ramen RAIJIN — Restaurant in Toronto

This is a review for their frozen ramen:

Then COVID hit and Ramen Raijin reinvented the concept of instant ramen. Theirs is a frozen circular disk that literally incorporates everything – the broth, noodles, and various toppings that are a far cry from the rehydrated vegetable fragments. In about the same time it takes to boil water to create the dried version, the frozen disk goes into a pot until it melts and is heated through.

And there’s no guessing games with Raijin’s spicy tonkotsu ramen ($12). The spicy-miso pork broth has enough chili to flood your mouth with flavours, but the fiery finish is subdued, and the miso adds a lovely creamy finish.

Perhaps it was all the tightly packed vegetables (corn, slivers of cabbage, bean sprouts, and green onions) and the extra minced chicken mixed into the soup base, but the spicy tonkotsu did take a couple minutes longer to prepare than the non-spicy version so the noodles ended up being a less chewy than the other.

The noodles in the Hakata tonkotsu ramen ($10) turned out perfectly and Raijin’s Hakata-style rich pork broth was just as creamy and umami laced as anything you’d find at a restaurant. Something about the freezing process makes me like the pickled ginger more, it’s mellower and melts into the broth nicely. It’s all finished with a rather thin slice of pork belly cha-shu, kikurage mushroom, green onion, and enough sesame to add a nutty finish to the soup.

Will the frozen ramen overtake the delivery and takeout options across the city? While close to the “real deal” they are still missing some of the beloved toppings like a gooey onsen egg and the crispy fresh toppings that can make it sing. The additional garnishes are easy – you can easily get a dried seaweed snack pack and finely chop scallions – but the elusive egg is more difficult. Raijin provides a recipe with the order confirmation to allow home cooks to recreate them at home. But all the work for one or two eggs … let’s just call me lazy.

To augment the meal, as the lone slice of cha shu isn’t the most substantial, Raijin offers extra pork or a host of frozen appetizers, some care of Zakkushi on Carlton just down the street. The yakitori momo ($8.50) goes bag and all into boiling water for five minutes and then you’re presented with four skewers of juicy chicken yakitori. The sauce is waterier than the lovely glaze you’ll normally find at restaurants, but in a pinch these will do.

Before placing an order, ensure your freezer has some room as for deliveries there’s a minimum $50 order size (about five ramen) and a $7 delivery fee. If you create that room if your freezer, the delivery fee is waived for a...

I recently visited Ramen Raijin in downtown Toronto, and I had a pretty good experience overall. They offer a wide variety of ramen and appetizers, with options for both meat lovers and vegetarians. However, there is only one vegan ramen option on their menu, which I think could be improved.

I ordered the Vegan Spicy Miso Ramen. At first, I was a bit unsure after seeing the photo on the menu. It had okra and tomato as toppings – something I’ve never seen in ramen before. I wasn’t sure how they would taste in a hot broth. Also, I don’t like corn, and I politely asked if they could replace it with bamboo shoots. To my surprise, they said no. I found that a bit strange because it was just one small change, and these toppings are added separately anyway. Maybe it’s part of their policy, but I’ve never had that issue at other ramen places.

When the ramen arrived, it looked beautiful. The ingredients looked fresh, and the broth was creamy, full of flavour, and had the perfect balance of spice – not too hot, not too bland. I was very impressed with how they prepared the okra and tomato. They were crispy, dry, and full of taste. I especially loved the crispy tomato – it added a nice tangy twist to the bowl. Even though I was unsure at first, those toppings turned out to be my favourite part of the dish.

The noodles were cooked perfectly – soft but still had a nice bite. I truly enjoyed eating this vegan ramen, and I didn’t miss the meat or dairy at all. It was a comforting, satisfying meal.

The restaurant has a nice ambiance, and I was lucky to find a parking spot right outside, which made things even easier. The staff was friendly, and service was smooth. I didn’t order any appetizers because the ramen was so filling, but I did notice that they had a wide variety of starters on the menu.

The only downside was their strict no-change policy for toppings. I think offering a bit more flexibility would make the experience even better, especially for those with food preferences.

I paid around $50 in total because I requested for extra toppings(without tip) for two bowls of ramen, which I think is fair for downtown Toronto.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Ramen Raijin, especially if you want to try a different kind of vegan ramen that’s creamy, flavourful, and satisfying. I’ll surely go back for that spicy...

Ramen Raijin has relocated to 24 Wellesley West, hidden in a small residential street at the back of the building of Rabba's convenience store. I came here on their opening weekend.

The new location has a nice open space, with communal style seating in the middle and tables around the sides. Overall it is smaller than the old location, and can now only accomodate around 40 diners. The menu has also shrunk a bit and contain only the more popular items from before, but I was assured that their summer cold ramen noodles will still make an appearance (Whew! Those were my favorite).

This location also has a mini shop selling drinks, desserts and snacks, but the shop is smaller as well. I can't help but think this little shop area would be much more useful as additional seating area, as I hardly see anyone buying anything from there. The items on sale are available elsewhere, so there really isn't any reason to be both a restaurant and a super mini convenience store at the same time.

For this visit, I ordered the Tokyo Shoyu Ramen, which my waitress said was her favourite. It is a more classic style of ramen and they do an admirable job at it. Personally, I found the broth just a tad too salty and did not finish off the soup like I usually do at my favourite ramen shop. I remember this being the case as well on their take of my favourite style of ramen - the tonkotsu style ramen, where their broth was just a tad too overwhleming. Having that said, I know that this saltiness level is perfect for others.

I think Ramen Raijin can definitely improve on their pricing, as there are some pretty competitive ramen places out there that either give more generous portions of toppings, or is a dollar or two cheaper. Expect to spend just under $20 after tax and tip for a bowl of ramen with 1 or 2 additional topping (usually egg and extra meat are my go-to's)

Despite being at a new location, the staff were seasoned enough both in the dining room and the kitchen such that food arrived quickly. I was also happy for them that it was packed on their opening night, so clearly they have a very dedicated following who loves what they do and offer.

Overall, Ramen Raijin is a fine place for a good bowl of ramen and I would...