Ramen Ria — Restaurant in Christchurch

Riverside has several options when it comes to eating out, this turns into a filtering process of what you’re feeling like on the day really quick.

However, what was meant to be an option in the roulette of eateries quickly became a stand out and repeat dine in for my partner and myself.

We find ourselves at Ramen Ria on a weekly/bi-weekly basis. This choice came down to a few things for us;

Affordability - with $50 between the two you can easily delve into some of the popular dishes and sides to share. Our go to is the Large Karaage fried chicken, Vegan Rice Noodles and Curly Fries because who doesn’t love curly fries with truffle aioli.

The Menu is simple to follow with compromise available for those with dietary requirements such as myself having to ask the dreaded question of “do you have gluten free available.”

The atmosphere and interior - simply love it, the choice of colours, lighting and murals/art really adds to the personality of the place and brand. Plus the big projector screen upstairs playing classic anime. Bowl of Ramen and a movie? A competitor to Netflix and Chill.

Service/Hospitality - one of the biggest things I can say about this is consistency and attention to detail. No compromise in this department, the manager was ahead of the curve and knew my partner would ask for a spoon for her rice as that’s how her culture prefers to eat. Even though the place is quite busy at times, they are calm, cool and collected.

Would highly...

To be honest, the food was okay. I went with 3 other people and they mildly enjoyed their meals. I had the stir fry noodles which were okay, but I found the vegetables were too chunky and made the meal difficult to eat. I also had some pork and chive dumplings which were quite average. Overall, the food left me feeling meh. The dining area is very small and the seats/tables were similar to picnic tables and were very small and uncomfortable. The customer service was absolutely abysmal. The waitress was very quiet which made it hard to hear, and kept putting plates in front of the wrong person. I had to pass my partner his ramen, and in doing so, I dropped it and the broth went all over the table, on his leg, and on the floor. The staff were all talking and looking at us, but none came over to offer help. We had to ask them for a cloth so we could clean it up. It was absolutely ridiculous. I expect that in a situation like this a staff member would come over with cloths and paper towels to help us clean up. But no, they decided they wanted to talk about it and laugh at us instead. They also never checked on us and asked us how anything was and if we would like anything else. The window directly behind us was open and there was someone smoking at the table next to it which really sealed the deal on the entire situation. I will not be coming back and I will be advising others to do the same. If you like the food or want to try it, trust me, and order it...

Ah, it is a lamentable circumstance when the gustatory pleasures are marred by the shortcomings of the human element. Alas, such was my experience at the establishment in question. While the food was certainly palatable, my interaction with the waitress left a bitter taste in my mouth that even the most expertly crafted dish could not fully expunge.

As I made my inquiries into the seating arrangements, I found myself met with a disdainful gaze and an exasperated tone from the waitress. Her condescension and lack of empathy were palpable, as if my simple questions were an affront to her waitressing expertise. It was a most regrettable misunderstanding, compounded by her unnecessary belittling of my inquiries, which ultimately resulted in my feeling foolish. Thankfully, another waitress stepped in and remedied all with ease and elegance.

Thus, I must regrettably declare that I shall not return to this establishment, for the price of admission to such palatable cuisine should not come at the expense of my dignity. One must always endeavor to savor not only the food, but also the experience in...