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Kintaro Ramen Noodle
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
788 Denman StVancouver, BC V6G 2L5
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 682-7568
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 12 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
243 reviews for Kintaro Ramen Noodle
Review Highlights
"I always go for medium broth and fat pork."
(in 36 reviews)
"Spicy Garlic Ramen - lean pork, extra green onions."
(in 40 reviews)
"Spicy Garlic Ramen with extra corn ALL THE WAY."
(in 28 reviews)
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243 reviews in English
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Review from Jenna H.
Vancouver, BC
2/8/2012
This place is SO amazing that I can now see why it always has a line up! It is quite simple and basic inside, but don't like that fool you because the ramen will take your breath away. I like the lean/light combo because it is not fatty at all but the miso flavour is unbelievable. The cheese ramen looks tempting too and I think it is awesome how the menu says "ladies loooove it"! Next time I will have to try it because I do loooove cheese!
After recently travelling in Japan, I must say the ramen at Kintaro easily beats the stuff I tried in Tokyo. My only tip for Kintaro is to go at weird times, like 3pm-5pm because that way the delicious ramen gets to your belly without having to wait in line!
I am going to have to add this to my list of food that I daydream about :) -
Review from Arnold P.
Vancouver, BC
2/6/2012
My favorite ramen place in vancouver. This is the reference ramen I base my ramen reviews from.
I don't like lineups.Listed in: Ramen
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Review from Elisa A.
North Vancouver, BC
2/4/2012
I discovered this restaurant one day with a big long line up,and I am always curious with the stores or restaurants with the line ups,so i decide to pay a visit 1 week later.
It is a very small restaurant ,and somewhat hot inside. the ramen portion was big which I love,but the soup and the chashu is not as good as i expected. I had better one,really!
It is cheap tho.
I also had the gyoza,it is just ok. it doesn't turn me into a fan for them! with the long line up I expect more!
but there is always something worth to be mentioned more:the cheese ramen,guess this is not the traditional japanese style ramen ,but they give me a bunch of cheese on the top of the noodles,and it totally melted when u stir it into the soup,it surprisingly taste good and smooth with the soup!!yum for this one! :) -
Review from Karen L.
I've heard great things about this place, so I'm willing to give it another chance to redeem itself.
This review is only based on the spicy garlic ramen, which I honestly did not enjoy very much. It was neither very spicy nor very flavorful. The broth was kind of bland, in fact. If you're wondering, we ordered it fatty and "rich" all the way.
There was no wait, since we arrived around 3:00pm (a non-peak hour), so that was a plus.
However, I'd definitely return to try their miso and shio ramen. Kintaro Ramen, don't let me down! -
Review from Suie C.
1/7/2012
I like ramen, but I have a hard time telling when ramen is REALLY good. I can tell when it's bad ramen, but they tend to taste alike when it's "good."
I liked the ramen here. We ordered the miso ramen. One with the fatty pork and one with the lean pork. Honestly, I preferred the fatty pork although I was the one who got the lean pork. It's more tender and flavorful than the lean cut. Although, the lean cut is definitely less calories.
I really liked the broth that came with it. We both ordered it "medium," but I wished I had gotten it "dark" as I felt "medium" could've been more flavorful. No complaints though, i finished every last drop of my soup. I like soup a lot!
The ramen also came with some veggies and I really enjoyed the bean sprouts that came in it. They actually cook the beansprouts in ramen soup before putting it in your bowl.
Portion wise, generous and cost was about $10. I couldn't finish all my noodles and the bf was stuffed after finishing his.
I do have to say that compared to other ramen shops, I feel like they actually take care with their product. It seemed like there was more effort put into the preparation (ie, mixing around your noodles before they serve it to you, cooking the veggies before putting it in your bowl, etc) than other places that just seem to throw the noodles and soup in a bowl.
It's a small space, bar seating and just a few tables. 4 of us came in on a wed night at 10pm and it was still packed! We got lucky and were seated quickly at the counter as some ppl had just left.
Good stuff and perfect on a cold night. -
Review from Sam L.
12/28/2011
The amount of 4 and 5 star reviews for Kintaro blows my mind. Kintaro is not that good! Whenever I eat here I don't enjoy it, but for some reason after a certain amount of time passes, I convince myself to give it another try. I've tried a few things off the menu and not one of them is at the same level as another ramen restaurant which just happens to be up the street on Robson.
When you order ramen at Kintaro, you have the standard miso, shoyu or shio, and the option of ordering light, medium or rich for the broth, then lean or fat for the chashu pork. The broths are all basically the same, with varying degrees of pork fat added to make it "rich". The lean chashu pork is dry with not much flavour.
On my most recent visit, I decided to order the cheese ramen which I've heard a lot about. This only comes with the light broth and then two types of cheese plopped on top, a shredded cheese which tasted like emmental, and a thick slice of mozzarella perched on top of that. The cheese started melting almost immediately in the hot broth, which being their "light" was pretty flavourless. The cheese then began to congeal into big lumps like icebergs in my sea of blandness, which I didn't really care for, and didn't really add to the already lacklustre miso ramen. The noodles are good though, I will give them that.
Beyond the food, the interior or Kintaro could have used a fresh coat of paint and an updated interior about 5 years ago. They also employ the open kitchen concept, so you can see what the cooks are doing, which I normally like, except when you have to sit and watch an employee continually scooping off pork scum from the top of one of the boiling vats.
There is better ramen in Vancouver than Kintaro. -
Review from Aron A.
Vancouver, BC
1/7/2012
Ok ok this place is awesome.
5 deserved stars - ambiance maybe 1 star? Pretty small and uncomfortable but...who gives a shit about comfort when you sucking back a bowl heaven. I can never resist the spicy garlic ramen. It's obviously popular. Garlic is nice and strong.
Order the BBQ option for another couple of bucks and you end up with 4 pieces of cha su? FOUR!!!!! WTF? That's like a half pound of soggy bacon in your soup!
EAT IT! -
Review from Emily H.
12/26/2011
'Twas one rainy, slightly hungover, Saturday morning. Actually, it was pouring. But I still missioned it by bus to get me my post-Friday drinking ramen. It was worth it.
We got there at about 1:30pm but there was a line. No biggie. Thank the Vancouver rainclouds that it wasn't too cold. At a little past two, we were finally seated. Wow, come to think of it that was quite a wait - but it didn't feel too bad because I had a nice date and we were thinking hard about which ramen we were going to order. The specialty ramen like Cheese and the new Spicy Garlic threw us off, but in the end we went for the classics of Shoyu and Miso.
Good quality broth and noodles. I appreciated that you could customize the broth (rich, medium, light) and the cut of meat (lean vs. fat). Unfortunately, the lean meat were cut too thick and tasted too "porky" to me. I didn't eat mine. The whole experience was nice and authentic though, and reminded me of home (Japan). Thanks Kintaro.
Atmosphere - 3.5/5
Service - 4/5
Food - 4/5
Price - 5/5 -
Review from Alvin L.
Vancouver, BC
12/28/2011 1 photo
Normally I am not a huge fan of ramen but once in a while, I will pop into one of the many stalls downtown for a quick bite. On Denman St. alone there are 3 of the city's best ramen joints so heading downtown is never a bad bet when wanting ramen.
Kintaro Ramen is definitely in the top 3 ramen places in the city, up there with other popular offerings like Benkei, Santouka etc. For me, ramen is all about the broth. If the broth is too salty, too bland, too thick or thin etc. the entire meal is ruined. Thankfully my ramen lunch at Kintaro was quite good. My only complaint is the cha siew or meat was quite dry and hard to digest. Other than that, the ramen was quite well done. -
Review from Bob P.
Vancouver, BC
12/30/2011
Definitely one of the best ramen joints in the city. They offer the great combination: great food (the soup base is the primary thing what sets noodle houses apart), good quantity, and reasonable prices. As others have mentioned, it's a hole in the wall place so don't expect nice decor with lots of room. Get there early or expect a long wait.
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Review from Diana L.
Vancouver, BC
12/6/2011
This has been my favourite place for ramen in Vancouver for years.
I love its tiny, no frills approach.
Go here for great, fresh noodles and rich broth.
Last time I went, the broth was too salty and the fatty meat was all fat. Hoping this was a one-off, as I only experienced this one time out of many other satisfactory visits.
A real jewel of a hole-in-the-wall. -
Review from Wendy Y.
12/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Santouka is better but you can be the judge of that.
Listed in: Japanese Food
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Review from Elizabeth T.
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Kintaro was the first restaurant in Vancouver whose food I was really pleased with. Upon first glance, I could see a long line out the door and down the street. (Mind you, this could partially be because the entire place is quite small and probably only seats about 20 persons max) Nonetheless, I got in line and about 25 minutes later, I was toward the front of the line when a waitress handed me a menu. I ordered before I even sat down. I ordered the Spicy Garlic Ramen with medium broth and fat pork.
I noticed there were plenty of lone diners here, which was nice cuz I was one of them. Note - seating is so limited that you'll have to compromise the desire for your own table, because the only way you'll get to eat here, is if you're okay sharing your eating space with strangers. I was seated at the large table in the front of the restaurant, next to the door. It didn't make for a very relaxing meal, considering there were people waiting RIGHT behind me to eat. If that wasn't enough, the table was set up right at the front window (no curtains!) of the joint so that you feel like you're at the zoo and everyone can watch you eat.
A little more than 10 minutes later, I was served my Ramen.
It.
Was.
Delish.
It was spicy. it was garlicky. It was rich, savory, flavorful, and the fatty pork was SOOO fat. It was just perfect. I thought the ramen would get soggy from the broth, but that wasn't an issue at all; the noodles remained resilient and springy throughout my meal and I admit I eat kinda slowly. I highly recommend this menu item for a hearty meal, esp. when it's cold out, which it was most of the time I was in BC.
Not to be a Negative Nancy, but service was lacking. Yes, yes, I know this place is teeny-tiny. I know, they probably can't put another waitress on shift since it would probably be a fire hazard to have more than 2 people walking around at the same time in here... but it was very obvious that the servers were too busy to take a breath. I asked for extra napkins (and water) once, twice, and then figured I'd better eat more neatly because they forgot. However, they weren't forgetful with the bill, which they put on the table toward the end of my bowl.
I had my payment ready on tray and tip in my hand as I approached the register. Upon payment, the cashier saw that I'd pulled exact change for the bill and felt the need to remind me "You know, the check does not include tip". She cashed me out and then held the empty tray out and stared at me. I had her tip ready in my hand...
Not sure what to make of her way of telling me, if this was a usual reminder she gave patrons or if people were being stingy lately, but I thought it was kinda rude. Oh well.
All things considered, I stick to my rating and believe that of all the restaurant reviews with high ratings that I've encountered, Kintaro's really rings true. -
Review from Simon K.
12/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
The craze of ramen shops, and the Denman-Robson area, where Kintaro, for all I remembered, had line-ups when opening on the weekend. The place is simple, as in decor, interior, where I can almost call this a 'shack'. There is no fine, flashy, nice tables and chairs, it is a simple, sit down and order and eat up type of joint.
Once you walk in, you have a sniff of the broth cooking over the fire, and you wonder, from all your experiences with other ramen joints, what makes this place special? I will say that the broth is pretty good. Not clean, from the looks, as you see the fat from the pork floating around and circling the bean sprouts and chopped green onion in your soup base, oh very attractive! Not to the eyes, but when it coats your throat, and the chunks of food slide down this lubricated vessel, all is good, is it not?
I ordered the shoyu ramen, with lean pork, and had the soup base mild (as you are able to pick on a level of 1 to 3). The taste of the salty soy wasn't bad, as I was craving sodium in my system. I cannot say it was the prettiest presentation of ramen I have seen (and yes, I have eaten at many place in the city) with a few simple pieces of pork that look like they are floating in the big bowl, and one piece of seaweed that is soaking up the soup, but in the end it will end up mashed in my mouth, at least these guys were fast, and my bowl was ready pretty quick once ordered. It was my first time here, and bringing my partner with me I started to think what is the big deal with this place. Good thing we came here at 2 on a weekday, and I saw no line-up.
I polished my bowl off pretty quick, and I was impressed at the lean meat in my bowl, as it was tasty, and on the savoury side (as it seemed as though I was craving salt most of the day!). The noodles were average, the soup base made up for it, and I practically drank all that was remaining of liquid in my bowl. The one thing I noticed, which sometimes does tick me off, is seeing a minimum charge per head on the menu of $7.95! Is that really necessary Kintaro, are you that high on yourself that you need everyone to fork out, what if I am bringing someone and I am full? Also, charging 50 cents for a take out container, if I cannot eat it all I am going to take it home (this time it was my partner who couldn't finish.), but little things like that, where I just shake my head at. If your food is good, and there is no room in my stomach, I am paying respects by taking it home and finishing it off, if it was bad I would not finish and let you toss this in a downtown alley!
In my opinion Motomachi is still better, and it's less than half a block down, but this place does it up pretty good. If Yelp had a half star system I would give 3.5, but I will be generous today.Listed in: That noodle, not any noodle,…
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Review from patricia l.
Vancouver, BC
9/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Totally my preference, but I do so love my ramen from Kintaro. Spicy Garlic Ramen with extra corn ALL THE WAY!!! (Get this with corn)
The Med Lean Pork Med Miso Soup ramen is high on the list of good too. I tried the Cheese Ramen before, but it wasn't for me, so proceed here with caution or only if you are feeling more adventurous.
Take note here that this place is a total dive, so if you are in the mood for something more fancy with top notch service, then go elsewhere. The service here is quick and efficient and the ambiance is all hole-in-the-wall styles, but that's what gives this place it's charm.Listed in: I HEART Food!
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Review from Kris h.
8/26/2011
I wanted to like this ramen shop.
What i didn't care for:
-the long wait
-the lack of ventilation and air con
-the chaos and pushiness and rush you feel from the wait staff
-the noodles didn't taste fresh
-the hard boiled egg was a hard boiled egg
What I loved:
-the tender pork
-the option to choose the degree of fat in the broth
-the communal table
2.5 stars for Kintaro. And while i love the concept of a cheese ramen, I dont think I would touch that any time soon. It did not look pretty. -
Review from Louisa P.
Burnaby, BC
10/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've gone a couple of times, and they've both been good. The first time I had the rich broth (whoo! they mean it when they say RICH), and the next time was medium, which was great. I love the cheese ramen. I ask for the cheese on the side. Mmm.... The little bowl of cold cut pork for a buck, what a deal!
I like that it's chaotic and hot (hello! soup is the main dish here!). The service has always been friendly and prompt. I don't mind sharing the big table as it starts great conversation with others or sitting at the bar watching them prepare everything. So yeah, fair warning. It's hot. it's cramped. it's different. AND it's yummy. -
Review from Kay C.
10/13/2011
Mm delicious ramen. I was here from out of town and my friend loves this place. The spicy garlic ramen was fantastic - that big ole scoop of garlic. The ramen and broth are perfect. I got the lean pork which was surprisingly good but it def doesn't look as good as the fatty one. The bowls are massive.
I wouldn't give it 5 stars solely cos the line is a bit ridiculous. -
Review from Summy L.
10/10/2011 1 photo
This place is just OK, but not good, or great. The line out the door is merely because this place is tiny and seating is limited. The hype is way overrated and totally not proportional to the atmosphere of this place.
Not one review mentioned the stench of the bathroom oozing out if you were unfortunate enough to sit by it, which turns out to be a third of the restaurant. Perhaps the stench over powered my taste buds to enjoy the taste of the miso soup base which looked more like fat scattered across the bowl. I'm still not too sure whether it's miso or fat, but i'm really really hoping it's miso and not the fat.
By the way, there's a large table at the front of the restaurant. If you are a couple, or with just another person, there's a good chance you'll be thrown into that table with other smaller groups. -
Review from Annie W.
9/9/2011
I have to agree with Lan G.'s review that compared to NYC's famed Ippudo Ramen, the ramen at Kintaro pales in comparison.
However, props must still be given to Vancouver's original ramen joint. Long before the ramen craze overtook this city, dotting downtown with what seems like a ramen place every other block, Kintaro stood alone for years serving up bowls of steaming soupy noodles to those looking for a taste of Japanese soul food...
While I've been wooed away by more famous, tastier, and fancier bowls of ramen since then...that first bowl will always belong to Kintaro, and for that I will always be thankful. -
Review from danno m.
North Vancouver, BC
12/15/2011
LOCALS KNOW SOMETHING U DON'T....WOW! GREAT!!!
Drive by Denman and Georgia (near Robson) and you've seen a line-up of peeps clamoring to get into this place. No it's not Welfare Wednesdays...it's a different kind of addiction...yes Ramen Noodle addiction. The masses agree, this place does it well...if not the best.
It's great food quality and value at Kintaro and this place does it consistently well.
Not great decor or great service, but great Ramen noodles! -
Review from Jessica K.
8/9/2011
Oh my freakin' goodness, this place produced an awful bowl of noodles. I was lead astray by you this time Yelp! I'm half tempted to start making Canadian jokes if I knew any but since Vancouver is the home of Japadogs, I'll hold my tongue.
Don't be fooled into thinking this place is worth the wait just because there's a long wait at the door. It's like thinking a nightclub is worth the wait just because there's a guy at the door with a clipboard telling you there's a wait and even you MIGHT get in. If all these people want in, surely it's gotta be worth it right? Wrong! Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong! It has a huge wait because the place is the size of a Manhattan studio apartment and the food takes over 20 minutes to make an appearance during the lunch rush.
I ordered a special order super spicy miso ramen with extra pork and egg ('cause I just love pork and I was still on a Berkshire pork high from Japadog) and let me tell you, I felt like I was the animal getting schlepped through the meat processing plant. The area is so cramped and people are practically on top of each other in an attempt to get one more body in so we can all wait for our bowls of soup in awkward silence.
When the ramen did arrive, it was less than what was promised by all the fabulous reviews. The broth lacked a rich ramen flavor, the pork was dry and fatty and not at all spicy. If I could find my server, I would have asked for more chili powder since I used up the entire togarashi shaker on the table. My taste buds and my stomach were angry with me and wished I had just gone back to the hot dog stand instead.
Shame on you Yelp! (shakes her fist in the air...) -
Review from Eva Z.
9/9/2011
Oh the hype and the line out the door. The dining experience is fun especially if you are lucky enough to sit at the bar where you have a front row show of the art of ramen. Massive bowls are efficiently being whipped up. A minimum of $7.95 per person is required ad seating is limited (everyone gets their personal bowl of ramen). They lose a star for charging 50 cents for to go containers it just cheapens the experience.
I had the miso ramen, their signature bowl. It was mild on the broth, I was expecting more flavor from the spices from Japan they claim to use. Overall it was good for $8 bucks. The garlic ramen was incredibly garlicy, and spicy. Prepare to sweat. Noodles were good, perfectly cooked, not too thick.
Would this be the best ramen? Pretty certain its not. The search continues. -
Review from Shany Z.
Vancouver, BC
11/20/2011
Every time I pass by the Kintaro, I could see a long line waiting outsite the door. So I was curious about the Ramen here. Today, my boyfriend and I waited for about 20 Min's and got inside, we ordered a Miso ramen and a spicy garlic ramen all with lean meat and medium soup. I didn't wait for a long time until the food was served. The bowl was massive. However the noodle did not taste as good as I expected. The lean pork was dry and without rich flavor. The pork supposed to be BBQ but it did taste like BBQ. The soup was greasy. Although the price is not expensive for the amount of food, I don't think it worth for waiting for such a long time.
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Review from Lan G.
8/12/2011
Don't get me wrong. I love their Ramen, esp. the noodle. But my favorite place is still Ippudo in NYC. Their Ramen has perfect broth, noodle, meat, and everything else.
We went there after biking in Stanley park on a Friday. The line was super long by the time we got there (probably around 1pm). It took us 20 minutes to get seated. You can choose between three kinds of broth (light, medium, rich). The medium broth is already rich enough for me. You can also choose between lean and fatty pork...so many decisions! I of course got the lean meat...and it was actually kind too lean for me. i wish there could be an option to have a little bit of fat. We were able to watch the whole preparation process since we were sitting right by the kitchen. It's pretty interesting to see how they put everything together. I think that's the most intriguing part of this experience. I enjoyed my Ramen and I was so stuffed at the end (I didn't even finish the whole bowl). They definitely make great Ramen, but I won't say the best. And you won't leave feeling hungry! -
Review from Ziyan C.
9/6/2011 4 photos
Excellent broth. My cousin and I sat at the bar and saw how the chef, even as he was making 7 bowls at a time, prepared each one with such care and attention to detail. Worth the wait, and a great value as well.
The two servers handle the wait really well, sometimes taking orders while you're in line to make the process more efficient. They were totally cool with us switching from our table to the couple of bar seats that opened up after we'd ordered. We wanted to watch the chef work his magic.. and to be honest, you would get a couple of whiffs of the bathroom from the tables on the side every once in a while. Not an appetizing thing to smell =(.
Also a little frustrating that there's a $7.95 minimum per person. We wanted to share a bowl but had to get extra toppings as well as gyoza to meet that.
* Gyoza: 3 stars
Good crisp, tender inside, get vinegar & soy sauce. Solid, but not an amazing standout.
* BBQ pork ramen (bean sprout, onion, menma, green onion, corn and BBQ pork), medium, miso: 4 stars
5 for broth - so flavorful, lots of garlic & spices, nice and fatty.
3 for noodles - not housemade, a little hard.
3 for meat - tender but not much flavor, they are pre-made dry pieces that they plop on top of the noodle. Where was the BBQ??
5 for all other toppings - it all went well together. Even the corn, which I usually don't like as a ramen topping, had just enough to not overly sweeten the broth. -
Review from Jay K.
Possibly the best ramen I have ever had. The broth is tasty, the pork is tender and flavorful, and the noodles are simply a delight. Slurping noodles never felt so good, especially when your at Kintaro.
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Review from Jessica O.
Vancouver, BC
5/13/2011
Am I the only one in Vancouver who finds Kintaro's ramen a little gross? The two times I've visited the broth has been really oily and blannnnnd, the noodles too doughy and the toppings lacklustre.
I love ramen on a cold rainy (aka Vancouver) day - but Kintaro makes me feel like I've swallowed a bottle of massage oil. The grease coats my tongue with no flavour pay off - I much prefer Menya!Listed in: Jessica's Eateries to Avoid!
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Review from Lani H.
6/19/2011
I got the spicy garlic, medium with the fatty pork. It was good!
This is the second time I've had ramen at a ramen shop, the first time was in Kyoto. Both times I went with the spicy option. The first time, it was without meat (don't ask), even without the meat, the taste overall was better, reason for 4 not 5 stars. -
Review from Justin L.
8/14/2011
Unlike other fantastic but fancier ramen shops nearby, Kintaro retains its hole-in-the-wall feel. It puts a smile on my face just to see the multiple cauldrons of boiling pork broth behind the counter. These alone tell you that the Kintaro experience will be a crowded, sweaty, steamy, but comforting one. Fun place to bring one or two out-of-town guests, but any more people and you shouldn't expect to be seated anytime soon.
As much as I like pork fat, the fatty pork is too much for me, so I opt for lean. But, I suppose, I make up for that by ordering the CHEESE RAMEN. Cindy H. (3/18/2010) is right about there being so much cheese that it's almost comical -- but this is where I grew to love a healthy mound of grated Swiss cheese in my ramen! To this day, if I (now rarely) make myself a bowl of instant noodles at home, I'll look in the fridge for some cheese to throw in. You'd think that the oily cheese would clash with the watery broth, but Kintaro's pork-based broth is so rich that it rather complements the richness of the cheese. And you need something like Swiss to retain its bite and texture and not simply melt into a puddle of oil.
Rapid-fire service. After all, they have a line to get through, folks! -
Review from Jacqueline T.
Coquitlam, BC
8/9/2011
Kintaro is good and known for their super fatty broth (yes, you can see the bubbles of fat and oil simmer to the top of your bowl). But thats what makes it good!
I got the Super Fatty Pork and the Medium Broth. I can only assume that the heavy broth is a lot more Fatty.. and more Sodium rich.. I found the Medium great in terms of saltness level, and was very flavorful. So I'm glad I saved myself from the sodium intake. But ordering the Fatty Pork is a must must must when eating at a Ramen place.
Hmm.. I don't think its worth an hour wait in line. Maybe a 30 minute or less. There's so many other Ramen place around the area now, the service staff should pick up its game :P
I rank Kintaro higher than benkei.. but Santouka still places 1st in my Ramen loving heart. -
Review from Cynthia L.
4/21/2011 3 photos
Ramen is perfect on those chilly days. After eating excellent ramen at Motomachi Shokudo a few doors down a week before, I really wanted to try Kintaro, which seemed to have an endless line of ramen fans waiting outside. With that kind of popularity, it must be good. What I found was flavorless broth, cold slices of fatty pork and an overcooked hard boiled egg. Oh no! It was a disappointing bowl of ramen.
Here's what I ordered:
- Local beers (Kokanee and Granville Island English Bay Pale Ale)
- Gyoza
- Cheese Ramen (supposedly popular amongst the ladies) with an extra egg, $10
- Spicy Garlic Ramen with BBQ pork, $12
The Cheese Ramen was topped with two different cheeses. I love cheese, but there was too much cheese. I was eating mouthfuls of just cheese. It didn't taste good with the (cold) fatty pork either. I liked the tenderness and fatty texture of the pork, but it was served cold. As I sat at the counter, I saw the ramen chefs taking containers of pork out of the refrigerator, separating the meat slices, then placed them right on top of the soup. The broth also tasted watery. There was no depth to the soup.
Wondering if my ramen bowl was just poorly executed, I tried some of my boyfriend's Spicy Garlic Ramen. It was not any better. The soup tasted so bad he only ate the noodles and toppings. He did not drink the soup as he usually does. Neither the dollop of garlic paste or the spicy flavoring made the soup any better. The soup left a bad taste in my mouth.
I expected the parking to be hard to find given the area, but I was not prepared to pay cash. It was cash only here. Although they do accept Canadian debit cards, it didn't help international visitors like myself.
Overall, Kintaro's version of ramen was mediocre. It was not worth the visit and I felt unsatisfied after my meal.Listed in: Wandering Sea to Sky
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Review from Kim L.
Vancouver, BC
6/25/2011
With that much fat floating in the broth and on your pork, I can't say that this ramen is flavorless...however, if you are rather conscious of your fat intake for health reasons, this is most certainly NOT a recommended place for you.
If you enjoy fatty broth to wash down your equally fatty pork with, then you will delight in this ramen experience...just don't forget to bring an extra change of clothes or gym towel because it can get quite humid in this cramped little shop. -
Review from Lily T.
8/16/2011 2 photos
fatty pork fatty pork!
We came here before heading to stanley park. At the time, fatty pork with rich broth sounded so amazing, but if I were to go again, I would probably choose the medium broth, as the rich broth was a lil too rich! but definitely would get fatty pork again!! Tried both the miso and shoyu and both were delicious.
Minus one star for the long wait :( -
Review from Jes A.
Vancouver, BC
8/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
My husband LOVED it. I did not. I could see giving it another whirl, now that I know a bit more about the ordering. Next time, I go light. The "richness" of the broth relates to the amount of flaked pork fat added. The pork fat and I do not get along. Maybe I'm too "Western," but the flavor of the fat and my veggie miso just didn't work for me. That said, the hubby polished it off as a re-heat the next day.
Maybe you, like my husband will love it, or you could be like me... if you're the latter, go lean. -
Review from Christian N.
Toronto, ON
10/26/2011
We were eager to try this place while visiting Vancouver, having seen the long queue and been recommended by a friend. It's a massive north American style Ramen portion which sadly looses the typical Japanese detailed love to their flavor and presentation.
If you want to get full this place might be good but than you have the problem with waiting time. The noodles are pretty good tasting and have a almost perfect softness. The soup base which is the most important part of Ramen is just like a black&white painting where the artist has only used thick blacks and without any graduation. You won't enjoy drinking this soup by its own. The second important part is the meat. Not the amount or thickness is important, its the extreme tenderness and flavor of the meat. And everyone knows the best meat is the one which has some fatty parts that melts into the meat. And none of this things you will get at this place. There are many better options in Vancouver. -
Review from Nicole Y.
Vancouver, BC
8/24/2011
The line here speaks for itself. However...
It's worth noting that if you're looking for an accommodating, leisurely dining experience, this isn't the place for you. However, if you want a f***ing incredible bowl of ramen in a tiny restaurant with an unmistakable Japanese feel, this is the place for YOU! I went for the first time a few years ago and have been dreaming of it every time I'd stir up a cup-o-noodle at home. Now that Vancouver is my home I've gone back and was not disappointed. I'm looking forward to coming back here whenever I get the chance. -
Review from Joanne W.
7/5/2011 2 photos
I went to visit Vancouver for the first time in my life. I was craving ramen (and being the foodie that I am, I searched up every possible restaurant I could find that is awesome in Vancouver).
I loved the ramen here.
My parents and I came here on a Sunday morning around 11:40 AM (10 minutes after the restaurant had opened). My dad was saying how nobody would go so early -- luckily enough, I persuaded him to go with me after walking around in the area for a bit. We got the last 3 seats there and a line-up started to build.
I ordered myself a medium broth with lean meat miso ramen. It was really good. I loved it. I can't say that I've had ramen like this in Toronto. The broth was absolutely amazing and worked well with the ramen. However, like my fellow yelper - Candy W. - I wasn't impressed by the meat that they had provided.
But really -- comparatively speaking to all other ramen places I've been to in Toronto, this definitely made my day. -
Review from Simon S.
8/16/2011
I love the design on this place. You can't beat a hole in the wall, long-a** line, no frills setting, to slurp down a big bowl of ramen, at the bar, preferably...too bad I got a seat in the bleachers, this big round table where you stare at each other.
But, ultimately, it's about the food and that leaves a good impression. The all-important noodles had a pretty good al dente texture, the miso broth was flavorful and subtly intense, and even the lean pork made it's mark on flavor.
Somehow, though the overall combination of the ingredients didn't mesh all, which meant eating it separately was better. Definitely warrants more visits regardless. -
Review from John P.
7/16/2011
We were first intrigued by the long lines of people waiting to get into the place at lunchtime, so we showed up half an hour before they opened next day to give it a try. There was already a line (!), and it was totally worth the wait.
Having never had proper ramen before, this was definitely an eye-opening experience. Since diners can see the chefs at work, one can see just how much work goes into the preparation. I ordered medium broth with lean pork, and I think next time I would get rich broth instead, but my soup was full of flavor and the pork was sublimely tender and flavorful.
