Asoul Ramen — Restaurant in Lower Allen

So glad a ramen specialty restaurant opened up in the area, let alone an upscale one! Asoul, as in "one soul," has a Japanese name of the same meaning (一魂). This establishment is well-designed and furnished – it impresses you even before you enter. The exterior signage is pleasing to the eyes, and the interior decor provides excellent ambiance for a dining experience.

Seating options:

Party of 1: You can sit at the bar. Party of 2: Get seated in the aisle or the 2nd / 3rd-level booth. Party of 3-6: Will get one of the first-level booths. Can't go wrong with any of these tables, except the stairs for the 3rd level can be a bit hazardous for some people.

Physical menus are provided, but you order from a tablet. You can customize each item by adding extras or removing default options. You also get a running total so you know when to stop (lol). The only issue is there is no way to include special instructions such as "low sodium." Orders came within 10 minutes (the restaurant was at capacity):

Tokyo Tonkotsu Shouyu Ramen ($16.99): This is the must-try staple for ramen (like Kong Pao chicken for Sichuan cuisine). Everything was on point. The Chashu pork was tender, the egg was satisfying as always, and the bamboo shoots added a savory umami flavor to each bite. What I was most grateful for with my bowl was that the tonkotsu broth wasn't too salty like most ramen soups out there.

Tokyo Tonkotsu Shouyu Ramen with Black Garlic ($17.99): My son tried a different variation of Tonkotsu. The broth was darker and very noticeably garlicky. Everything else was the same.

Jumbo Seafood Shrimp Ramen ($17.99): My wife also loved her choice. I sampled her soup, which has a very strong seafood taste (as in broth made from the heads of prawns). Very tasty.

Lychee Shrimp Balls ($10.99): Came in 6 ground shrimp with a crisp and crunchy outer coating with toppings to make each ball look like lychee. This is nicely presented, but taste-wise, they were okay. The coating wasn't crunchy enough, and the temperature wasn't hot enough. But a good try for your dining adventure – I mean, I haven't heard of Lychee Shrimp Balls before. Another miss was this came 5-10 after the ramen, even though this is an appetizer.

Regardless, overall this was A+. A must-try.

P.S. Sakura Macha is coming soon at the counter in the waiting area. So you'll have specialty latte and matcha drinks to enjoy with...

We left the picky eaters at home clutching their plain pasta and dino nuggets and ventured out on a lunch date for the bold: just me and my culinary co-pilot, Roland, the tween with a palate so refined he could probably judge Top Chef: Kids Edition and send Gordon Ramsay crying to his car.

The Vibe: Asoul Ramen is as much an experience as it is a meal. The whole place is a vibe: glowing booths straight out of a sci-fi movie, cherry blossoms blooming indoors, and lanterns so gorgeous I almost forgot I was hungry. (Almost.)

The Food: We did what any responsible food adventurers would do: ordered everything. Roland’s absolute favorite was the honey crispy tofu, which he ordered a second plate of. My favorite was the seafood ramen which a steaming, savory bowl of pure comfort with perfectly cooked squid, shrimp tempura, soft-boiled egg, and more flavor than a tween with a YouTube channel. Roland had the veggie/miso ramen and slurped it with the kind of joy that makes a mom proud. We also demolished an appetizer stack like we were getting paid to judge it: fried tofu, spicy bamboo, kimchi, and whatever else looked too good to skip. (it was all too good to skip.)

Family Friendliness: I wasn’t sure if this place would be baby-compatible, but the staff went out of their way to make room for the stroller, even though they clearly weren’t set up for it. Baby was happy and deeply invested in the wall lighting.

Bonus for the Less Adventurous Eaters: Despite our gourmet spirit quest, I was delighted to see that Asoul Ramen does offer plain ramen (just noodles and broth, no judgment) and fried rice. So if you did bring your picky eaters, they wouldn’t have to panic. You can still eat in peace without anyone crying over mushrooms.

TL;DR: Beautiful, immersive atmosphere Incredible food that actually lives up to the aesthetic Perfect for a lunch date with your favorite mini foodie Surprisingly baby-accommodating Great options even if your kid only eats beige foods

We’ll definitely be back. Probably with more kids. Probably ordering everything again. Probably needing a...

This is my favorite place for ramen in the area for authenticity and flavor. Have been here twice. Both experiences have been great so far. They do not take reservations, so the wait can be a bit long; however, you can roam around the mall until your table is ready (they will text you).

Ordering food can be done on the iPad without a server which is a nice concept. I love that their ramen bowls all come with the authentic ramen toppings. Out of the chicken, miso, and shouyu, I enjoy the shouyu the most. The tonkatsu shouyu ramen with black garlic added is my favorite. I just wish they gave you thicker slices of the pork. I have also tried the miso ramen for a lighter broth my first time but enjoyed the depth of flavor and saltiness in the tonkatsu shouyu more. The miso was sweeter than other misos I have tried in the past. I do wish they had the option of straight noodles or wavy egg noodles.

As for appetizers, I was happy to find takoyaki on their menu. This is something you cannot find in many places in the area and it was tasty. I just wish the Japanese mayo was a bit thinner in consistency. I also ordered the monster shrimp roll during my first visit, and I enjoyed it but it was a bit too heavy on the sauce for me.

The architecture and vibe in here was very cute, especially for this area. It makes you feel like you’re in a major city. You have the option of booths, tables, or the ramen bar. Their honeycomb seating is a replica of kyuramen’s seating. I wonder if they will also replicate their taste 2 ramen bowls 👀. There is also a fireplace that runs down the restaurant which makes for a nice date night backdrop. I would go here again, but be sure to leave yourself time...