Kazakh Ramen has become a favourite spot for me when it comes to ramen dishes…read more Service is always very welcoming and fast at this place, which is always nice!! I'm a regular with the tonkotsu ramen bowl, served with pork, ramen, delicious broth, and egg, to name a few. Their shrimp tempura is always tasty. Ambiance is relaxing and it's very enjoyable to eat the ramen bowl.

It is no secret that ramen has exploded in Edmonton and what was once an elusive cuisine is now…read moreentirely common. It's wonderful to have so many options available and one of those is Kazoku Ramen in the west end area of Glenwood. The Edmonton Food Faves We Crave 2022 list named this restaurant as one of their Favourite Date Night spots and I was very excited to find out how they compare to the other big ramen shops in town. Visiting on a Monday evening, the restaurant was busy and bustling, indicative of it's popularity. Almost every table remained occupied for the duration of my visit. The location isn't exactly the greatest part of the city, however you'll find them in a strip mall directly next door to perennial favourite Bucas & Pastas (have you had the pasticcio??). Kazoku is immediately recognizable by their red awning and this theming remained excellent on the inside. Stepping through the door the aroma of broth tantalized my senses and I couldn't wait to taste the food. My eye was drawn to the incredible mural on the wall, which I absolutely loved!! It's of a city skyline with an adorable cartoonish Godzilla eating a naruto (a type of fish cake). The artwork is striking and looks amazing with the red lanterns hanging throughout the restaurant and dark wooden beams. They've done a wonderful job of creating an amazing atmosphere that you wouldn't necessarily expect from a strip mall! Kazoku means family in Japanese and this family business strives to only serve food that they would serve to their own family. The focus is on authentic ramen made with the freshest ingredients, creating delicious melodies of tastes and colours. Our server was prompt and efficient but I did find her to be quite curt and uninterested in answering many questions or offering recommendations. I was happy to order a Japanese Cream Soda (Melon flavour soda with a scoop of vanilla ice cream - $6.50) to drink, a beverage that I've seen on Japanese menus before and was happy to find here. The colour alone is a lot of fun and we enjoyed slurping on the deep green liquid. The soda tasted sort of citrusy to me and not as much like melon. But when you get the ice cream in the mix it's all very sweet and joyful. (An ideal treat for kids.) Next, we grabbed an order of Edamame (Soy beans sprinkled with coarse sea salt - $4.50) because you can't go wrong with some tasty beans. Bright green, well-cooked, and nicely salted. We happily popped these into our mouths and enjoyed the tender beans within. Edamame always feels like snacking, except in a healthy way. The menu features several types of appetizers and tempura but I zeroed in on the Takoyaki (Fried wheat balls with octopus in the center topped with tonkatsu sauce, mayo, nori, bonito - $13.00), a favourite of mine. Complete with dancing bonito on top, these takoyaki balls appeared to be entirely legit. I am certain that the restaurant is using a specialized takoyaki pan, which is what creates their perfectly spherical shape. Biting into the golden-crispy balls, these were almost identical to what I'd experienced on the streets of Osaka. Crisp on the outside but very soft on the inside with a piece of tender octopus hidden within. The sauces on top added a lot of flavour as did the shaved bonito. These were really good and one of the highlights of the meal for me. Ramen, of course, is Kazoku's specialty and with twelve types on the menu they've got a ramen for everyone. Heavy to lighter broths are offered and the menu does a good job of describing the type of broth to expect in each. I couldn't help but notice some stark similarities between the ramen at Kazoku and the ramen offered at Japanese ramen chain Santouka (my favourite ramen of all-time), including the appearance of shio ramen (my favourite!). They also have a chili goma which I usually love, full of spicy chili oil. However, for my first visit I felt that I should experience the Kazoku (Char siu, full soft-boiled egg, nori, bamboo shoots, corn, black fungus, bean sprouts, toasted sesame, green onion, naruto - $18.50), the restaurant's namesake bowl. Unexpectedly, the server asked if we wanted pork belly or shoulder for our char siu and I have never encountered this option before. Looking for some guidance on which to choose, the server offered little (none) information on the difference between the two. We chose pork belly as that seemed to be the cut of char siu that we were more familiar with. Made with a lighter pork broth, the depth of flavour was alright but I did find myself longing for something a bit more robust. I wasn't all that impressed with the char siu overall. As a BBQ pork, I found the slices incredibly thin (they should be quite thick!) and completely lacking in caramelized BBQ char. The meat was underdone and full of wet, uncooked fat. The noodles were great; nice and loose and tender. The ajitama (egg) was nicely prepared with an ideal jammy yolk, although a bit more marinaded seasoning would have been

Pretty impressed by their value and what it comes with. Got…read moretheir kids meal which came with chicken ramen and rice bowl for $13.99 - can't go wrong with that. I suggest getting the ramen with combo which you can choose which sides you want. We got the chicken bowl and it also came with salad. Did I mention it's cheaper? Overall, we're pretty happy. Their service was also great, kept checking in on us while we were waiting to ensure we were okay. Ambiance was good as well. Spacious and clean.

We were in the mood for ramen and this place hit the spot. When we arrived, it took a couple…read moreminutes for us to get seated. I ordered the Spicy Creamy Vegan ramen and my boyfriend got the Tan Tan men. Wait time wasn't so bad. Usually when I get ramen anywhere, I like trying their chicken ramen but seeing their vegan option was intriguing to me. Once I had my first bite, I knew I picked a really good dish. I'm not vegan in the slightest but that ramen was amazing. The noodles were cooked well, had a great consistency and was chewy but not too soft. All the toppings tasted fresh. I loved the nice bite of onion or green onion with my noodles. And don't even get me started on the broth. That was my favorite part by far. It was rich, creamy, savory, and had umami. It had a good amount of spice but wasn't overpowering, it complemented everything. I'm always curious how ramen places execute their vegan ramen, and Jinya did it very well. We came at the perfect time because other parties were filling up the dining area. It was a little difficult getting our server at the end so we can pay since he was the only one taking orders, serving, and checking on tables. But when he did check up on us and when we could catch him, he was friendly and helpful. But really though, he was doing so much. He even brought other parties to their tables too. I was confused because he had other coworkers but he was doing almost everything. Anyways, I have no complaints. Food was wonderful. I loved my ramen so much that I was out there lifting my bowl to my face drinking all the broth leftover. No broth left behind because it was just that amazing. I absolutely loved this place and their ramen.

It's been a while since my last visit. I went there with some coworkers. Everyone enjoyed the cozy…read morevibe and interior design and the great food. It was my coworkers' first time and they loved the quality of the food and the experience. Customer service was fantastic as usual and we all enjoyed the experience. It's definitely one of my favourite spots in downtown area for Ramen! Highly recommended! :)

Ordered golden broth chashu, and it was ok but honestly not great. I didn't finish all the chashu…read moreand got halfway through the broth. Noodles were ok but honestly for $20 I was disappointed that there wasn't any item in the dish I actively enjoyed. I usually give benefit of the doubt, but the rest of my table also thought the soup wasnt too good for both tan tan and silver... Chashu was big but honestly a bit too much for me, and smaller would mean they could cook it faster which would have been better. Service was ok, took a while to take our order and get our food out. Table was super wobbly and we asked to move. Menus had been hand edited but its ok. Drink we tried to order we were told they had run out of. Ambiance was fine, tv and music but the food was a miss for me and I won't be going back.

Lots of parking in the communal parking lot. Great service…read more Came Sunday 11:30AM and we were the only ones but by 1PM place was 50% full. Wagyu beef gyoza were the special of the day - 7/10. Perfectly fried but filling was not my preference. Shio ramen: 6/10. Broth was too bland for me. Noodles are not my preference either. Nori was good, pork meat was good. Friend got the Buta Kakuni: 8/10 enjoyed it but also commented there are better ramen places.

I am reviewing Nomiya based on a collaboration they did for "Girl's Day" or Hinamatsuki. It looked…read morereally pretty however, it didn't taste too fresh. I ended up not finishing the food. I really can't comment on the service or atmosphere, because this was a take out only situation. Based on what I recieved, I wouldn't order anything that was sushi based here. It just tasted off, but having driven all the way to the south side, I wasn't going to turn around and drive all the way back. And for the price (which included some delicious desserts from Reinette Cafe) I didn't think it was worth the money.

What can I say, I was impressed. I hadn't yet experienced Mazesoba and so I was really happy to do…read moreso here. I liked the fact that I could get some rice to eat the remainder of the sauce when the rest of my food was eaten too! The staff were friendly and ordering on the screen went well enough. I'll definitely keep this place in mind for future visits to the University of Alberta campus area or before a show at the Jubilee.

Brand new restaurant opened very close to the University Hospital. This restaurant features…read moreMazesoba which a specific noodle style. It is noodles with a raw egg yolk in the middle. You break the yolk and mix it up to eat it. You also can add vinegar to cut down on the greasy texture. You also get a free portion of tice to mix in with the remaining sauce for the noodles when you are finished. This restaurant also serves ramen and rice bowls. It is a simple looking restaurant but clean and pleasant enough. Service is fast and polite. I went here twice in one week. Once with my husband and once with my daughter. I tried the classic mazesoba with Umami-Rich Minced Meat Sauce. and the pork Katsu with a Japanese Curry Sauce. Both my daughter and my husband chose the Melted Cheese with Umami - Rich Minced Meat Sauce. My daughter and I also had the Tokyo Iced Milk Tea which was large and delicious. And my husband and I split the Hokkaido Soft Serve Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream Made by Japanese Nissei Machine. Which was creamy and not too sweet. Food was tasty and filling. And a new expereince. If you want a new experience try it!

Menya Mori (formerly known as Kasey Ramen) has quickly become an Edmonton success story in the past…read moresix years. What began as a pandemic project in 2020 is now a fully formed ramen restaurant that is consistently packed with this city's noodle loyalists. To say that Chef Allen Gao is obsessed with ramen is an understatement (as evidenced by his continued trips to Japan to study the craft). He began selling ramen kits on Instagram for people to make at home - I bought several of these and during the bleak lockdown days of the pandemic they brought a lot of joy and something fun to create at home. These kits were different... Because they were actually good. Kasey Ramen started doing pop-ups here and there, dipping the proverbial toe into the restaurant waters. In 2023 EDify magazine named them as one of the best new restaurants in the city (they did not have a storefront) and at the EDify Best Restaurants 2023 event I myself chose their Tonkotsu Shio Ramen as the number one best item to eat of the entire night, calling it "INCREDIBLE" and "just as good as ramen that I've eaten in Japan." I also stated that "Kasey Ramen is super hot right now and somewhat elusive, so I was not surprised to see that this booth had the longest line at the event. I ate two bowls because it was perfect." So. Things were off to a promising start. And then in 2024 it finally happened, Menya Mori opened it's doors as a fully realized restaurant, now with a new name, prepared to serve and celebrate the expertly crafted ramen bowls that everyone had come to love. The Edmonton Food Faves We Crave 2022 list named them as Favourite Dish followed by their 2024 list featuring them as a Favourite Noodles pick. Today, Menya Mori is going strong as one of the very top ramen spots in the city. They still sell ramen kits that you can take home. They also put on awesome events and you'll find Allen offering up collabs with some of the coolest businesses and chefs in the city (and beyond). I have no idea how it took me so long to set foot in the restaurant but it was finally time to visit for myself! I got myself to Westmount early on a Saturday evening. I knew that I wanted to arrive before 5pm because I had a feeling that seating would become increasingly elusive and no reservations are taken. Finding a parking spot on 124th Street shouldn't be too difficult but you will have to pay for it. I could smell the tantalizing aromas of broth wafting through the air before I even descended the stairs to Menya Mori's subterranean location. Entering the space, it truly felt like I could have been stepping into a secret little ramen spot in Tokyo. Dark, distressed wood. A wall of perfectly-curated items from Japan. Bench seating. And a counter area for a front row seat to where all of the magic takes place. There aren't that many seats available and when I arrived only two tables were unoccupied. Both disappeared instantly and a line to get in formed and never went away. Arriving as early as I did was a good plan! One thing about ramen is that the turnover is quite quick - the bowls arrive in rapid-fire succession and customers tend to slurp down their ramen and clear out. So even if you are stuck waiting it likely won't be for too long. The menu is small and this is by design. Each item gets the care that it deserves without overloading the system. The servers are friendly and efficient, aiding in keeping the gears constantly turning. I even spotted Allen himself a few times, busily bustling about. As far as beverages there are a few beers to choose from as well as pop and sake. I wasn't in the mood for any of it, looking to focus strictly on the ramen task at hand. However, I was surprised to find a small "Snacks" part of the menu with two items on it. Zangi (3 piece Hokkaido-style fried chicken - $6.00) would be a great way to start. A small dish containing three morsels of chicken showed up which we doused with the accompanying lemon slice. It didn't look like much but biting into this well-seasoned piece of chicken revealed a juicy fried perfection. There isn't much more to desire from a bite of fried chicken other than a crispy outside and a tender inside. This dish provided exactly that. Ramen is what you come to Menya Mori for and there are five bowls to choose from on the menu. Four of them are always available and one of them, the Gentei (limited edition), is a feature that rotates. Everyone knows that with ramen (or any noodle soup, for that matter) the broth is where the magic lies. A solid broth leads to an incredible bowl. Menya Mori makes every part of their ramen from scratch, including the noodles, broth, and all of the toppings. They don't believe in shortcuts and it's evident in every bowl that they produce. There's a ramen mad scientist (it's Allen) in the kitchen and his craft has been dialed in. Since it was my first official restaurant visit I had to order the Tokyo Style Shoyu Ramen ($23.00 for Tokusei), their signature bowl. At

This might be the best ramen spot in Alberta. In a basement level retail space, Menya Mori manages…read moreto dish out stellar ramen in a small, unassuming layout. It was slow on a Tuesday evening at 7pm but be aware that tables can fill up fast since the space is small. Service was minimal but not unkind. I sat at the counter and ordered the Tokyo-style shoyu ramen. The broth was savory and the chashu pork fatty. The burdock root was salty, maybe a touch too much so paired with the darker broth. The noodles were perfectly thin, chewy, and bouncy. I then ordered the lemon shio ramen, and this was definitely the better of the two in my opinion. The lemon helped lift some of the heaviness of the oil, and the broth tasted both clean and complex. The soy egg was excellent as well. Next time I come back, I'll definitely get the lemon shio and maybe add some extra noodles. Well worth every penny.

This place is close to my house and I've always passed by and never tried it…read more But it was time. To my surprise, it was really good. The place was clean and we were seated right away. The staff gave us recommendation as well.

Such a cute little area. Not much for seating but grateful we got a spot when it was more quiet…read more The food was delicious I was full after the chicken karaage & ramen, I wanted to order another ramen bowl but my belly did not allow for that to take place. Can't wait to come back and try 3 other dishes that really caught my eye. The service was joyful and quick! Parking is limited however.

It was our first time and I'm glad we could try their food. The place is nicely designed. Staff is…read morevery friendly and helpful. The person who was helping us was awesome and helpful made sure we have a good time there. The food was great and presentation was awesome! I loved everything! The only item that was probably not the best was their lobster rolls! It didn't have any kick but not bad at all. Overall I enjoyed my experience there and I highly recommend it! :)

We went here for the lunch Ramen special. It is good bang for your buck. It gets pretty busy so I…read morewould suggest getting there early or late (special runs until 4 pm) Service was prompt and considerate. Also they did well considering how busy they were.Our water glasses were kept full and we were checked on a few times. Don't come here for the atmosphere. It is pretty sterile. Clean though, however they blast the music in the bathroom. Ramen was decent. Definately not the best in the city, but for the price point good. It is also a smaller bowl, I noticed that couples were splitting and order of sushi or rolls which seemed like a good idea. My choice of ramen was red which was claimed to be spicy . It wasn't too spicy and so if I ordered this again, I would ask for some chili oil on the side. My husband ordered the goma which was sesame paste based. Noodles were lovely. However my pork belly was pretty raw. Still worth it to go and try.