Yama Ramen — Restaurant in Killington

Upon my initial inspection of the menu a particular item became stuck in my attention like a splinter stuck in the skin between index finger and thumb. An appetizer called “gang gang shrimp” with the pithy yet cryptic description “…you already know.”

Surely, I do not! How presumptuous to infer that I and any other would-be patron would speak and understand fluent Japanese when ordering from a ramen shop located in Vermont?

It turns out I did already know, but for reasons I was not expecting.

Screw it, I said to myself, I’m on vacation.

a friendly woman answered the phone and took my order, making sure that my arrival would coincide with the preparation, such that I would walk out of the restaurant with food at the peak of its eatability. I highlight this prior point because it is a level of attention to detail which is uncommon and much appreciated.

I ordered the “gang gang” shrimp, edamame, a miso ramen, and a tonkatsu ramen. Everything was fresh, delicious, and the ingredients went beautifully together both visually and on the palate. The noodles were cooked al dente, the broth complex. $20 for a bowl of broth and noodles is a bit pricey, but the portion is generous, as is the accompanying cut of pork which was thick, infinitely tender, and tasty. Then the corn and greens provided a nice crunch and contrast. The half egg was wholly excellent with a bright orange yolk.

I did not partake of the edamame as I am not a fan generally, but my wife informed me they were quite good, and judging from the large pile of unshelled vs small pile of shelled edamame, I can confirm, without trusting words alone, that the beans were enjoyable.

Finally, as for the “gang gang” shrimp:

I heard once an anthropological theory which states that when a culture becomes old enough, less language is needed to convey meaning. In other words, in some cultures, one can communicate a complex thought with as little as a glance or a gesture; context and circumstance become so common to the cultural experience that a single word, a particular glance, or well-timed smile/frown etc can provide mutual understanding between two people in a way that might require several words or even sentences otherwise.

For the description of the shrimp, the prefixed hesitating ellipses belie an omniscient and yet coy confidence; like a loaded glance between brothers, communicating conspiracy with a secret semaphore of facial expression.

As to the taste of it: the shrimp was tender, coated with a beautiful sauce whose flavor complemented the perfectly cooked shrimp itself. It was spicy, but not overpowering, just enough to accentuate the flavors with a little kick.

When I picked up my order, the establishment as well as the staff were warm and welcoming. Regretfully, this will likely be the first and last time I patronize Yama Ramen, as I am but a traveler passing through. However, I hope this review serves to bolster this fine eatery’s reputation and revenue. The fine people there are passionate about their craft, and about their customers.

So, from one humble traveler to another: get some ramen here, become a part of the gang gang. But you...

I’ve been here twice. Great experience both times, though I was disappointed that the banh mi was sold out each time. It’s an order and pay at a window type place and then sit down and the food is brought out to you. A big bowl of ramen is in the low $20s range. The ramen comes out super fast and is nice and hot and tastes great. What more could you ask for? The one thing I will say is that both times I have been there the water tastes absolutely terrible. One of the staff was polite and said it was bottled Vermont Pure Water but I’m not convinced as it tastes suspiciously like Killington water (maybe there is still detergent on the cups or in the dispenser which is altering the taste?). I’d be fine with this if there was a wider range of beverages offered but currently they have beer & wine as well as Coke products which is sort of limiting if you don’t want to be drinking before getting back on the road or you don’t want all that is Coca-Cola. Some good options could be Kombucha, sparkling water, those Japanese bottled teas (Ito En), or the funny little Japanese sodas with the ball in them (Ramune). I hope this restaurant does well and they are able to expand their offerings. It is just really great to have ramen in Killington and the ease of getting in and getting fed is super, especially after a long day of skiing who wants to sit and wait? So aside from my small beverage suggestion, I’d definitely recommend this...

I recently visited this restaurant, and while I appreciate the self-service concept, I was very disappointed by what happened after my visit. After my payment was processed, I discovered that a 15% tip was added to my bill without my consent.

There was no table service, and we were responsible for cleaning up after ourselves, so we chose not to leave a tip. It is unacceptable and unethical to add a tip to my bill without informing me or obtaining my approval. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive a receipt at the time, so I can’t verify if there was any notice about this charge.

If you choose to dine here, I recommend checking your bank statements closely to ensure you’re not charged more than expected.

Just to respond what owner replied, there is not a place in the menu saying that large party will be charged 10% service fee.

It would be better if we can get a heads-up about the fee. l feel uncomfortable because the initial charge was without the fee. It is after a few days the bank updated the fee. Therefore I believe someone added the fee after we leave without...