Midori Ramen — Restaurant in Toronto

Midori Ramen’s signature tori paitan ramen ($17.49) seemingly was developed for me… the broth wasn’t overly salty, yet it was still creamy and hearty enough to satisfy. It didn’t leave me with an overwhelming need to drink tons of water after the meal and given was less oily, my stomach didn’t have an adverse reaction either. I can see how some diners find their broth bland as it’s not as powerful as some competitors, but I found it was flavourful enough without being too much.

If you’re in the mood for a punch of flavour, their spicy ramen ($15.49) could work. I liked that they offer a scale of spiciness as we found the “mild” already had a sufficient kick.

The noodles were cooked perfectly, the thick version springy enough with bite. I just wasn’t overly fond of the ingredients included in the signature ramen: the red onions were too raw and needed ample time in the broth before the stingy acid subsided; the finely shredded aosa sea lettuce was lost in the soup not adding any flavour or texture; and the fried bogo (burdock root) was too hard and made me feel like I was eating hay. Moo….

I would have liked the two pieces of cha shu (pork and chicken) to be hotter. At Midori, they don’t seem to blowtorch the meat before it’s presented so they are also pale and pasty. Their onsen egg was just bordering on becoming overcooked, the edges solidifying against the molten texture, yet still ice cold in the centre, despite sitting in the broth.

If anything, the chicken karaage ($6.99) was probably the best part of the meal and I would have happily had it with a bowl of plain ramen with scallions. Left in three palm-sized pieces, the larger cuts meant the chicken was juicy. The breading also included an ideal amount of spices for flavour.

Maybe my experience will encourage ramen restaurants to offer a “build your own bowl” menu item. Because as much as I enjoyed Midori’s noodles and broth, the ingredients included in a bowl of ramen is still an integral part of the meal. And unfortunately, these...

The food is amazing but the service is extremely disappointing. I visited this location twice and both times have felt as if I was treated differently from other customers due to my appearance.

The first time was with a friend. We came into the restaurant on an odd weekday near lunch when there was only one other party of 4 seated near the front of the restaurant. One male host welcomed us and directed us towards the back area of the restaurant. I pulled the chair out from the third last table towards the back to sit down but he firmly said no and pointed to the furthest table at the back near the bathrooms and told us to sit there. I was shocked. the following customers that entered the restaurant as the lunch rush began were sat near the front. Mind you I happened to be the only black individual in the restaurant. Everyone else appeared to be east asian or white. I am not one who likes to play the race card, in fact I stray away from it. The male host who would not allow us to sit away from the bathroom area never cared to check in on our table after or ask how the meal was an made an effort to avoid us. He only served other tables. His female coworker had a small discussion with him to the side that sounded as if she disagreed with his actions and then attended to our table.

On a later day, I attended the same store location. Again, there were available tables near the front which other customers were seated at, but my friend and I, who happen to be both black, were sat at that same table near the bathrooms. It may not have been intentional, or it may have, regardless the staff seriously need to consider their actions. I felt as if I received differential treatment due to my appearance.

And if you're thinking I look like the stereotypical "hood teenager", I am in my early twenties, dress in business casual daily, and am highly educated/well spoken.

I urge you to avoid this location and try the one in Richmond hill or downtown; where they truly make you...

Edited October 2024: Tried the Ghost Spicy Ramen, which is a limited Halloween offering. This thing is SPICY! If you like spicy, this is the one you gotta try. I like spice, but I can't handle it, so I request half the spice. Let me tell you, this was spicy coming in as it was coming out. But, the flavour of the broth is delicious. I prefer this style ramen over the other generic offerings around the area.

Original review below

Have been here a few times and decided to come back for our anniversary!

Had tea and Ramune. Ramune always brings back memories so I always get it!

We had Aigamo Tataki and Takowasabi for appetizers. Decent size portions. My partner gets Takowasabi ALL THE TIME.

For the main course we had the Signature Tori Paitan and Red Spicy. Have tried almost all the different types and keep coming back to these two. I always ask for the spicy paste on the side to add to the Signature Tori Paitan and also substituted the chicken for pork. The broth is so flavourful and different from other ramen places I've tried. Found out the broth is made from chicken instead of pork. The eggs are perfect with the yoke not overly cooked and is marinated well.

The staff has always been attentive and addressed my concerns when I communicated it to them. Having been on the other side, it is the worst when someone expects something but doesn't say anything. There's no time for that nonsense.

For dessert, we had Almond Tofu which they just released! It was soft, flavourful but with some firmness to it. Would definitely order again.

Also, when getting take-out, they separate the ramen broth from the other ingredients in a fancy bowl. They also include instructions on how to reheat it in the microwave. Sometimes you need to reheat longer than what the instructions say to get the broth really hot. There are nights where I finish work late and I order take out because I know they're about to close and I don't want them to stay longer than...