A&J Ramen Spot — Restaurant in Kent

Went here for the first time with my family since they wanted ramen and this was close to Kent State. I had the curry bento box that came with spring rolls, pot stickers, California rolls, and rice. The sushi was decent and so were the pot stickers and spring rolls, but the curry was VERY bland and had a congealed texture to it, like they used too much corn starch. Even after adding some soy sauce, it didn’t make it any better.

My wife had the beef teriyaki bento which was better. The popcorn chicken my daughter had is basically bite sized Karaage and was tender and well seasoned, and the boba drinks that everyone had were good (mango pomelo and classic with brûlée).

Other than the curry (not recommended), my other main gripe was the King Crab ramen my other daughter had. It came with a decent amount of crab for $23, but the downside was that you had to take the crab meat out of the shell first. My daughter was lucky enough to have my help taking the crab meat out while she ate (at the expense of my own food getting cold), but if someone by themselves ordered it, they would have to do all that work, which isn’t easy with the spiky king crab shell, all while their ramen gets cold. When I order a bowl of ramen, I just want to dive right in while it’s still nice and hot so the way they serve that particular ramen version isn’t very diner-friendly.

My suggestion to the restaurant is to have the crab meat accessible as soon as you serve the food. Having your diners work for their food by making them take the crab meat out themselves, which is tedious and somewhat painful, while their broth and noodles gets cold, doesnt make any sense.

3 star for the king crab ramen, and 4-5 stars for the rest of the food, gets them...

Listen, your mama’s ramen was probably the stuff that came in a crinkly packet with a sodium bomb of a flavor packet. Delicious in its own right, but this ramen? This ramen will make your soul sing and your taste buds weep with joy.

We rolled into this ramen joint expecting a nice meal, and what we got was a transformative noodle experience. Let’s break it down:

First up, the Pork Belly Ramen. Imagine a broth so rich it probably has a financial advisor. It’s creamy, savory, and hugs you like a warm blanket on a cold day. The pork belly? Melt-in-your-mouth perfection, like it moonlights as butter in its spare time.

Then there was the Chicken Katsu Ramen, which might as well be a flavor symphony in a bowl. If chicken soup is for the soul, this is for the entire existence. Perfectly cooked noodles, a yolky soft-boiled egg that deserves its own award show, and a broth so velvety smooth it could be mistaken for satin.

And let’s not sleep on the Bento Boxes! These little trays of joy brought the heat with crispy karaage, perfectly seasoned rice, and sides that made us question why every meal doesn’t come in compartmentalized greatness.

The vibe? Cozy but cool, like your college roommate who actually cleaned the apartment but also knew how to party. Service? Friendly, fast, and totally understanding of the fact that we were taking our sweet time slurping every last drop.

Final verdict: If this ramen spot was a movie, it would win all the Oscars. Five stars. A standing ovation. A bowl drop (the food equivalent of a mic drop). Just go already—and bring your mama so she can see how it’s...

RIP to our beloved Kenko, but this place is good enough to live up to their legacy!! All the workers I’ve spoken to here are super sweet. I’ve only been here twice so far. First time, I got the pork belly ramen and the super fruit bubble tea. Both were delicious; the pork belly was tender and salty, the bubble tea refreshing, very citrusy and zingy!! Wow. We got takeout tonight and I got the beef teriyaki bento box and orange yogurt bubble tea. Another hit! The beef had great texture and taste despite being less fresh than it would’ve been had we dined in, since we had to transport it home. The teriyaki sauce was wonderful, paired with onions that were the perfect texture, perfectly cooked. My partner got the lobster ramen, and he loved it! My only critique is that the takeout container for the ramen is a bit hard to navigate with how much they stuff the bowl with your toppings! We had a little spill but nothing to write home about, we were just grateful the toppings weren’t getting soggy in the broth during transport. Overall, this is such a great spot. I hope they...