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Real People. Real Reviews.®
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I literally just got home from my road trip to Canada and this was probably the best meal I had while I was living out of the car.
While waiting for 12 'o clock, I became anxious and restless at waiting for this ramen house to open, especially because the ramen house we were parked at was open. I went down the street and found out that Kintaro is worth the wait. Plus, I wanted to see what the hype was all about.
Back in Little Tokyo, I frequent Kintaro's Los Angeles counterpart, Daikokuya. And by frequent I mean 1-2 times a week and I live 40 minutes away. Anyway, the entire time I couldn't help but to compare the two. They both cook their broth for an entire day with pork bones, they use the same noodles, and the broth was SO good. I ordered rich broth with lean pork so I would feel less guilty about my poor diet decision :P The lean pork surprisingly had taste and was the right amount of tender. The rich broth which uses the back fat of pork was exactly how I like my broth, salty and full of flavor. The egg was a little small though and a grip of green onions would have definitely made it even better than it already was.
I don't wanna start beef with you Canadians about California ramen, but let's just say that next time I'm in your country, I'll be gettin' my ramen on at Kintaro.
This is it. This is the end of the line. You can't get any better than this folks. Kintaro is THE ramen houses of ramen houses. Sure, the wait may be a while, but the ramen here is definitely worth the wait. Don't be foolish and walk down the street to the other ramen places nearby, this is the one you want to try.
Where do I begin? The noodles? The broth? The cuts of pork? I mean everything about Kintaro is absolutely perfect. I had the extra rich Miso broth with the fattest cut of meat with an egg. If it sounds too rich, it's not. Surprisingly, it was light yet hearty. The broth is like no other. And if you get to sit at the bar/counter, just watch how they baby their noodles. Their attention to detail is outstanding. The noodles are cooked perfectly. Not too soft, but not too much bite. Don't be afraid to ask your server if you don't understand what certain things are on the menu. You'll only enjoy it more!!! Can't wait to go back!!!
The Ramen here are great and they're definitely stand out among all Ramen restaurants in Vancouver.
I enjoy the broth and its thickness. It comes with great flavor and definitely all that fatty goodness as well.
The cheese ramen is an interesting one. The flavors are good but it can get a little overwhelming at times with all the rich and fatty goodness.
The Shoyu is my favourite here though.
The only reason I haven't given it 5 stars is simply because I can't let the side of me from feeling guilty after eating all those unneccessary calories. I have found one Ramen place in Richmond which serves a different soup base made from fish broth, Shoryumen runs out of a trailer. I like to drink my broth after the Ramen are all gone. Kintaro doesn't really leave me room for this.
Listed in: Ramen
This was actaully the VERY FIRST place I had ramen in my life. My friend brought me to Kintaro about 4 years ago, and I had never let myself go from that FIRST taste...
But since I have been to Kintaro for the past 4 years, every time I taste the ramen, it is different. I have no idea what causes this, because it is such a weird feeling. I don't really go back to Kintaro to feel that first taste anymore. I try every where around Vancouver for that FIRST TASTE.
I do love their broth as it is very creamy and the taste of the thick meat broth is just amazing. The style of broth is very similar to the ones in Japan, but each "store" has their own style of broth. Try using the spices that are offered for more flavor!! Order a side of corn to keep the broth nice and sweet if you are craving for a nice sweet taste!
I love it keeps the whole Japanese feel to the place by keeping the main head chef in front of the customers. I regret it doesn't give me a feel of a Japanese restaurant with the BRIGHT decor and the lack of space.
Rich and Fatty. The only way to have your ramen.
You get to pick the broth you want and the fattiness of the pork. That's why I love it here.
I've been to all of the ramen places in Vancouver to date and it's still my favourite place for ramen
I've had the spicy with garlic on my last two trips there. Delicious.
I love ramen so I was excited to try Kintaro. The words "fatty pork" are all that's needed to get me into any restaurant. Unfortunately, Kintaro did not taste good. At all. I tried the medium broth miso (supposedly their specialty) and medium broth spicy garlic (their special of the month), both with fatty pork. I also had a side of half lean half fatty pork.
Coming from SoCal, I have the pleasure of eating Santouka and Daikokuya. Kintaro cannot even compare. The miso broth was flavorless, though the noodles were nicely cooked. The meat is my main complaint. It's literally taken out of a refrigerator and thrown into the bowl before serving. If the broth had zero flavor, the meat had negative 10 flavor. There was no seasoning at all. The lean pork was tough. The fatty pork was solid since it was still cold, even after sitting in my soup for 5 minutes.
The spicy garlic was just gross. An over-spicy spicy miso broth and an ice cream scoop of minced garlic. I ate maybe 1/3 of it and left because it was disgusting.
Also, had to wait 30 minutes in line at 12:30pm on a Saturday.
Next time I'm in Vancouver, I'll save my time and money and try Santouka down the block.
Fat pork and Rich broth is how I like my Miso BBQ Ramen, so good! But you got to eat it fast or the fats starts congealing and it will slow you down and make it hard to finish.
It had been many years since I'd visited Kintaro, and since every Pho place my friend and I could think of was closed at 10pm on a Sunday night, Ramen seemed like the next logical choice.
Keith ordered the Shio Ramen ($7.25), I ordered the BBQ Pork Ramen ($9.85) with Shio broth (basically the same thing, but with extra meat) -- we both opted for medium broth and lean meat. The portions were HUGE, with fresh ramen, green onion, bean sprouts, boiled egg, and menma (fermented bamboo shoots). In hindsight we should've opted for the Shoyu or Miso, or better yet the Spicy Garlic Ramen, as the Shio was far too lightly-flavoured and not well-suited to my tastes. The BBQ Pork was mild and uninteresting in both texture and taste, whereas I was hoping for something more strongly seasoned, like Char Siu (Chinese barbequed pork).
There really doesn't seem to have been much thought given to the decor either. Kintaro doesn't feel like a sit down and relax place, but rather a hurry, eat, and go establishment. Shouldn't ramen be a cozy comfort food experience?
As for the service, I really have no complaints. The wait staff were very attentive and polite, although our waitress was a bit difficult to understand (she had to repeat "last call" 4 times before I finally deciphered what she meant).
I really wanted to like the place (sorry Kintaro fans), and while the portions were substantial, the flavours weren't really anything special.
Tonkotsu, pork based ramen, and a neighbourhood ramen feel... yum. I would almost say blue-collar commonality, but it evokes the wrong feel in a city like Vancouver. I'd rather describe it as a non-pretentious Ramen-ya.
I like the effect of the available t-shirts on the walls. One is almost tempted to buy one just for the all-in-the-family sort of feel.
Definitely, the high-fat broth is a must - at least once. Be decadant!
I didn't have the highest hopes coming in (based on mixed Yelp reviews) -- but Kintaro is the platonic ideal of a ramen shop. Simple, cheap, completely no-frills, methodical, and so, so delicious. Service is brisk but friendly. I had shio ramen. It was awesome. Even with the lean pork (which was still quite tasty).
Plus the chefs have psycho-focus and are clearly really into the food experience. Watching them work put me into a trance. And they check up to make sure you like it, which is always a good sign.
I am extremely pleased I stopped in. I will go here every time I visit Vancouver from now on. My new favorite on the west coast. (If you are wondering, the east coast favorite is Sapporo in NYC, which is very similar in quality.)
This might be the best ramen this side of the ocean but I think I'm splitting hairs because I like eating ramen at many places in the northwest.
I don't know why but my non-japanese friends love to be hypercritical of ramen. To me, ramen is like pizza -- I'll eat it when it's awesome and I'll eat when it's lame.
However, all my non-Japanese friends love to compare ramen constantly: "Oh the broth at such-and-such is WAY better than the broth here. This stuff is not worth my time." It's like all my friends have turned into ramen snobs.
To me it'd be like Japanese people scrutinizing different styles of tater tots. "Oh, these tator tots suck compared to ones I had at Beth's. Let's send these back to the chef!"
Well, I'm just glad that my friends are so obsessed with Japanese food lately. That way I can eat it every day. :-)
Kintaro = oishi, but not the best. It did not measure up to Santouka in the Bay Area or the ramen in Japan.
We came Sunday morning and they weren't opened yet. So we decided to walk around Stanley Park before heading back. Little did we know, a line had formed while we were taking pictures and we were about the 15th or so people in line.
I had high expectations about this place, and after trying my shoyu pork ramen (Kintaro's best) in medium broth and with fat on the pork.. I knew that it was missing something about it but could not pin point what it was. Maybe it was because I don't usually like shoyu broth for ramen and prefer shio above all. Maybe it was that the broth itself was missing something. I'm not sure.. but it was good, but was not what I had thought it would be.
I DID, however, feel that I was in Japan. They make it with such precision and so artfully.. it is an art. I loved sitting at the bar table and watching them make each bowl. There were practically 10 steps in making each bowl and the workers here pretty much don't speak English much at all. That spoke authentic more than anything else.
Service was great, quick, and very polite. I enjoyed trying Kintaro and would give them another try if I'm in Vancouver again.
It cost us $27 with tip for two bowls on our last visit.
Simply put, simply delicious.
I can't believe I've been remiss in reviewing my favourite ramen place!
Nothing beats walking into Kintaro on a blustery cold day. It's intimate, warm and inviting. You can see that from the steamy windows, courtesy of the wonderfully giant pots of pork bone-based broths.
For under $10, you can get a comforting, ample portioned bowl of homemade ramen noodles, floating in a sea of rich soup, teeming with wonderous ingredients like cheese, thick slices of juicy (and deliciously fatty) pork, and bamboo shoots.
All business, the service is fast and efficient. Even before we were seated, they took our order. It's certainly not a place to just sit and chat, but it certainly is a treat to sit at the bar and watch the masters work their magic.
Part of me wishes it was bigger, to accomodate the daily line-ups, but at the same time, part of the allure of this place is how small it is.
Listed in: Top Restaurants
Ah Kintaro. I remember the days when you were the only ramen store in town. The line ups you had were long and us hungry people were patient enough to taste your silky broth. I must admit that I too, came to your door in search of the rising sun's noodle.
But enough reminiscing. Today, the Denman area houses several ramen noodle houses, Kintaro still has line ups (albeit not as long), and I actually ate Ramen while living in Japan. So, how does it compare to my taste for ramen today?
Today's review centers around the famous "Cheese Ramen."
But first, a story. (A short one, I promise... otherwise scroll down for the details) I have eaten cheese ramen at Kintaro in the past. However this was years and years ago. When I recently went to Japan, I had completely forgotten the taste but I had often thought about cheese ramen. Cheese was a somewhat commonly used ingredient, as restaurants would add it to certain typical japanese dishes(okonomiyaki, kushiage, mochi...) to make it different. Thus, as I stayed I thought how fitting cheese ramen would be in Japan itself. Only once did I actually come across a cheese ramen but it had a tomato broth (odd but not bad).
Anyway, when I came back and finally had the cheese ramen, miso flavor, light broth, and fatty pork(as they do in the motherland) and it was just okay. I also went to two other vancouver ramen shops recently, and will take that into consideration of how it fares against competition.
Here is my detailed review:
THE GOOD:
NOODLES: Great! Soft and juicy the way I like it. And not so much as to be soggy. Might be one of the best shops for the actual noodles.
VALUE: Best value probably. Biggest bowl I've found thus far.
BROTH: Good. Pretty good. I like it but its not as good as some of the others I've had in Vancouver..
SERVICE: not bad, pretty nice.
VENUE: Not the nicest looking place, but fairly representative of ramen shops in japan. It's a coming and going sort of place. People are here for food not necessarily decor.
THE BAD:
PORK: I always go with the fattiest pork. That's the original stuff. Expect it to almost melt in your mouth. Kintaro's? Dry, and thin. Not juicy, not tender, not melty. Disappointing..
THE UGLY:
CHEESE: This where it goes wrong. The cheese is way too strong in flavor. The cheese tastes like a swiss but is soft like a young mozzarella. Now, I don't know exactly what kind of cheese it was, but for a flavourful ramen like this, the cheese should enhance textures, compliment the soup, and be a subtle flavor. Yes, it does melt and enhance the texture, but it is much too strong of a 'swiss cheese' like taste and overpowers everything. Now something lighter like a mozzarella or a gouda would be great... But then again, Kintaro is the only one who offers an actual cheese ramen. Good on you for offering a creative variety...
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OVERALL: It was okay. Overly heavy, cheese was not right, but even without the cheese, the broth was not outstanding and the pork was just bad. BUT, objectively, Kintaro offers the best value, with the biggest portions with pretty okay ramen. They also offer long lineups...
But personally, it will probably be a very long time till i revisit this one. Each ramen store in Vancouver (in my opinion) has its own specialty (noodles, broth, pork, value etc..) but I've yet to see one that satisfies all. So in the mean time, pick what best suits your taste. As for me, broth and pork are my personal favourites... More ramen reviews to come...
My expectation was really high because my friend recommended the place and there was a huge line at the door. The soup was not bad, I know I got the spicy garlic ramen but damn the garlic was overpowering the favors of what's in my ramen. The place is very small hence the line out front. Well you get choices for the soup if you wanted rich, medium or light. Also the cut of meat either fat or lean. Of course I got the light and lean, hey got to watch myself if I am going to do more reviews. Overall it's a decent place to get your ramen.
I eat here about once every half a year or so... usually when I'm craving the cheese ramen. (the ladies loooove it, is their tag line on the menu) and yes I do! :)
The reason why I don't keep on coming back is:
1) cheese ramen is fattening and I'm sure very bad for you
2) the long line ups
3) never go with more than another person, or you will be waiting a very long time
4) you stink after you eat there
5) it's hard to enjoy a bowl of noodles, no matter how delicious it is if you're rubbing elbows with the person next to you.
All those reasons aside, I still keep on going back and so do others. Big bowl of hearty noodles, seasoned perfectly and so delicious! You get to chose from a variety of soups and the degree of fat you want your meat. They actually advertise hand made noodles... but they aren't. (My friend works for a noodle supplier that supplies to them.) Nevertheless, still very delicious! Hmm.. craving Kintaro now :)
Used to always go here for lunch, but I'm just not downtown as much anymore. However, if I am, I always drive by hoping to go in...but arghhhh, lineup! So if you want to get in to grab a hot bowl, lineup early just before they open for lunch. Or take a late lunch when everyone has marched through.
Its a busy place, so be ready to eat elbow to elbow with fellow ramen folk. I only take one friend along, a good one, too hard to grab a seat in bigger groups.
And if you love the taste, slurp it! Its the way its supposed to be eaten, a natural slurp though not intentional, and not splashy (you know who you are). It helps to cool the noodles and it tells the chef you're enjoying it.
SUGGEST: There's a variety of soups, but I stick to my Miso Ramen, with extra fatty pork. Why go lean? Pork is pork, mind as well enjoy! Anyways it tastes better. I always order an extra side of pork, because one piece just doesn't cut it. I don't want to have to ration my pork to noodle ratio.
I'm hungry just talking about it, you're probably hungry reading about it.
GOOD LORD. The bowl you get is enormous - of gargantuous, non-human proportions. Even if I was to climb all three Vancouver-bordering mountains and eat two grapes for breakfast, I still wouldn't be able to finish it. Oh, it was good - FOR A WHILE. But unlike most things that were good for a while before, this was good for way too long. It's like a great experience that just will not end. You start getting dizzy and time begins to shift. How long have you been there? Aren't you usually done a bowl of soup by now?
It's hard being objective and saying that stopping yourself is impossible - but I didn't want to offend the cooks by not finishing... It's almost never happened before, but before I knew it, I ate too much and was left quite suddenly at the point of no return.
It bears repeating - my fatty, porky miso was superb, though my friend's lean one was a bit underwhelming. It was the best ramen I've ever had, but it also led to me to my most turbulent struggle dining out thus far. Seriously, I could barely walk.
Unless you're OK with leaving quite a lot left over, it's too much, and because of the high volume of customers they don't really like to give these out to take home... I tried doing that and it was pretty awkward to do - had to spoon/pour the soup out myself over the table. I point no fingers - I realize how busy they are. In fact, I'll stop there and not even try to rack my brain to figure out how this place can possibly hold all the necessary food to keep all the customers satisfied. Some things man is not meant to know.
So my advice to you, dear reader is this. If this is the day where four of your friends got the bright idea to all fit under one coat as if a disfigured, hunchbacked giant out to raid some unwitting restaurant and are sitting in a tiny internet cafe on some poor chair about to crack, worry not, you will all be fed here, you may depart. Good luck getting through the door though...
BEST MUTHA-EFFIN' Ramen I had in YEARS!
I must say, Kintaro Ramen is one of the best ramen I had tasted in years. Best spot to eat if you're in vancouver. Mouth wateriing tasty noodles and the broth is amazing. The bowls are HUGEEEE, i couldnt even finish mine.
I totally forgot the name of the bowl I ordered because it's been that long that I havent review anywhere. I will def update it here.
BEST RAMEN EVERRRRR In vancouver that is..... LOL I would totally come here agains
An awesomely great bowl of ramen that I wish I could get in San Francisco. And in so many reviews for people who have said they've had the real (good) stuff in Japan, this is as close as it gets.
It's no nonsense ramen. You go in, they seat you, they ask you immediately if you know what you want because apparently everyone is a repeat, and you see the guys behind the counter dishing out the bowls. The menu is simple: one page, succint choices, and a few add ons. The fact that you can see your bowl made ensures the quality. This place reminds me on Santa Ramen in San Mateo, but with better broth, more authenticity, and better service. Okay, maybe this place is not really like Santa Ramen... it's a lot better.
I just love Kintaro.
Granted the decor here sucks, it is cramped, it is warm inside, but this is one place that I don't any of that stuff into account. You can call me a hypocrite if you want to when I reference the above in other reviews' comments, but I don't care. This is a five star.
It is hands down the best ramen in Vancouver for me. I like richness, I like volume, and Kintaro delivers.
Most of the time I get the same thing - Miso with medium broth, fatty meat, with an boiled egg and kimchi added on top. That is my comfort zone. That is what I just had and I get excited just talking about it.
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Just to digress a little ---
Peter S. is just padding his reviews. Man, seriously your review adds NOTHING. I'm surprised you didn't notice that someone had peed on the toilet seat. (In those times man, don't sit down - a word to the wise). And you wouldn't recommend the cheese on top - so are you saying you actually HAD it, or you just think it looks sick and that's why you gave it a two star? I wouldn't have that cheese ramen if my life depended on it. But there are other great things here dude.
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I've had the hiyashi chuka before too, and it is great, although I agree that in Japan it would be about a 3 star, but in Van that is a 5 too!
The gyzoa is non-descript, but not unlike a lot of the gyoza you would get at a ramen shop in Japan.
I've been here many, many, many times and for the first time ever I had the Hiyashi Chuka, which for… Read more »
Here is some good ramen, I joined the rest of the ramen lovers in the line, down the block. Was in town for the weekend, and this was one of the must-go places! Thanks, Rachel! She was such a good hostess, Hapa Izakaya, Guu, and now here! Woohoo!
The funny thing is, I don't think I have ever seen lines for ramen outside of Japan. I mean, a "real" line-up! In Japan, I have seen the line-ups in front of the seat, that means directly in back of you there is a line of people waiting for "your" seat. There is a "velvet-rope" type of line for any open seats(This was the category of line that this was). But, this line went down the block, I think some businesses were pretty upset, since they came out and "shouted" at people "NOT" to block their front doors. Yes, we were standing out there that long..
This is some "down 'n dirty" Ramen joint. Hey, I don't mean that it's unclean! Just that it is an unpretentious shop, they strive to do their Ramen justice. Yes, it's pretty hot inside, a sweaty hot, but, they are making the Ramen, right there! Plain and honest, and I think that's why people come back in droves! They do seem to have side dishes also. I have some pictures, so I will post them as soon as I find them.
Come! Come! Come In! Once, you clear the line!
You have to come here if you are in Vancouver! It's all along Robson!
Kintaro...Kintaro...Kintaro is a Japanese first name meaning "golden boy". He's also a anthropomorphic tiger-esque sub-boss in Mortal Kombat. His finishing move was to punch you in half.
Which is basically what the similarly named Ramen House will do to you, but in a good way.
My robot friend, Tyler, brought me here one Sunday night with his human girlfriend Cyndi. All I remember was a gorging on chewy, yet delicate ramen noodles (and these ain't no Ichiban brand instant ramen noodles, these are hand made, Tomodachi), the richly spiced and flavourful medium broth, the unctuous, delicious, rub-one-out-over fatty pork slices and finally, since I had the Cheese Ramen, the cheese. Not just a sprinkle of cheese, I mean several days worth of milking, amounts of cheese. I swear several baby calves died of malnutrition because of the amount of the cheese (but it's ok because they probably made it onto my plate later as veal, yeah people, suck it up, it's where your food comes from) on this bad boy. I ate, I cried, Cyndi cried. Tyler, unable to fathom human emotion, sat there motionless and played "Sometimes when we touch" out of his head speakers. It was beautiful.
Anyhoo, I'm getting all emotional just thinking about that fatty pork.
Arrive early, and decide what you want before you get in the door (they'll hand you a menu and come back to take your order while you're in line! How's that for Japanese efficiency?) because the lines will be at least 15 minutes to seat.
15 minutes is too long, you say?
Well if you can't wait 15 little minutes for ramen that will change your life, then I pity you. In fact I pity the fool who doesn't like ramen this good.
Oh yeah a massive bowl of shut-your-mouth goodness is under $10, yeah and I still pity you and your ADHD, fool.
Kintaro. Finish Him. Fatality...
This place seems to be the big place to get ramen in downtown Vancouver, going by the massive lines that were outside last night. However, I'm sad to say that it doesn't really compare to some of the good places in NY.
The alright:
1) Food comes out pretty fast
2) Servers are pretty cute
3) Portions are enormous
4) Prices are pretty reasonable
5) Noodles have a really good texture, some of the best I've had.
6) Really yummy and large pieces of pork
The eh:
1) Broth is just not that flavorful..it doesn't really have any depth or complexity to it. I tried my friend's miso one, my own spicy garlic, and my other friend's vegetable ramen. Mine was the most flavorful by far, but it just tasted like spiciness..nothing really besides that. Doesn't compare at all to anything like Ippudo, where I can sit and slurp that broth up without any noodles at all.
I guess this place is decent, but without a good broth, ramen can't really be that amazing. I wouldn't come back to Vancouver just for this.
Fast, cheap, and delicious. Really, that's all you need to know.
Love this place.
I'm all about excess when it comes to flavour, so the extra extra flavorful miso broth (get the strongest one) melts my heart. I could drink that stuff for days. The cheese ramen is hilarious-- there is SO much cheese, it's ridonkulous (that could never be a bad thing, could it). But get the miso broth, as strong as you can get it, and you'll dig it. Ainsley D's review of this place rocks my socks ; )
Listed in: Life Altering Items, Best Hole in the Wall
Background: I'm from Vancouver and eat lots of Japanese food. However there are only a handful of Ramen places and I haven't been to Japan yet so I go by my gut on this one.
Food: Shio medium soup with lean pork and a side of gyoza is my favourite. The food here is as consistent as it gets; they have super high volume and the chefs have been the same for at least 2 years. My only complaint is that in their rush, the chefs often forget to warm up the egg and bbq pork before they drop it in the soup.
Service: Speedy but friendly.
Ambiance: Crowded and loud.
Pricepoint: Around $10 per person usually.
Overall: Although this place beats all other ramen places I've tried in Van, I can't say it's the best ramen ever, and certainly the cold ingredients in the soup really detract from the rating.
OK, I finally made it to my 3rd Vancouver Ramen store.
I got the Shio, Medium broth (not Light or extra fatty), and the Chashu (pork) with no fat.
This is my favourite Ramen place in Vancouver so far:
+ The atmosphere is what I expect from a Ramen place, with the kitchen area really visible, big pots boiling, and noodles being boiled in single-serving strainers hooked onto the edge of the pot. The other Vancouver ones seem too fancy, like they want it to be a "restaurant" instead.
+ lots of bean sprouts
+ the Chashu was flavorful
- but the Chashu was too thick! Like 1cm!! That changed the texture so much that I didn't feel like I was having Chashu.
- the boiled egg was cold...
I want to come back and try their Cheese one.
If you've read my other Ramen reviews, you know I am picky about the noodle, and this was the crinkly kind as well, not Hakata-style (though I think it's better than some other places). That is why it's so close to a 5-star but not quite.
Some beer on the menu. Cash and Debit; no Credit.
Taste is really good :-)
Love Japanese food~!
but inside of restaurant is too warm..
The ORIGINAL and best Japanese ramen place in Vancouver!!! Yes, there is always a line-up from open to close but it's worth the wait. I have tried all those new ramen places that have opened up on Robson Street, but nothing compares to Kintaro.
The other places serve lukewarm broth and precooked noodles. You have to wait at Kinator because your noodle is always made-to-order. Nothing compares to a hot steaming bowl of noodles on a rainy Vancouver day.
I suggest the light Shio broth with fat pork plus corn and butter. Yummers. Also recommend the Cheese ramen. "Ladies looooooove it!"
I know I've already updated on Kintaro once, but I really have to rectify the 4-stars I've given it so far, and upgrade Kintaro to 5-stars.
Just a few last words of persuasion: If you're ever in Vancouver, and can get your pretty butt down to the Downtown area, you must come to Kintaro to try out their Cheese Ramen. The ladies love it! And for the men, the ladies might just love you for bringing them there as well!
Yes, there is talk of long line ups: BUT (oh yes there is a but), I have been strategically successful in going at times when the most I had wait (mind you, not "line up") is less than 10 minutes. Here the times I've been going at with no line up:
Sundays: after 8pm
Thursdays: at around 12pm (when they open), or right before 5pm
Saturdays: after 9:15pm
I will keep updating this list as I continue to visit Kintaro for my noodle cravings.
I think the biggest factor to getting the times right is to be able to anticipate when most people would go there for lunch/dinner. If you can schedule around those times...well then, Bob's your uncle!
Listed in: My Noodle Noodle
With my last final out of the way this morning, I wasted no time to honor my word to Yelp. I said I… Read more »
I'm not a ramen connoisseur. The ramen I'm used to are the Top Ramen noodles you can get at the grocery store. I've only had real ramen a couple of times in my life.
My cousin really wanted to go to Kintaro since he heard good things about it. So obviously we yelped the place to see if it was any good. The reviews were pretty decent so we decided to try it out for dinner. We were preparing ourselves for the line out the door but alas when we arrived there were only a few people in the restaurant. Kintaro is a tiny place with a few tables and a small bar where indivduals can sit. There were 5 of us so we had to share a larger table with 4 other people. I was fine with it and it didn't bother me at all.
I had no idea what to order so my cousin (who lived in Japan for 5 years) ordered for me. I got the shoyu ramen with medium broth and pork with fat. My ramen was ok but I've had better at Santouka Ramen in San Diego. The noodles were great and my fatty pork was mmm-mmm good. The broth didn't taste very good. I think the broth should pull the whole meal together but I wasn't feeling it.
My cousin thought the ramen was the best he's had outside of Japan. So I guess our taste for ramen is different. So overall I had an ok experience. If I'm in Vancouver again I will give Kintaro another shot.
Best ramen everrrrrrr!
A big bowl of delicious ramen after a 2.5 hour drive from Seattle was more than what I could ask for! Immediately, I knew this place was hot stuff because there was a line outside, but it's also a pretty small joint. We waited for less than 20 minutes outside on a breezy, cool day, but totally worth it when we were seated right up front, next to the steaming pots of boiling ramen soups. It was fun watching the chefs brew it up in front of us.
I ordered the Miso ramen and my boyfriend ordered the Shoyu ramen. You get to choose the thickness of the soup (light, medium and heavy) and type of pork (fat or lean). We both chose medium and fat and both inhaled the huge bowls just as quickly as it was served! The ramen wasn't too heavy and didn't make us feeling stuffed and lethargic afterwards. It was just right.
We loved it so much we came back the next day for seconds. This time I ordered the Cheese ramen. Cheese? I know, right? The ramen is topped off with a generous handful of grated cheese. On the menu is said "the ladies loooove it." I was hesitant at first, but my friend has suggested I try it. It was surprisingly good, but the Miso was better. You have to eat it quickly or else the cheese will thicken the soup and given it a milky consistency. I recommend getting the cheese on the side.
I'm definitely a fan and will come back again!
CASH ONLY folks.
First off, this is hands down the best Ramen I have had outside of Japan. I lived in Tokyo for 3 years, so I know good and bad Ramen.
Atmosphere:
Keeping true to Ramen shops in Japan, there is barely any room inside this place so don't come expecting a comfortable sit-down style restaurant. You come here for the food. There is ALWAYS a line out the door, so expect a 10-15 minute wait no matter what...even at 2:30PM (which is between lunch and dinner). There are about 15 seats that line the bar, about 3 tables for two people, and a round table that seats 8. It's close quarters in there, and you'll have to speak over other people to hear the person next to you. The heat off the boiling pots of broth smells amazing and brings a nice warmth to the shop.
Food:
I had the Shio Ramen (Medium) with lean pork, no sprouts or menga (bamboo shoots). The portions are very large, the broth is very, very good, the noodles are nice and chewy and have a little bit of a sweetness to them. The pork was extremely flavorful, they really had soaked up the flavor of the broth. (3 pieces per bowl, fairly thick cut). The Shio Ramen wasn't overly salty, relying more on the blends of ingredients to bring out the flavor. I'd like to give the "heavy" broth a shot next time, basically it's just more flavorful.
My girlfriend had the Cheese Ramen, which is an interesting take on the concept. Basically, it's cheese curds mixed in (almost like you'd find in an Onion Soup or Poutine). The cheese was very tasty (I believe it was Mozzarella), and made an interesting flavored broth. Miso broth is used in this dish, but I found the cheese overpowered it too much. Also, it was difficult to eat because the noodles and cheese sort of form a giant ball of food that is difficult to separate. It was fun to try, but I wouldn't get this again as the cheese was just too overpowering. However, if you love cheese and ramen..then go ahead and combine the two!
My dad had the Light Miso ramen...which was probably the better broth overall. I think next time I'll get the Medium Miso broth. However, they have a new bowl called the Spicy Garlic bowl which has a mound of garlic topped on the pork and noodles which is calling my name.
Lastly, we shared Gyoza (potstickers) but they were painfully average. I was hoping for some good Gyoza, but they tasted like the pre-frozen and microwaved kind. Nothing special, skip unless you need to get over the $7.00 minimum.
Staff:
Friendly and attentive. Even with all the hustle and bustle, they were refilling my glass of water when it got 1/2 finished. They were quick and efficient, and the cooks would call out "Hello" and "Thank you" in Japanese when you came in and left....a nice touch which brought me back to my days of 500 yen ramen bowls in hole-in-the-wall shops in Tokyo.
Price:
$7.00 minimum per person. The bowls are big enough for my girlfriend and I to share, but since it's $7 per person anyways...might as well get your own bowl! The Cheese Ramen was just over $8.00. All in all, great price for the quality and quantity of food.
Final Thought:
Best Ramen I have had outside of Tokyo...fair price...will be a staple restaurant in my visits to Vancouver from now on. Will make you a Ramen believer!
Geezus. I miss this Ramen.
Being quite health conscious, this is one of the few places where I eagerly ask for the 'fattiest' pork broth they have to offer. IT is GLUTTONY HEAVEN!
The flavors are so rich, the ramen so chewy and tender, the veggies and meat and sides such a wonderful compliment to the MAIN reason I come here, the BROTH.
See the fat steaming and swirling beautifully in the humongous (like I can bathe in it comfortable) steel pots? How can you resist that?
I'm going to drive the two and a half hours up there... soon... just to eat this.
Warning: super small place, each person MUST order a dish or $7.5 worth of food, usually very packed, but super worth it!
I tried the miso ramen, medium broth and got both the lean and fatty pork. The meat was cold and was just plopped on top of the noodles. The lean pork was dry and too salty for my liking. The fatty pork was an interesting pinwheel of meat and fat! Quite good, but fatty things are always good =P.
The bamboo shoots tasted like something pre-made out of a jar. The broth and the noodles are decent, but nothing to rave about. The portion though is HUGE, so it is extremely good value.
Overall, a good ramen place but it definitely does not live up to the hype and not worth lining up for - especially when there are two other great ramen places within a 100 meter radius. Don't come here with more than 2-3 people, or you'll be waiting forever for seats!
Hands down best ramen I've ever had. Way better than Santa Ramen or any SoCal ramen places I've tried.
It's pretty small in there, so there's usually a wait. Probably best to come alone or in small groups, or split up if you have a large group. I waited pretty long outside in the cold, but it was worth it.
I got the miso soup with medium broth and lean pork. The menu says the miso is the best and it is! So delicious! The lean pork wasn't dry at all so I am glad I got that because the fatty pork looked filled with more fat than meat.
They prepare the ramen right in front of you and it's pretty interesting to watch. One of my "have to go spots" for Vancouver.
The broth was still fantastic but 2 things really grossed me out on a recent visit:
1. coagulated lumps of pork fat in the broth
2. bites of semi-frozen cooked pork
Go two stores north to Motomachi.
The best ramen I ever had and I sure hope it does not turn into a franchise. The broth was so rich… Read more »
The ramen noodles were near perfection. I would give five stars but there was too much fat particles in the broth or something. I'm not sure but the soup could've have more taste in my opinion.
The little place is very authentic, everyone who works there is Japanese and there's a huge menu. You can also choose what kind of broth you want (rich, medium, light) and pork (lean or fat). That was pretty cool and they also serve gyoza, kimchee and other appetizers.
They do require everyone to order at least $7 worth to make the stay worthwhile since the place is so small. The ramen noodles start at $7.25 and I think that's definitely a great price for the size of the bowl. They are very generous with the bean sprouts and bamboo shoots. Yummy!
There will be a wait if you go during the prime dinner hours but it usually goes pretty quickly. There were four of us and we waited for maybe 30 minutes at most and ended up getting seated next to each other anyway.
Good ramen! However, after many 5-star Kintaro experiences, I feel the need to knock 'em down for recently lame bowls ramen.
The last two times I've eaten here the pork slices have been placed ice cold into my bowl. There's nothing more disgusting than biting into ice cold fatty pork sitting around the edge of my steaming bowl of ramen.
Tonight, I dipped the cold pork slices into the broth to warm them ... which turned my broth cold very quickly. Let's face it, I don't think the pork is supposed to function as ice cubes, right?
Although the broth is delicious, I left feeling rather 'meh' about it now. For me, it's lost its edge and I won't be returning soon.
Neighborhood: West End
Neighborhood: West End
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: West End
Neighborhood: Downtown
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