Japanese cuisine in Toronto used to be a dramatic show of high flying knives and open grills, also known as teppanyaki. Meat and vegetables were transformed during the performance into tasty dishes as diners watched each flip and chop from the grill’s edge.
Toronto’s embrace of the wide range of Japan’s dining offers has led us to be schooled in the love for ramen: the slow-cooked broth, the handmade noodles and what goes into a memorable meal in a very big ceramic bowl. Here’s a list of where to find the best ramen in the city.
1. Kinton Ramen
The two blocks of Baldwin west of McCaul have long been a haunt of diners and since 2012 also the home for the first location of Kinton. Patient fans are regularly in line to grab a stool in the narrow space of dark wood, with the house gold pig overseeing the restaurant’s good fortune. Hope for a seat in front of the kitchen, to watch the theatre of busy chefs combining house-made noodles with slow-simmered broths. Don’t be afraid to slurp your way to become a Kinton Bowler, someone who finishes every drop.
Kinton Ramen, 51 Baldwin St. (three more locations Queen St. W., Bloor St. W., Yonge St.), 647-748-8900
(Image: Hokkaido ramen santouka)
2. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
Popular with students and downtown office workers, this busy dining spot on Dundas East has directly imported its style from Japan. Founder Hitoshi Hatanaka opened the first restaurant on the island of Hokkaido in 1988 and since then has opened locations across Japan and in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Phillipines, Singapore and the U.S. Every location offers the now well-known house-speciality, the distinctive cream-coloured Tonkotsu soup broth.
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, 91 Dundas St. E., 647-748-1717
3. Kenzo
One of the original Japanese restaurants in Toronto that offered this foodie favourite, Kenzo’s simplicity makes it popular. With three options for basic ramen, paired with Korean wheat noodles and an assortment of toppings, diners of all ages make tracks to owner Daniel Park’s offerings of Sho-yu, Shi-O or Miso ramen. But for more sophisticated palates, there’s also the unique options such as the Yakisoba with stir-fried noodles, chicken and vegetables or the Nakasaki champion with mussels, scallops, squid and shrimp.
Kenzo, 138 Dundas St. W. (five total locations in the city), 416-205-1155
(Image: guu izakaya)
4. Guu Toronto Izakaya
This Vancouver chain opened its first restaurant in our city in 2009. Word spread fast, with passionate foodies making tracks to the lively izakaya restaurant, where the serving staff and chefs loudly greets diners as they enter with welcome calls in Japanese. Long lines are common for dinner time, but those in the know come for lunch, when it’s easy to get a table and enjoy slow-cooked ramen as well as popular sashimi salad and Gyu carpaccio before being sent off with equally fervent goodbyes from the staff.
Guu Toronto Izakaya, 398 Church St. (two other locations on Bloor Street and in North York), 416-977-0999
(Image: momofuku noodle bar)
5. Momofuku Noodle Bar
Well-known by locals before it came to Toronto, chef David Chang’s Momofuku opening adjacent to the Shangri-la Hotel was the biggest news of Toronto’s dining scene in 2012. With its celebrity foodie entourage now on this side of the border, Noodle Bar has been the see and be seen place to savour Chang’s Momofuku ramen featuring Ontario-raised pork, fish cake and egg and a side of crack pie from Milk Bar for a sweet finish.
Momofuku Noodle Bar, 190 University Ave., 647-253-6225
6. Ramen Raijin
This spacious restaurant offers diners endless options to sample many palate-pleasing options with 10 kinds of ramen. Opened by the Zakkushi Group from Vancouver, the place is a favourite of neighbouring Ryerson staff and students, especially for the classic Japanese standard of slow-cooked Tonkotsu broth with green onion, corn, cabbage and the house-made toppers: a spicy Rayu oil or crunchy chili oil to balance the salty savoury soup.
Ramen Raijin, 3 Gerrard St. E., 647-748-1500
7. Sansotei
Opened in September 2012 by Michael Zhang, Sansotei didn’t draw attention until ramen fans discovered that the restaurant’s intense dedication results in an addictive offering of Japan’s favourite soup. To ensure authenticity, Zhang attended the Yamato Ramen School. He has gained accolades for the restaurant’s five types of ramen served in the small bamboo space, including a chilled ramen, along with tonkotsu, tonkotsu shiyo, miso and shio.
Sansotei, 179 Dundas Street West (second location Yonge Street), 647-748-3833
8. Touhenboku Ramen
The dedicated crew of cooks take eight hours to make the house ramen, based on mizutaki, slow cooked chicken broth. Owner Zuimei Okuyama trained at the Shokuno dojo, a ramen school in Chiba, Japan, and brought his concept to these shore, where the popular combination of house-made noodles, green onion, seaweed, wood ear mushrooms, pork or chicken has made many repeat customers.
Touhenboku Ramen, 261 Queen St. W. (second location on Yonge St.), 416-596-8080
