Ramen Nakamichi — Restaurant in Montreal

Elevated refinement a bowl of ramen. Nakamichi serves up ramen which is clearly aimed at being a touch above that of your regular ramen-ya. The attention to detail is evident both in the simple and clean décor, as well is in the bowl.

My wife and I (she is Japanese, and I have travelled to Japan many times) were lucky enough to be try Nakamichi's new menu on the very first day it was available. The expanded menu now not only offers a choice of ramen and salads, but it also has teishoku dishes (set meals of typical Japanese bistro dishes, such as fried shrimp, chicken cutlet, and so on).

First, we tried the chicken karaage: different from the standard rendition of this dish, this one is made with deep-fried seasoned ground chicken balls. Extra-crispy on the outside, juicy and fluffy on the inside.

Then, my wife's pai-tan ramen: tender sous-vide cooked chicken, velvety broth, and perfectly cooked springy noodles. Even the humble half-cooked egg deserves its own attention, made more flavourful by the chef's subtle seasoning.

I ordered the tan-tan men, a welcome new addition to the menu: ground pork in a chicken broth with spicy oil. The balance of flavours in the bowl is remarkable: not too spicy, not too oily, letting all the flavours through.

Some fellow reviewers have complained that the price is too high, but I must disagree, when we consider how much effort and care must go into making a good ramen bowl. Nakamichi earns a strong recommendation for all...

This is the first time and last time that I going to order in Nakamichi Ramen. My partner and I have ordered the white premium ramen, the Truffle Shigu ramen and the karage and I can say this is one of the worst ramen place I’ve ever eaten and I’ve eaten and prepared plenty of ramen to make this critic properly.

The white premium ramen the broth was not white at all because it wasn’t skim off properly so the flavor was rough, not clean and not smooth at it should be. The chasu seem it was boiled in water because it has no flavor at all. It wasn’t flambee with the blowtorch either and it was really really thin. Also there was arugula on the ramen and this has no sense at all.

The truffle Shigu ramen taste at everything but Truffle, 0 truffle flavor at all. They used the same shiitake mushroom to create the broth as garnish in the ramen, and it has a lot of flavor at kombu, really strong and bad. At least if they sauté the shiitake will lose the kombu flavor a little bit and will improve. Also, tempura flake on ramen? The texture is completely off and disgusting when it get wet.

In both of the Ramen the egg was not ramen eggs, was just white boiled eggs. It wasn’t macerated in soy sauce and mirin. This is a basic principle of ramen and it shouldn’t be tolerated.

Use this critic as a way to improve and serve better product. Hope they improve this basic principles of ramen because right now is really bad...

I love soup noodles.

So it’s not surprising that I would fallen for this ramen-ya that we chanced upon wandering around Mile End of Montreal - a far flung Mile End that I’m used to in London, UK.

This modern clean lines decor looked more like a Japanese tea shop from the outside.

It is summer and they have advertised cold ramen on a placard outside.

Once inside, I saw the big poster for the Tokyo style (chicken soup) ramen.

A bit of disclaimer, I had already had a Canadian omelette (with chilli) and some poutine classique from two well known establishments in Montreal this morning - and this shop has just opened at 11.30 am with a queue of eager eaters.

I thought we have to give it a go - even if it is just a snack.

The summer cold noodle was refreshing. The slightly citrus taste lifts the pickled veg. I liked it, but the main event is another level.

The chicken broth and the ramen were delicious. The noodles had the right level of chewiness. They were soft and smooth. I know it’s not right in the western culture to slurp - but these were made for slurping. And as a lover of Japanese food - I felt obliged to do them justice - for the benefit and respect of the chef!

Try them and you will...