Wakai Japanese Craft Ramen — Restaurant in Edison

Finally, a decent ramen spot for the Edison area. I haven't been impressed by some of the ones near me and I'm happy to say that Wakai has stepped up to the challenge of producing excellent broth and quality ingredients.

The star of the show was the smoked hamachi. It comes out with a beautiful dome covering the smokey spectacular hamachi. The hamachi was perfectly cooked; it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It was paired with an option of a smoked dipping salt and a side of a ponzu/yuzu vinaigrette of some sort. Both were excellent but the hamachi was excellent all on its own! I'll be coming back for this dish alone!!

We started with the brisket nachos which were really good but I wish there was slightly more beef on top. Other than that the flavors were excellent; I loved the pickled onions and the sauce!

Their tonkotsu broth was thick and on point; it wasn't overly salty like some other places. The bone marrow ramen was super decadent and quite special from other more traditional ramen. My husband preferred the beef marrow one but I preferred truffle butter tonkotsu ramen. An egg is $2 extra but it was perfectly jammy inside.

We were full so we opted out for dessert but they did look pretty nice. I think for $9 a dessert I thought the size seemed small but it's quality over quantity right? I'll try...

Overall, Wakai Japanese Craft Ramen provided a unique and delicious experience. The restaurant had a cozy and welcoming atmosphere, making it the perfect place to enjoy a hearty bowl of ramen on a chilly day. The menu offered a variety of options, including vegetarian and gluten-free options, which is great for accommodating different dietary needs.

The ramen was definitely the standout dish of the night. The broth was rich and flavorful, and the noodles were cooked to perfection. The toppings were also generous and added depth to the dish. I tried the spicy miso ramen, and it was the perfect level of spiciness for me. The portion size was also quite generous, making it a great value for the price.

In addition to the ramen, we also tried the Wakai nachos and the lamb shank bone marrow broth and short ribs. The nachos were a unique twist on the classic Mexican dish, and were topped with Asian-inspired ingredients like wasabi aioli and spicy tuna. The lamb shank bone marrow broth and short ribs were also flavorful and tender.

The service was also excellent, with our server providing recommendations and explaining the dishes thoroughly. Overall, Wakai Japanese Craft Ramen is definitely the best ramen spot in the area, and I can't wait to come back and try...

Food is decent, pricing is unreasonable high. There is a ridiculous 3.99% + 18% surcharge by default on top of sales tax even for takeout orders.

The marrow bone ramen soup is fragrant but very greasy, and the beef chunks are extremely dry. In terms of ramen this appears to create a hype, but little do most know this is very similar to the Taiwanese street food oxtail noodle soup. The Tonkatsu is generic, its spicy version is slightly greasier. The flavor is too strong on the saltiness.

Above two plus the eggplant were what I personally tasted. 4 other friends who ordered different ramens had the same exact feedback - the food here is too greasy and salty. For its high price we were very disappointed, not to mention we expected to be surprised by something peculiar for the price and overall presentation of the restaurant.

I would rate a 3 star for the food hadn’t they forced customers to pay the extra 22%. Their ramens are honestly just OK and not as competitive here in central NJ. Not to mention the portion is fairly small.

ADDED COMMENT AFTER OWN RESPONSE: We did ask to confirm if the 18% service fee was a mistake, it was in fact insisted by the front desk at check out for our take out order. The reason was "Our staff need to be...