Ajisen Ramen (Newmarket) Restaurant — Restaurant in Waitematā

This restaurant annoys me already the moment I'm being seated. The standard of a restaurant is where the waiter takes your order from your table. But this restaurant had a long time reputation of leaving order slips on your table and once you're done writing down what you want, the waiter collects that slip of paper from you. Now, it's gone into a QR code that's stuck onto the table which also says "60 minutes dining time limit". Moreover, you'd at least expect the restaurant to provide free wifi so that you can order with the QR code, but nope. None provided. I had to go to the counter to order my food and was told there'll be a surcharge for credit card/paywave payments. Like really? For a restaurant of this calibre, this is appalling.

The one part that doesn't make sense is when you have physical menus, but you use their QR menu that has pictures of everything you see on the physical menu. The waiter then collects the physical menu from you after you order from the QR code which could've been the opportunity they collected your self-filled order slip.

Ordered the Kajiu Ramen. I knew what I was ordering and it came with 4 large pieces of spicy chicken karage and 2 pieces of crispy sheets. Obviously, want to put aside those pieces so that you can enjoy your bowl of noodles. Asked for a small plate, but was given a tiny rice bowl. So I said "can't you just give me another plate which is the same as the one you just served the squid karage on?" And the waiter says "I may need to get that from the kitchen." My thoughts are why was that information...

I’ve gone here on multiple occasions with friends and family. Overall experience was good and we would still be happy to come back. If you are planning to come with a big group, I would encourage you to book or call in as sometimes they get quite busy.

Ambiance 5/5 – Overall look of the restaurant is nice, clean and well maintained. I like the big glass windows because it lets a lot of natural light in during the day. The décor is cute and casual.

Food 4/5 – For the Tapas, I especially liked the Agedashi Tofu and Gyoza Mayo. I really enjoyed their Ramen as the broth is rich and somewhat creamy. We tried the Paiku, Grand Zen Nose and the classic Ajisen Ramen. The Chashu (pork) and Slow Braised Rib was soft, tender and melts in your mouth! They have a lot of option for customizing your Ramen, but I just like mine simple with thin noodles and a rich pork broth. I like the selection of Dons as well and tapas but there are currently a lot of things unavailable on the menu. With that being said, we appreciate that they indicate on the Menu right away what is and what isn’t available so they don’t have to keep coming back. The price, portion and quality are all proportionate in our opinion.

Staff and Service 4/5 – They were all quite nice and friendly overall. The wait time was not too long even when we went there with a big group (15 people). They were attentive to ask if there was anything else we needed...

When my son was still using a pram, I found it difficult to dine here because prams weren’t allowed inside. Now that he no longer needs one, I decided to visit again today. I noticed a family with a small baby in a pram, which I found really heartwarming. However, it turns out that prams are still not allowed inside.

I also recall handing the manager some child-friendly tableware small plates, a spoon, and a fork so that younger children could eat more easily. Unfortunately, I didn’t see them being used at all. It makes me wonder why this restaurant isn’t more accommodating to families with small children. That being said, the ramen was absolutely delicious, and despite coming on such a busy day, every staff member remained calm, professional, and efficient. I really appreciated that. However, looking around, I noticed there were no families with small children dining here. Given how spacious the restaurant is, I can’t help but wonder what’s the issue?

It would be wonderful if families could enjoy a meal together in this beautifully decorated, Japanese-style space. If Japanese restaurants in Japan also make it difficult for families with young children to dine, perhaps it’s a cultural difference. But this is New Zealand, and I encourage you to reconsider your approach to making your restaurant more welcoming...