Taishoken Ramen — Restaurant in Vancouver

🍜 I’M CRAVING SOME NOODS 🍜

We finally had the chance to try out @taishokencanada last week and it definitely hit all the right spots.

This small ramen shop on the edge of Chinatown has been serving their signature Tsukemen and Aton lotus ramens for years now. I remember always walking past this ramen shop and being enticed by the smell of their broth wagging out onto the street. And now that I’ve had the chance to try their ramen, I’m beating myself up for not stepping through the doors sooner.

Their signature Tsukemen (dipping ramen) is one of the better ones that I’ve tried in Vancouver. You eat Tsukemen by dipping the dry noodles into a condensed broth and slurping it up bite by bite. Once you’re finished with the noodles, you can even ask for a clear broth to dilute your dipping broth so that you can enjoy a post-ramen soup. We tried all three of the Tsukemen broths—original, karamaiso, and spicy. My personal favourite was definitely the spicy, even though I’m not usually a fan of spicy soups. I just found that one to have the most depth of flavour. The noodles were also perfectly chewy but still bouncy at the same time.

Their Creamy Tomato ramen though, stole both of our hearts. Each strand of noodle was coated in that delicious tangy, sweet, and umami broth. The melted cheese topping also gave each bite a super rich cream flavour. Even the tofu was soaked in that tomato flavour. My best friend and I couldn’t stop slurping this one. This ramen is also vegetarian friendly—and I promise you will not be disappointed.

We also tried out their Okonomi Gyoza as an appetizer which was really delicious as well. I really enjoyed the added flavour from the bonito flakes and okonomiyaki sauce. The bottoms of the gyoza were perfectly seared, giving each bite a nice crunch.

If you guys haven’t checked this place out yet, I would definitely recommend you stop by the next time you’re in the area. I haven’t been this satisfied by a bowl of ramen in quite a while.

What’s your favourite type of ramen?

⭐️9/10 🤵🏼‍♀️10/10 💵$$ (aprox. $20/person) 📍Taishoken Ramen | 515 Abbott St,...

I had been to several Taishoken(s) in Japan (Hiyoshi in Yokohama, Ikebukuro in Tokyo, etc.) and some other Ramen restaurants opened by the apprentices of Yamagishi. I thought they would follow the Japanese ordering rules so I asked in Japanese. Guess what, the waitress replied "Sorry I don't speak Chinese". Then I found that the entire store are run by Korean people. The staff told me that "the main chef is (the only one) Japanese", which explained why they occasionally spoke a couple of Japanese words but could barely understood Japanese. Regarding the ramen's quality, overall it is not acceptable for anyone who have ever tried decent ramen in Japan for once. The water residue in tsukemen plate could have feed your cat (see the photo I took), which made the noodle full of water taste. This also made the relatively thin (in both flavour and richness) dipping soup taste even diluted. The chashu was dry and with a lot of burnt (black rather than brown colour) fat. The noodle itself was fine, which earned them the second star rather than only one. The spicy tonkotsu ramen was worse than the tsukemen. The noodle was over-cooked and the soup was tasteless (neither the water part nor the oil part). Again, because the waitress don't understand Japanese, so it was hard to let her tell the Korean chef (who was actually) cooking the noodle) to cook do my noodle customized (which is common the all Japanese ramen restaurant). The egg was tasteless and the yolk was not soft. The fish cake was completely dry. In brief, DO NOT order it. Overall, failed imitator, disappointing. But if this restaurant was not called Taishoken, I could have less expectation and give them 3 starts as a "localized ramen" described...

Taishoken Ramen (大勝軒) has long been known for its fantastic Tsukemen (Dipping Ramen Noodles), but on our recent visit, we decided to try out and explore other items on their menu, Yakisoba and Kimchi Chashu Ramen.

Yakisoba: The stir-fried noodles were perfectly cooked with just the right texture—not too soft or firm. The savoury-sweet sauce perfectly complemented the veggies and pork, resulting in a flavoured dish.

Kimchi Chashu Ramen: This dish was a delightful blend of flavours, with the savoury chashu pork, spicy kimchi, and flavorful broth creating a mouthwatering combination. The noodles were perfectly cooked, and the mild spiciness added a kick to each bite.

We couldn't resist pairing our ramen with gyoza. This time, we decided to try the Okonomi Gyoza and were not disappointed. The pan-fried gyoza was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, and the generous topping of Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) added an extra layer of flavour. Plus, the Japanese mayo on the side was the perfect finishing touch.

Overall, we had a fantastic meal at Taishoken. The food and service were delicious; we'll definitely return soon. We highly recommend it to any ramen lover!

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Food: 🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜Must Try! Service: 👩‍🍳👩‍🍳👩‍🍳👩‍🍳👩‍🍳 Kids: 👶👶👶👶 Kids usually love noodles 🍜 and gyoza. 🥟. Presentation: 📷📷📷 Parking: Parking can be challenged in the neighbourhood. Tips: 📝 Convenient pre or post-game dining location near BC Place. 📝Generous portions encourage sharing for a diverse taste experience. 📝Don't just stick to ramen; try their tasty side dishes like gyoza, chashu plate, and don bowl. Would I...