KINTON RAMEN NORTH VANCOUVER — Restaurant in North Vancouver

TLDR: Wait for a couple months until they've ironed out the kinks. Avoid if you're looking for traditional ramen, but okay as a fusion restaurant. Might survive in NVan, but would probably close if there was competition.

Pros: incredible manager huge quantity of noodles lots of variety (chicken, beef, pork, veg, negative noodles) efficient and responsible if errors are made with your order

Cons: small protein (meat and tofu ~1/8" thick) skimpy toppings ratio of noodles/broth to toppings not balanced disorganized with orders (but only 2nd day being open)

The long stuff: My brother and I have been excited for MONTHS to try out this ramen restaurant on the North Shore! We have gone to many over town (Danbo, Marutama...) , but were excited to see if we could really get a good place for ramen close to home.

We arrived around 5pm and ordered the Original Pork Ramen (thick noodles), Pork Gyoza and Spicy Veg with Shirataki Noodles. The gyoza arrived fairly quickly and was deep fried. Incredible flavour, texture and good spicy mayo sauce except the center was cold. They handled it very well when we mentioned it to them and replaced it fairly quickly. A bit inconsistent with consistency as the mayo in the first order had nice streaks while the replacement had mayo poured over it and was dripping. This is day 2 though so a few kinks to iron out.

When our ramen arrived, the veggie ramen was incorrect so they had to remake it. Waitress noticed it before it got to the table so that was nice and they were apologetic about it. It arrived maybe 10 minutes later.

First tastes...WOW white pepper! The pork shoyu which wasn't marketed as spicy was a bit spicy and strangely tasted like seafood. If you have a seafood allergy, might want to double check with them. Cha-shu was grilled and while it had nice colour, was a bit on the dry side. Size was quite thin at maybe 1/8" thick. Soup was creamy, but didn't have the thick richness of other broths I've had at more established ramen restaurants (I learned later that their broth is made off site). It came with a full ramen egg which was overcooked by traditional standards. Yolk was fully set on the parameter, but had some of the soft glossy texture. More of a medium-firm egg whereas other places have creamy, yolky center. As for the noodles, they didn't have the chewy, al dente snap to them, but were okay.

Now...the spicy veggie ramen. I was pleasantly surprised to find they had shirataki noodles on the menu so I decided to try it. Though I was a bit concerned at how they'd taste with ramen, they were delicious and they did not skim at all! Plenty of noodles to last for leftovers. As for toppings, a bit disappointing. It came with 1 piece of fried bean curd instead of cha shu, but the bean curd was 2"x3" and again, about 1/8" thick so think of 3 stacked business cards. Very tasty (it was sweetened bean curd), but not enough. With regard to the soup, if I thought the original pork had too much white pepper, this one was a BOMBSHELL. Honestly had no idea that white pepper even went into ramen broth before now...

After all this, I wasn't sure if this was an off kitchen day so I asked the manager (Jules). Let me first start off by saying that this was the best experience I've had talking to someone in charge. He was very responsive and open to the questions I had.

My questions to the manager: So much white pepper is normal? Seafood flavour in pork broth? -- soup is made off site and brought in so yes this is probably the baseline thin meat/protein? -- he didn't have much to say, but this is probably standard

Overall: 3/5 Presentation: 4/5 Soup: 3/5 Chashu/protein: 2/5 Noodles: 3/5 Toppings: 2.5/5

So I wish I could say I loved it and will definitely go back, but I will have to wait several months and see some incredible reviews to try it again. It also wasn't solely my table that had trouble, the diners next to us also had cold food and were given the wrong order so yes, give it some time...

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ More Than Just a Meal - An Unforgettable Experience for My Daughter!

I just have to rave about our incredible experience at Kinton Ramen last night. I took my seven-year-old daughter for dinner, and it was honestly perfect from start to finish. This place doesn't just serve amazing food; they create wonderful moments.

Let's talk about the food because we went all out and it was all fantastic:

Wide Noodles with Pork Broth (My Pick): Absolutely incredible. The wide noodles are so satisfyingly chewy, and they're the perfect vehicle for that rich, savoury, umami-packed pork broth. The chashu pork literally melts in your mouth. 10/10. Thin Noodles with Beef Broth (Daughter's Pick): A massive hit with the kid! The beef broth is flavorful but a bit lighter, which was perfect for her. She slurped up every last bit of those thin noodles and declared it "the best noodles ever." French Fries: We got these to share and they were some of the best fries we've had—super crispy, golden, and delicious. Dessert: We finished with the cheesecake and mocha ice cream. Both were the perfect sweet ending. The ice cream was rich and creamy, and the cheesecake was light and fluffy.

But here’s what truly made our night: the unbelievably kind and beautiful waitresses. They were so sweet and attentive to my daughter throughout our meal. At the end, they surprised her with a gorgeous Japanese traditional hand fan. Her face absolutely lit up! She was so excited and has barely put it down since. It was such a thoughtful gesture that went far beyond just good service. It showed they genuinely care about making their guests happy.

The service was fast and friendly, the atmosphere was fun and lively, and the food came out quickly even though they were busy.

We took tons of photos of everything—our huge spread of delicious food, my daughter happily slurping her noodles, and of course, her beautiful new fan. I'll be posting them all!

TL;DR: The best ramen in town, served by the kindest staff. If you want a meal that feels special, especially for kids, come here. Thank you to the wonderful team for giving my daughter a night (and a souvenir) she will remember forever. We will be back...

My first visit to Kinton Ramen on the North Shore was an impressive dive into authentic Japanese flavors. The highlight of the meal was the seasonal feature, Burnt Shoyu Ramen, which encapsulated a rich blend of char-seasoned pork shoyu broth with thick noodles, topped with a generous serving of pork belly, beansprouts, scallions, sesame seeds, garlic chips, naruto, seasoned egg, and nori. Each ingredient brought a distinct flavor yet melded harmoniously.

The atmosphere was bustling yet welcoming. Despite the restaurant being full, we secured spots at the counter with a promise of a short wait had we opted for a table. The service hiccup of missing out on our side order of Karaage was quickly overshadowed by the comforting warmth of the ramen. We were able to find a parking spot in just a few minutes, and there were plenty of parking options in front and on side streets.

Kinton Ramen has more than just pork ramen bowls - they include a variety of options like chicken, karaage, vegetarian selections, and seasonal specials, showcasing their dedication to satisfying diverse taste preferences. Their passion for delivering ‘happiness’ is not merely a statement, but a savory reality experienced with each spoonful of their meticulously crafted ramen. This commitment to spreading joy through a bowl of ramen is a testament to Kinton Ramen’s unique culinary ethos.

This place is more than just a ramen restaurant; it's a cozy corner in North Vancouver where traditional Japanese culinary artistry meets modern-day dining elegance. We'll...