Kajiken Alexandria — Restaurant in Annandale

It’s their first week, so I’ll go easy… it was a good experience overall but not anything spectacular. I thought the place is decorated well and love the vibes. The staff uniforms are hip and everything was clean. The ladies bathroom was okay, floor was wet near the toilet, soap dispenser barely squirts out soap.

—The noodle texture is great. Chewy, just right. 5 out of 5 for just the noodles alone. -I had the chicken curry ramen, sunomono salad, age tofu, and fried oysters w/ egg tartar(egg salad), taiyaki w/ matcha ice cream and tiramisu crepe cake, and a hot tea for drink. -The chicken curry ramen overall was 4 out of 5. -The sunomono (octopus) salad was a 2.5 out of 5 (I added vinegar and chili oil and sesame seeds which made it a 4 out of 5) -The Kaki fry (fried oysters) were crispy and tasty. Not drenched with sauce or greasy. If youre not a fan of oyster/shellfish taste then stay away. It’s a burst of oyster in your mouth. The egg salad on the side is good. Overall 3.5 out of 5. -The age tofu was really good. 5 out of 5. -The taiyaki was good but VERY VERY greasy. Emphasis on greasy. I love a fried taiyaki and it didn’t burn my mouth but it was so greasy it ran down my fingers. 2.5 out of 5 -The matcha ice cream which came with the taiyaki was delicious. Very rich with matcha flavor, dense but melted quickly. 5 out of 5. -The tiramisu crepe cake was very pretty but I found it to be way too cheesy flavored. Was more cheesecake than tiramisu. If it wasn’t for the excess espresso powder, it would’ve basically been a cheesecake. 3 out of 5. -The hot tea was great with actual leaves in it. Not too bitter. Loved that it wasn’t a teabag. 5 out of 5.

Overall… the food was good but not mind blowing or anything. Just good. Nothing was salty or too salty. If you like spicy, this is not the place for you because the spiciest thing is some kimchi and that is mild at that. I’ll return to try the traditional ramen and see how the broth and chashu pork is. Additionally, will come back to try the Matcha ice cream shop. :)

Suggestions for the restaurant: please consider providing togarashi on the tables or at customer request. Additionally, pickled ginger like BeniShoga would be great for all the dishes and apps...

4.5 stars: would come back for the Abura soba, but not the ramen

The interior is very cute. When you walk in, there is a kiosk where you can order take out, or you can be seated by the staff for full service. They have booths, as well as tables, which were a little close together, so can feel cramped for some people. They also have a small area where Kyo Matcha is attached, so if you want extra dessert afterward, it's very convenient.

SERVICE (5/5): Service was attentive, friendly, and fast. Tables were cleared, as we finished, and waters were never empty.

FOOD: ~Kaki Fry (4.5/5): Came out piping hot. If you don't like oysters, then this isn't for you. Had a nice briny flavor, and the egg tartare was a good complement to the fry.

~Roast Beef Abura Soba (5/5): Like a dry ramen. The roast beef was tender and so flavorful. Could taste the beef flavor and the seasonings separately. The noodles were perfectly chewy. The sauce was so good; great balance between salty, sweet, spice, and umami. Didn't even need the spice rack.

~Tonkotsu Ramen (3/5): Used more straight ramen noodles (not our personal preference). The broth needed more umph. The chashu was not as soft as we'd prefer and lacked flavor.

~Sides: chasu (3/5), slow roasted pork (2.5/5), corn (3/5). About $1-2, but you just get one skinny sliver of the meats. Corn was corn.

~Tiramisu crepe cake (3/5: personal preference; if you like crepe cakes then 4/5)

~Baked sweet potato with vanilla ice cream (4/5). How can you go wrong with a sweet potato? Was a tasty combination of sweet potato and vanilla ice cream. only thing is the sweet potato comes out nice and warm, which can melt the ice cream very fast.

Definitely coming back again for that roast...

Came here for dinner during soft opening weekend 12/21/24

The ramen here was amazing! I’ve been to almost all the ramen spots in DC/VA, and a lot others aren’t authentic and too salty or just one dimensional.

The ramen at Kajiken took my bf and I back to our Japan trips the past years. They greet you upon entering, and the staff is all polite and efficient. Their infamous dry ramen is actually really good with perfectly cooked thick noodles. The sauce on bottom was delicious and tender Chashu pork.

I got the Tonkotsu Shoyu ramen, and the egg was cooked excellent as well as noodles. I finished the broth to the last drop! The flavor profile of the ramen broth was dimensional, delicious, and you can tell they use high quality ingredients and take pride in their kitchen and restaurant. This is the most authentic ramen we’ve had in the area, and I’m so happy we found a spot to satisfy our cravings before we go back to Japan again.

Try them out, you won’t be disappointed! Looking forward to trying their other dishes like the roast beef.

Kyo Matcha attached was a nice sweet finish, the staff on Saturday was patient and friendly. We got the swirl soft serve and we had the black sesame milk tea. Both not too sweet!

5/5...