KINTON RAMEN — Restaurant in Toronto

Food: 3 Stars Service: 3 Stars Ambience: 3 Stars Value: 3 Stars Overall: 3 Stars

Kinton Ramen was established by Executive Chef Aki Urata May 2012 with the goal of bringing authentic Japanese ramen to Toronto, Canada. Chef Urata spent years perfecting his recipes and techniques, drawing on his extensive experience in traditional Japanese cooking to create a menu that would showcase the best of this beloved cuisine. The result was a unique and delicious dining experience that quickly became a hit among food lovers in the city.

Kinton Ramen is a restaurant that offers a unique blend of flavors and experiences. On my visit to the establishment, I was greeted with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant is known for its intimate setting, which is great for casual meals with friends. This particular evening, I had the chance to sample their signature Pork Original and two plates of the Aged Pork Gyoza.

To start with the food, I have to say that the texture of the Kinton Ramen noodles was spot on. They had a nice, firm texture that held up well in the broth. However, the soup broth itself was quite underwhelming. Typically, a shio broth is made with either a chicken or pork base and has a rich, flavorful taste. Unfortunately, the broth I tried had minimal flavoring and tasted more like saltwater than a seasoned broth.

On a positive note, the Aged Pork Gyoza was delicious. The pork filling is carefully seasoned with a blend of spices and allowed to age for several days, giving it a deeper, more complex flavour than other gyozas. It was also pan-fried to perfection, resulting in a crispy exterior and juicy, flavourful filling. It was not greasy, and the addition of the sweet chilly sauce was a great touch that added a burst of flavour.

The service was adequate, with friendly staff. The restaurant’s intimate setting creates an ideal environment for a quick bite with friends while enjoying a warm bowl of comfort food. The lower dining table I sat at, however, was not the most comfortable due to the lack of cushioning on the chairs. The fast-paced atmosphere was elevated by the upbeat music playing throughout the establishment, and the open kitchen was a bonus, providing a glimpse of the chefs in action. The restaurant also offers street parking for a fee.

Although I entered Kinton Ramen with high expectations, my experience was not exactly what I was hoping for. For the cost, there are definitely better options available that offer better quality and service. Nonetheless, I am still open to giving Kinton Ramen another chance in the near future to try their other ramen broths, as the Pork Original just was not my...

UPDATE: Feb/2019. Second visit and the service along with the food are as incredible as the first time. Kudos on the deliciously moist chicken of the Hot Kazaage with just enough heat to have you appreciate the dish.

Dinner for two. I could go on and on about the amazing staff but suffice it to say, well, they are amazing.

As two walk-ins on a busy night, we wait a few minutes for a table. These are rare btw. The L shaped bar hosts 15 stools. A long table facing the east window can take about 10 people and four small tables north window side can handle up to three people per.

My friend opts for the spicy garlic pork while I go for the calming effect of the Original Chicken with added bean sprouts. Both are delicious. Appetizer wise, Edamame and Age Gyoza are ordered along with a pitcher of Sapporo. The Edamame has just the right amount of sea salt unlike many places who seemingly spoon the salt on with a soup ladle. The dumplings in sweet chili sauce is crunchy, hot and delicious. We are even offered extra sweet chili sauce when an attentive Staff member sees us lap the leftovers.

Yes, it's small so not the place to go for a bite and think you can just sit there and read a book or work on your laptop. It's fast, it's furious and it's good food.

I particularly appreciate the wooden spoons served with the Ramen. Not your typical 12 for a dollar type you see everywhere and the metal water goblets allow for your water to stay cool longer. Nice touch.

The seating which are basically wooden blocks, serve the size of the restaurant well enough but is a back killer. Wear a brace or sit up straight otherwise you'll regret it.

Not accessible for the disable. No reservations accepted. Take out and...

One of my favourite ramen place! Multiple locations in Toronto, and this one is located 2 min walk from Ryerson Campus.

What an amazing combo~ I absolutely love their Mondays Exclusive Karaage Ramen! The texture and crunch from the large pieces of deep fried, crispy juicy chicken karaage with delicious spicy garlic tonkotsu broth. The spiciness is well balanced, and does not over power the levels of richness and flavour in their soup. The large portion of their thick chewy ramen noodle is also super filling. The spicy pork garlic has the exact same soup base as the Karaage Spicy, but basically served different pork belly topping. the piece was huge, but just a little bit fatty.

Mainly pork and chicken option, 1 vegetarian ramen option. All of their ramen thin and thick noodle choices and extra toppings available to add on as well

Aside from ramen, they also have desserts. I personally like the pudding over the green tea ice cream, because the matcha ice cream wasn't the creamy kind, was super hard (felt like right out of the freezer).

We got to try all 3 of the special desserts on our past visit, and we LOVED the black sesame soy milk pudding! The soft and smooth texture melts in your mouth with the a fine punch of the amazing black sesame! Their roasted green tea pudding is not super sweet, but balanced the tea flavour really well! As well, the matcha cheese cake is really dense with strong cheesy flavour. Their desserts definitely finishes off the meal perfectly!

Karaage Spicy Ramen - $16.99 Karaage Shoyu Ramen - $16.99 Pork Spicy Garlic Ramen - $12.99 Pork Original...