Tip: The shio ramen and gyoza are excellent.
My rating is 4.5. I'll round up.
Years ago, when I frequented Waterloo often, there was a Kenzo Ramen in the plaza next door from the University of Waterloo. It closed and I was sad. I loved having a meal there.
Last month, I took a Friday off and did a day trip to the Waterloo area. I felt like ramen after completing my shopping excursion. I did a search and found out that Kenzo Ramen had returned to Waterloo, but in a different part of the city. I was thrilled to pieces. I headed over here for a late lunch.
This eatery is located in a plaza with a ton of parking. I backed into a spot and headed over to the entrance.
I saw a sign on the door saying that the eatery was experiencing air conditioning issues. Oh, no! It was a hot day. I had flashbacks checking into accommodations in Winnipeg and learning that it didn't have air conditioning in my room.
But, I love Kenzo. I needed nourishment. I opened the door and walked in.
It wasn't hot at all. This place had at least two massive portable air conditioning units going. It felt cool. Yay!
A female staffer immediately greeted me. I let her know that I'd like to dine in. She said I could sit anywhere. Naturally, I chose to sit next to the air conditioning unit. It was the best move. I was cool the entire time at this eatery.
I ordered the following items:
- Water with ice
- Diet Coke
- Gyoza (3)
- Shio ramen
For the shio ramen, I asked that the bamboo shoots be held. I added an egg and corn.
The iced water was needed. It was hot outside and the water was refreshing. Same with the Diet Coke. This place was kind to get me a glass with ice. I poured the cold pop into the glass. So good!
My gyoza came out next. I got three of them. They were perfectly pan-fried. The filling was delicious and generous. I liked the dipping sauce.
My ramen came out next. I was excited. I was reuniting with the best bowl of ramen.
The chashu slices were thick and tender. I loved them. So flavourful with the perfect protein-to-fat ratio.
The egg was jammy. The corn was perfect. The ramen was chewy and perfect. I loved the green onion with the shio soup base. The saltiness was perfect. It enhanced everything in my bowl of ramen, but didn't make me thirsty for the rest of the day.
I paid my bill at my table. The woman brought me the payment machine. I paid with a credit card and tipped. Done!
I let her know that my meal was excellent. She seemed appreciative.
I visited the washroom before making tracks home to Markham. It was clean. No complaints.
It's great that Kenzo Ramen is back in Waterloo. I was ecstatic to order my usual again. The quality and taste remain the same as I remembered them to be.
I look forward to returning. The food is amazing and staff are so nice.
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