's very ghetto and it's not as flavorful but that feeling makes the feeling and possible tastes better?

it's like having regular fried noodles at Ecanteen / alleuia or Lido, but eating the same shit at night market just makes it better.

Mugen EvOlutioN

11-30-2009, 08:02 PM

ajisen is pretty good, always line up tho

their soup base is a lot more oily

jlo mein

12-01-2009, 05:24 AM

ajisen is pretty good, always line up tho

their soup base is a lot more oily

I went to Ajisen in Richmond this past weekend and was thoroughly disappointed. The location was empty at dinner time on a Saturday night. The miso ramen had some decent tasting and fatty bbq pork, but the broth was bland. The ramen noodles were very unusual, being straight and cylindrical like (much like spaghetti), quite different than the crinkled and angular cut ramen noodles I'm used tp. I also had their katsu curry, and while the curry sauce was much better than most I've had locally, the katsu cutlet was chewy and tough, and the rice was hard.

To be honest, I found Ajisen no where near as good as the Denman/Robson three, and I really only enjoy Benkei of the three.

Benkei Review update: I updated my original post in this thread since I have been to Benkei twice since writing it. Both times I have received fatty tender bbq pork instead of the tough pork I received on my first visit.

Mugen EvOlutioN

12-01-2009, 07:37 AM

tats weird, ajisen should have the standard ramen curly noodles!!!

hmmmm weird

maybe they ran out? i dunno

YK86

12-01-2009, 09:53 AM

Ajisen's always had the spaghetti-like noodles since they opened.

LiquidTurbo

12-01-2009, 10:06 AM

Ajisen's always had the spaghetti-like noodles since they opened.

Those are the worst.

YK86

12-01-2009, 12:00 PM

I agree lol.

carisear

12-01-2009, 12:13 PM

i haven't been downtown in a while, but ajisai is awful. went there once and hated it.

freakshow

12-01-2009, 12:30 PM

I actually prefer Motomachi over Kintaro

LiquidTurbo

12-01-2009, 09:22 PM

I just want the nice big thick noodles. Motomachi it is!

Although for the price, Benkei can't be beat.

Senna4ever

12-01-2009, 10:40 PM

i haven't been downtown in a while, but ajisai is awful. went there once and hated it.

Ajisai is in Kerrisdale, and is primarily a sushi restaurant.

Expresso

12-02-2009, 10:21 AM

Benkei Review update: I updated my original post in this thread since I have been to Benkei twice since writing it. Both times I have received fatty tender bbq pork instead of the tough pork I received on my first visit.

Did you have to request it or something? I'm too used to Kintaro's fatty pork that I really didn't like the lean stuff at Benkei.

jlo mein

12-02-2009, 03:03 PM

Did you have to request it or something? I'm too used to Kintaro's fatty pork that I really didn't like the lean stuff at Benkei.

No I have not requested it. The first time I went to Benkei I got some tough and chewy pork. My most recent two visits there I have gotten some good fatty pork.

Jer3

12-04-2009, 07:34 AM

For anyone that doesn't know, santouka ramen is opening a store on robson right beside guu with garlic. Looks like more competition which is always good
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

yuusha

12-04-2009, 10:21 AM

Just went to Benkei a few nights ago, that is some good shit.

slammer111

12-14-2009, 11:57 AM

Benkei > Motomachi > Ajisen > Kintaro.

Kintaro is the "poor man's ramen". Half-decent, but definitely nothing special. If I wanted entry-level, I'd hit up Ajisen in Parker Place instead. Ajisen has the best side dishes out of all the places too. :D

Motomachi's unique in the sense that you can get that charcoal soup. I just like the decor of Benkei more. What's up with places being painted black?

I love how you can get tons of garlic with Benkei. Sooooo good. :D

hirevtuner

12-14-2009, 04:04 PM

i like the G-men soup base so delish but noodles overall is just average

Mugen EvOlutioN

12-14-2009, 08:12 PM

g men baby

yiujun

12-14-2009, 11:37 PM

what about ajisen in richmond? i dont think its very traditional... but what do u expect for a japanese ramen noodle restaurant in a honger mall run by taiwanese with christian music playing on the overhead speakers...

their lamb was pretty good though.

they call ajisen "mei jing ramen" in hk.. which means msg ramen.. it sort of sound like their chinese name "mei cheen ramen".. lol.
their noodles are too thin and tough for me but the spicy pork is pretty good... i havent went in over a year b/c if i want ramen id go to benke.. but if u need a quick ramen fix in rmd.. u only have either gmen or ajisen to choose from.. id still go for gmen though.

yiujun

12-14-2009, 11:39 PM

kintaro imo is overrated.. i actually liked the rmd location when it was still open.. over the DT place.. bad experiences with gyoza @ dt place..
Last time i went was at least half a year ago and i remember thinking the soup was really bland.. i dumped so much spices in there... holy.

i go to benke most often now.. went to motomachi once to see what it was like but really nothing spectacular to justify the price. benke had more comfortable seats too. the only thing abt benke is the portions are a bit small compared to the others...

hirevtuner

12-15-2009, 10:23 AM

if going to benkei, just add $1.50 to double noodles, problem solved

jlo mein

12-15-2009, 03:32 PM

if going to benkei, just add $1.50 to double noodles, problem solved

At Benkei, the price for double noodles is $1.00, or only $0.50 if you show student ID.

TynMan

12-17-2009, 01:41 PM

Senna4ever

12-17-2009, 07:02 PM

You can not be serious about kintaro....
How can you like benkei better then kintaro, you probably just love the stamp = free bowl incentive
You probably shouldnt have ordered such a rich broth unless u wanted a bowl of lard.
Kintaro is WAY better then "benkei" and benkei DOES have flavourless broth compared to kintaro's
Next if you do decide to give kintaro another go order a light soup and try SHIO if you want LOTS OF FLAVOUR in your broth
The one big problem with Kintaro is inconsistency. One day the soup is good, the next day it tastes like oily water.

Shio has the least flavour out of the major flavours: Shio, Miso, Shoyu & Tonkotsu.

popnGEAR

12-19-2009, 09:55 AM

I gotta agree with the OP. Benkei is pretty damn tasty and you can't beat the prices. While I haven't tried Kintaro yet after all these years, compared to Motomachi and various places around town, Benkei is my favourite.

LiquidTurbo

12-20-2009, 06:10 AM

G-men is a real good alternative for those who don't want to head downtown just to have some good ramen..

http://followmefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/12/g-men-ramen-noodle-shop-review-3.html

makes my mouth water just looking at the pics.

valent|n0

12-20-2009, 07:20 AM

I went to Miki Ramen Restaurant
5212 Kingsway, Burnaby

I thought it was good.

maybe ramen expert can visit and post your observation here :P

Greenstoner

12-30-2009, 01:18 PM

Benkei is opening or relocating a store on Thurlow/Robson..right beside Macdonald where a Chinese restaurant used to be.

I walked by it today when i was grabbing my lunch...

Greenstoner

12-30-2009, 01:19 PM

I went to Miki Ramen Restaurant
5212 Kingsway, Burnaby

I thought it was good.

maybe ramen expert can visit and post your observation here :P

is this the new one acroos from save-way ?? Right beside rainbow massage parlor ??

slammer111

12-30-2009, 05:15 PM

Benkei is opening or relocating a store on Thurlow/Robson..right beside Macdonald where a Chinese restaurant used to be.

I walked by it today when i was grabbing my lunch...Oh man, that place finally went bust. It was always EMPTY. Feel bad for 'em.

Okami

12-30-2009, 07:10 PM

in the past 2 weeks i went to kintaro and benkei. since 2003 ive been a kintaro fan. the ramen at benkei was actually pretty good and i finished all the soup. a few days later i went to kintaro and was disappointed.. the soup was cold when i got it.. :s this has never happened before it was probably due to the cold weather.. but it didnt taste very good cold :/

jlo mein

12-30-2009, 11:38 PM

Last week I went to Kenzo Japanese Noodle House (http://http://maps.google.ca/places/ca/burnaby/kingsway/6907/-kenzo-japanese-noodle-house) on Kingsway and Griffiths in Burnaby. Besides ramen they serve many other Korean dishes and Japanese donburi, and also serve alcohol (unlike most local ramen shops, with Motomachi being an exception). As usual I ordered a miso ramen. Noodles were excellent with a deep yellow colour, cooked until it still had some firmness, and had the proper crinkled shape. I did not like the soup as it had almost no miso flavour and had a much too noticeable ginger overtone. Cha siu pork was tough and eggs were boiled far too long. I've yet to try the ramen at Metropolis in Metrotown or Miki Ramen on Kingsway and Royal Oak, but I don't think I will go back to Kenzo.

BTW: Does anyone know where Miki Ramen (http://maps.google.ca/maps/place?cid=6067126311170447063&q=ramen,) is on Kingsway and Royal Oak? I don't see it on Google Street View. Is it on the southeast corner with the HSBC?

Today I made another stop at Benkei and it was PACKED. I'm not sure if its the holidays or word getting around but it seems to get more busy everytime I'm there. When I was finishing up my meal around 7PM waitresses were already telling newcomers that miso ramen was sold out for the night! I noticed that I again got some decently cooked noodles (only on my first visit I received noodles too soft). I also ordered the cha siu pork onigiri, and its a decent side dish with some great flavour but a little dry.

I walked by 747 Thurlow Street (http://http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=747+thurlow+st,+vancouver&sll=49.225193,-122.989433&sspn=0.009599,0.027745&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=747+Thurlow+St,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver +Regional+District,+British+Columbia&ll=49.284884,-123.124187&spn=0.004969,0.013872&z=17) and the new Benkei location has "Opening Soon" signs up with the windows covered. I like the location better so I hope they maintain the same standards. I also walked past Robson and Bidwell (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Robson+and+Bidwell,+vancouver&sll=49.290412,-123.132604&sspn=0.002397,0.006936&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Robson+St+%26+Bidwell+St,+Vancouver,+Greater +Vancouver+Regional+District,+British+Columbia&ll=49.290419,-123.133856&spn=0.001242,0.003468&z=19), and saw the "Opening Soon" signs for Hokkaido Ramen something beside Guu.

Expresso

12-31-2009, 02:21 AM

There supposed to be another Ramen place opening up in the same area as Benkei/Kintaro area. On the CIBC side, near Safeway on Robson.

ab-norma-l

01-13-2010, 09:21 AM

BTW: Does anyone know where Miki Ramen (http://maps.google.ca/maps/place?cid=6067126311170447063&q=ramen,) is on Kingsway and Royal Oak? I don't see it on Google Street View. Is it on the southeast corner with the HSBC?

Yes, same corner. It's inbetween Au Wing Kee and HSBC, where Asian 54 Restaurant used to be.

Any reviews for this place yet? Haven't tried it yet.

CRiXy

01-13-2010, 11:34 AM

Benkei is really tasty and cheap!
I haven't had Kintaro for a long time but it's b/c the last time was not very good at all :(
The place in the food court at Aberdeen SUCKS!
Haven't tried Motomachi yet...

YK86

01-13-2010, 12:47 PM

From what I hear, the one near Guu Garlic (Robson) is supposed to be Santouka which is a chain store in Japan with a few branches in other places (US, Singapore, HK).

http://www.santouka.co.jp/menu/index.html

J____

01-17-2010, 02:06 PM

weird i love kintaro and dont like benkei at all. never tried motomachi. I love the fattiness of kintaro's rich miso. I guess i prefer that over 'authentic' japanese ramen. mmmmmmm fatty

Jer3

01-18-2010, 04:00 AM

weird i love kintaro and dont like benkei at all. never tried motomachi. I love the fattiness of kintaro's rich miso. I guess i prefer that over 'authentic' japanese ramen. mmmmmmm fatty

:thumbsup: you and i think alike :haha:

TOS'd

01-18-2010, 04:16 AM

^
^^

you guys should go on a lunch date.

!SG

01-18-2010, 06:04 AM

i read ramen shoot out.

i assumed some sort of fight with ppl shooting noodles from their wrists...

i was wrong.. =P

Hehe

01-18-2010, 08:04 AM

Went to Benkei during the weekend.

Wasn't impressed is what I could say. The soup tasted bland and the meat isn't soft enough IMO, guess the fat/lean ratio isn't exactly right (although they are properly seasoned).

But I went in with high expectation after reading this thread. Maybe I will try them again when I go around the area again.

LiquidTurbo

02-01-2010, 12:57 PM

I've been a longtime Kintaro fan and tried Benkei and MS this past week. I didn't like Benkei at ALL!. In their miso ramen, they added mini pork bits, which in my opinion ruined the ramen . Motomachi Shokudo was very interesting. I tried the charcoal ramen and actually enjoyed it.

When I want cheap hearty ramen that I can customize quite easily, I'll go to Kintaro. I also love Kintaro's hole in the wall atmosphere.

When I want something a little more upscale, I'll check out MS.

JSilver

02-02-2010, 12:31 PM

Motomachi FTW.

Mugen EvOlutioN

02-02-2010, 01:06 PM

^

amen
:thumbsup:

CRiXy

07-13-2010, 01:15 PM

If you don't mind spending a few more dollars on ramen, Motomachi is the best.

choda

07-13-2010, 03:50 PM

I hated going to Benkei, I usually get Shio Ramen and it tasted like ass compared to Kintaro. I haven't been there for a while so the taste may have gone downhill.

Anakin

07-13-2010, 04:12 PM

benkei is terrible, they're definitely not a top 3 now that santouka is in town

kintaro is still tops in my book as far as serving and quality

mqr03

07-13-2010, 05:25 PM

Aside from the different meats and veggies, doesn't all ramen taste pretty similar?
All ur paying for really is the size of the bowl & meats they put in it.
I usually just buy the ramen from asian food supermarket and cook it myself

Culverin

07-14-2010, 09:16 AM

There supposed to be another Ramen place opening up in the same area as Benkei/Kintaro area. On the CIBC side, near Safeway on Robson.

Yeah, that place is Santouka.

mqr03,
It's mostly the soup that makes the difference.
If it was just meat and veggies, then fresh noodles vs frozen wouldn't make a difference at all right?

Santouka >> Kintaro > Motomachi >>> Benkei >>>>>> Ajisen

The more ">", the bigger the gap in quality.
As you can see, Ajisen is way down on my crap list.

Santouka,
Get the Shio Pork Cheek one. It's better than the miso, so much more complex and balanced.

There are 3 places on my list that I haven't gotten around to yet:
- Menya (Broadway @ Yukon)
- Kenzo (Kingsway @ Griffiths)
- Miki (Kingsway @ Royal Oak)

I heard menya was only okish, not great.
Can anybody comment on these?

Expresso

07-14-2010, 09:28 AM

Miki is pretty bad, but I went about 4 months ago.

Santouka is probably my favourite right now, but I really need to try Motomachi.

unit

07-14-2010, 09:30 AM

menya is ok.. the noodles are nothing special. their gyozas were pretty good tho.

Anakin

07-14-2010, 10:40 AM

Anakin

07-14-2010, 10:43 AM

Yeah, that place is Santouka.

mqr03,
It's mostly the soup that makes the difference.
If it was just meat and veggies, then fresh noodles vs frozen wouldn't make a difference at all right?

Santouka >> Kintaro > Motomachi >>> Benkei >>>>>> Ajisen

The more ">", the bigger the gap in quality.
As you can see, Ajisen is way down on my crap list.

Santouka,
Get the Shio Pork Cheek one. It's better than the miso, so much more complex and balanced.

There are 3 places on my list that I haven't gotten around to yet:
- Menya (Broadway @ Yukon)
- Kenzo (Kingsway @ Griffiths)
- Miki (Kingsway @ Royal Oak)

I heard menya was only okish, not great.
Can anybody comment on these?

the pork cheek is really good at santouka, but having to fork out an extra $5 for it sucks

i'd generally suggest not eating any ramen outside of the robson and denman, the rest are terrible in comparison to the big 3

hirevtuner

07-14-2010, 01:41 PM

g-men soup base is pretty good

mqr03

07-14-2010, 04:29 PM

you clearly know nothing more about ramen than the words on the instant noodle packaging

I never said I was an expert but I can tell you the stuff the sell at places like T&T taste pretty good. Why would I pay more at a restaurant if the taste is equal. I just add my own meats and veges and trust me I'm not the only one who thinks I make good ramen. I cook it for my friends and family and they love it. ;)

6793026

07-15-2010, 10:23 AM

^ dude, I agree with Anakin. Just the soup base alone is what I pay for when I go out and eat.

When you can make a decent soup base without MSG & salt but from slow cooking / boiling bone marrow and bones to produce a soup base is when I can say it's a good ramen
The hours of prepping the soup base and the essence of the broth is why i pay the money i do when i go eat ramen.

cooking for your friends and saying it's good vs. the foodies in Vancouver saying you're good and making a business out of it is sort of diff.

Anakin

07-15-2010, 02:32 PM

I never said I was an expert but I can tell you the stuff the sell at places like T&T taste pretty good. Why would I pay more at a restaurant if the taste is equal. I just add my own meats and veges and trust me I'm not the only one who thinks I make good ramen. I cook it for my friends and family and they love it. ;)

you are not making ramen, you are making instant noodles, no one would pay $5 for whatever you're serving up

Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish that originated in China. It is served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso

what part of of this definition relates to what you do? noodle + broth = ramen?

does campbell's chicken noodle soup qualify as well?

mqr03

07-15-2010, 04:41 PM

It's not instant noodles like Mr.Noodles brand. The stuff I buy actually is ramen unless they are false advertising since it states on the package the noodles are "ramen"

Simply_Corrupt

07-23-2010, 11:15 AM

They do sell Frozen Ramen like Shoyu Aji Nama Ramen at TNT (i think the soup is soy sauce)...

On the topic Santouka Hokkaido on robson is probably the best I've tasted. Been to Kintaro, Benkei, Menyi, and Motomachi.

The pork jowl at Santouka is excellent and they have nice dipping ramen too. And the nifty soup spoons that hang on the side of the bowl.. HOT DAMN...

!KiD

08-13-2010, 09:57 AM

tried all 3 places

hate benkei / motomachi but i love kintaro

i agree.. i love the fatty greasiness of Kintaro.

it coats your mouth and is disgustingly fattening but its the only place you can get that exact flavor.. :drool

LiquidTurbo

08-13-2010, 09:27 PM

Went to Gmen today in Richmond. Not a bad alternative for those who can't get into DT easily.. (or are too lazy)

LiquidTurbo

08-13-2010, 09:27 PM

it coats your mouth and is disgustingly fattening but its the only place you can get that exact flavor.. :drool

That's what she said.:thumbsup:

aikenluu918

08-13-2010, 09:53 PM

I go to benkei quite often as i work just around the corner from the robson and thurlow one. I havent tried many ramen places other then gmen and a couple others here and there but benkei is definitely my favorite. "Shoyu" is my favorite and recommend it everyone. my usual order is shoyu extra noodles and kimchi =)

HOTSHOTKEN

08-20-2010, 08:24 AM

who here uses their student card at Benkei to get the 50% discount on extra noodles? ($0.50 instead of $1)

Mugen EvOlutioN

08-20-2010, 09:12 AM

It's not instant noodles like Mr.Noodles brand. The stuff I buy actually is ramen unless they are false advertising since it states on the package the noodles are "ramen"

i know the one you are talking about

they are about $2-3 dollar a pack, frozen

when on sale i believe it was about $1.70 per package

ae101

08-20-2010, 09:41 AM

who here uses their student card at Benkei to get the 50% discount on extra noodles? ($0.50 instead of $1)

want to enlighten me on that cuz im going to a wedding in Downtown this Saturday & i have 2hrs to in between time, so i going to make a quick benkeis run

Not really racist!

08-20-2010, 11:27 AM

want to enlighten me on that cuz im going to a wedding in Downtown this Saturday & i have 2hrs to in between time, so i going to make a quick benkeis run

All you do is show your Go-Card / University Pass and instead of paying for $1 for the noodles, you pay only 50 cents, not that big of a diff TBH

Santofu

10-15-2010, 08:54 PM

Sorry guys! I gotta bump this thread to see how people still like ramen.
Do you think Kintaro ramen got a little salty this time?

palepilsenpin0y

10-15-2010, 11:30 PM

who here uses their student card at Benkei to get the 50% discount on extra noodles? ($0.50 instead of $1)

I DO! xD

I fucking love Benkei. I eat there all the time with my buddies. The prices are pretty cheap indeed (especially compared to other Ramen restaurants), and it's incredibly good.

My personal favorite is the cream-based Ramen Benkei serves:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs610.snc4/59013_10150278397480145_696235144_14639216_5263014 _n.jpg

It's AMAZING! Though I've tried almost all the other Ramens on the menu and they were all superb as well. Deh-lee-shoos!

hal0g0dv2

10-16-2010, 03:35 PM

^^ that looks solid

sean_wong

10-23-2010, 08:13 PM

That looks like a bowl of some Hastings crackwhore's pubic hair submerged in Mugen EvOlutioN's splooge.

Do not want.

moomooCow

10-23-2010, 11:28 PM

^...........here, have a peanut butter sandwich instead.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2007/09/peanutbutter_sandwich.jpg

In the mean time, maybe start a thread on the restaurants that serve it?

Alphamale

10-24-2010, 12:44 AM

FYI, if you want the student discount, APPARENTLY you have to show it BEFORE YOU ORDER. Or else it's not valid...that's what I was told.

Which is fucking gay.

k3lv

10-24-2010, 11:16 AM

Was walking on robson on the way to kintaro when it started pouring rain like a flood. My girl freaked out now I don't get to eat ramen. Fuuuuuuuuu
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

kungpow

10-24-2010, 12:33 PM

Motomachi is freaking disgusting. After finishing my noodles, I went to the washroom for a leak and when I came back to drink my soup, I see a thick layer of grease floating on top. I stirred the grease into one big blob. It was so nasty. I lost my appetite after that.

ShanghaiKid

10-24-2010, 06:26 PM

Santouka Ramen on Robson was solid when I went Friday. Kara miso ramen = :thumbsup:, broth at the exact right temperature made the already amazing taste that much better.

NNT

10-25-2010, 01:13 PM

Santouka Ramen on Robson was solid when I went Friday. Kara miso ramen = :thumbsup:, broth at the exact right temperature made the already amazing taste that much better.

second that, Santouka is the only place I would go for Ramen now, I am going like twice a month.

Onassis

06-20-2011, 08:12 PM

Sorry to bump this old thread but does anyone know whats going on at Gmen ramen in Richmond ? They've been closed for over a week.

Hide625

06-20-2011, 10:07 PM

Sorry to bump this old thread but does anyone know whats going on at Gmen ramen in Richmond ? They've been closed for over a week.

They've been closed since May 12th as far as I know.
I heard some sort of dispute between the owners...

Culverin

06-20-2011, 10:12 PM

Well that's disappointing. Also, I don't think it's that hard to make half-decent ramen. Throw crap stuff into a pot and boil the crap out of it, even I was able to make it on my first try. To make it good however is a whole different story.

I just went back to Santouka for the 2nd time in 2 weeks. Had the shio toroniku ramen. There really isn't any other broth or meat in the city that compares. So many layers of flavor. I couldn't imagine even making my meat taste close to that. It's quite humbling really.

ShanghaiKid

09-08-2011, 08:52 PM

does anyone know when kintaro closes on saturdays? i ask only because santouka closes at 10pm =(

BlackZRoadster

09-08-2011, 11:00 PM

kintaro should be 11

toyobaru

09-13-2011, 08:51 AM

Benkei's cold ramen is a definite to try dish for their summer special!

Tai Chi

09-13-2011, 10:31 AM

Motomachi FTW, love the broth, noodle, egg, meat, everything.
Benkei is OK
Kintaro taste like crap
G-Men is okay when you dun want to get out of Richmond.
Santouka Broth is A++, but the noodle texture is just not my taste.

Below is the winning Motomachi Ramens: :fullofwin:

604trueno

09-13-2011, 11:03 AM

haha i love this thread because i love a good food discussion. i gotta throw my 2c in.

i read through the pages of this thread and i see alot of consistencies in patterns but a huge range in opinion. the way i see it, if you like Benkei, you don't like Kintaro and likewise. the other ones are somewhat in the middle opinionwise.

kintaro === santouka/g-men/motomachi === benkei

i'm a huge kintaro fan and let me explain. whether you like the fatiness of the broth or not, if you unbiasly delve into the flavour of the broth, i feel like it is the most "true" in meat flavour made from the meat and fat. I'm vietnamese and eat all types of Pho whether pho hoa-donalds or not, but i appreciate good broth. When i first tried Benkei i felt like i was eating at the Pho Hoa Japanese equivalent. i was smacked in the face by MSG. i can't believe that hasn't been mentioned this whole thread. Yes i agree that benkei has the most "flavour," but its has an unmistakeable bite of that wonderful manufactured powder.

i love Kintaro's fatty pork belly and full bodied broth. also, out of every single ramen place, i think they are in a league of their own as far as garnish goes. its not the prettiest but you get a noticeable amount of bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, etc. thats probably from the Viet upbringing too. when i eat noodles, its almost 50/50 noodles to veggies.

santouka has the best eggs, always soft yolk cooked beautifully

and i crave benkei's cream based ramen every so often like i crave a big mac. soo good but you know its not a real burger.

g-men is completely forgettable and i've had it a few times.

Culverin

09-13-2011, 11:11 AM

I'm usually a miso ramen guy, so that's what I tried when I first went to santouka. However, I don't believe they do it that well. It's their Shio ramen that shines for me. It similar to how you describe kintaro, more natural and more meat flavor shining through.

Also, their pork cheek alone is enough drag me back there time and time again.

Has anybody tried out the new place in Burnaby on Hastings near Willingdon?
I have no expectations of the place, but I think it still needs to be put to the test.

Culverin

09-14-2011, 09:15 PM

Okies, so I went to Hakakku Ramen today.
It's the new ramen place on Hastings near Willingdon in Burnaby.

Got the Miso Ramen.
Came with 1 large slice of cha su.
Some reviews peg this place as overly salty, I didn't find that at all.
You can get either rich soup or light soup and lean pork or fatty pork (belly).

I with rich + fatty.

Cha su was ok, but I did better on my first try. But according to my friends who went to japan, that's quite normal for places to have crappy cha su. It was soft in some places, but still dryish and chewy in others.

Soup was very similar to Kintaro's miso ramen. I'd say 2 notches less fatty, however, the flavor layering just isn't as deep.

Toppings came with bean sprouts, menma and green onions. The green onions weren't "fresh" they were just a touch dry. I think it must have been done the night before and fridged. Not a big deal, just caught me off guard, that's all.

I was the only one eating there cause I went for a 2pm lunch. So service was fine.

Right now, my list looks like:
Santouka > Kintaro > Motomachi > Benkei > Hakakku > Sanpachi > EZ Giku

Overall - 6.5/10

If I'm too lazy to make it at home and too lazy to make the trek downtown, then I'll go to Hakakku. It's only 10 minutes from my place.

Amuse

09-14-2011, 10:20 PM

Benkei with extra noodles. I still think the serving is small for the price. Do the other ramen places have bigger servings for a $8 bowl of ramen compared to Benkei?

Gnomes

09-16-2011, 06:09 PM

Benkei ramen on Broadway+Cambie has the 50% extra noodles for 50 cents. No need for student card. I go to this Benkei quite often and I see their Cha Sui get thinner and thinner as time went by.

Deathdot

09-16-2011, 08:03 PM

I really like Ramen Santouka. Kara-miso ramen is my favorite. I went to Benkei and Kintaro and was dissapointed. Esp with cheese ramen. Ramen Santouka is worth lining up for 30 minutes.

Okami

09-19-2011, 05:42 PM

Okies, so I went to Hakakku Ramen today.
It's the new ramen place on Hastings near Willingdon in Burnaby.

Right now, my list looks like:
Santouka > Kintaro > Motomachi > Benkei > Hakakku > Sanpachi > EZ Giku

Overall - 6.5/10

If I'm too lazy to make it at home and too lazy to make the trek downtown, then I'll go to Hakakku. It's only 10 minutes from my place.

how did you rank hakkaku over sanpachi? O_o

theres a new place in the robson public market called Hida Takayama ramen.. its prob closest to kintaro.. rich and think soup (no msg too).. but not like fat laden..

i coming here often because they seem to be consistent with their soup.. (unlike kintaro where sometimes it will be hot/cold, rich/bland.. and i get rich soup every time)

prices are around the same as the other places tho..

the place doesnt get very many good reviews.. on like urban spoon and stuff..

but im glad i went to try myself