Zen Ramen & Bento — Restaurant in Dahlonega

I eat a lot of Ramen. So I’ll give a break down with an honest review.

Starting with the service and decor of the restaurant. The service was outstanding, hard working, open, considerate and consistent throughout the entire meal. The decor was pleasant, clean, and sharp. The restroom was clean after the dinner rush, which means they clean it regularly. The kitchen was clean and I watched the kitchen staff work for a while. They were quick and skilled.

They were out of a lot of Sake, but that’s forgivable considering current supply issues.

The karaage was good, but the breading wasn’t traditional Japanese Karaage breading. It was fine, but it wasn’t that firm crispy goodness one expects.

I tried both a Shoyu and Tonkotsu Ramen. The Tonkotsu broth was one of the best I’ve had in the state. It was rich, heavy, thick, powerful. Frankly it was the highlight of the meal. The noodles were store bought, but fine. They were reasonably well prepared. The chashu was acceptable but nothing to write home about. The eggs were over cooked but were well marinated in soy sauce so that’s a bit of a wash. The Shoyu broth felt weak. It’s difficult to explain, it didn’t have the salty punch that one expects from a good Shoyu. If they had put it down in front of me and said it was a shio I would have believed them.

All told I think it’s it was a 4 out of 5. They are doing well and with a little more work I feel like it could be great. If you are in the area I think it’s...

I’ve had two disappointing experiences in a row with takeout orders. The first time, two items were wrong, and one was completely missing. When I called, the staff member was very kind and offered me two $10 gift certificates to be picked up in the next couple of weeks. My fiancée picked them up the following week, and tonight we used the certificates for another takeout order. Unfortunately, when we got home, my meal was wrong again. I called and explained how disappointed I was about this happening twice, and I asked if I could come pick up the correct item. The employee assured me they’d fix it at no charge, which I expected, and she also said they’d compensate me for the 40 minute round trip ride as well as informed me the kitchen staff is new. When I arrived, the manager apologized repeatedly and gave me two Aloe drinks as compensation. Honestly, I should have declined the drinks since no one in my household drinks them, but I just took them and left. The food is still good, and the staff is friendly, but having issues two times in a row is disappointing. From now on, I’ll only be dining in. Make sure to check your to go meals, I’ve definitely learned to double-check my takeout orders before...

As a local resident of Dahlonega and a huge lover of Asian food, I must say this is the best place in Dahlonega to satisfy your Asian craving. I ordered a bowl of chicken and cheese ramen with a side of gyoza and sweet green tea. The tea is amazing, both in flavor and it's sweetness. Usually, most herbal teas I've had were bitter, so this was a pleasant change. The gyoza was the perfect blend of both succulent and crunchy. The taste explodes in your mouth. And finally, the ramen is superb. The chicken was served as Cordon Bleu (in other words stuffed with melted cheese and ham, usually), sans the ham, thus making it a fun surprise. The noodles were a good chewy, as opposed to eating something that feels like rubber in your mouth. Lastly, the broth is an exquisite blend of salty and tasty. All in all, a great meal at a nice place with a friendly staff with an amusing...