Rakuzen Ramen House — Restaurant in Vancouver

Waiting for all the kids to get haircuts just down the way meant, by the time they were finished, we were all famished. Rakuzen seemed like out best choice, as even the pickiest of kids loves ramen. Turns out, I was the pickiest of the bunch, this time!

Between all of us, one of the kids had the Kids Ramen bowl, the other one wanted buffalo wings and fries (OK, so I was wrong about everyone liking ramen, apparently!), my wife ordered the Spicy Miso, I had the Rakuzen Red ( with the Rakuzen Inferno add-on), and some gyoza to share.

When everything arrived (slightly staggered, but reasonably fast and close enough together not to be an issue), everyone dug in, and was notably happy with their selection...except me. The Rakuzen Red was...bland. Really bland. And not only that, it wasn't spicy at all, even with the Inferno added! My wife's Spicy Miso was spicier, and far more flavorful. I thought maybe it was just me and my burnt-out-from-eating-spicy-everything-everyday taste buds, but my wife confirmed what I was experiencing. It was disappointing, but the only downside of an otherwise excellent meal, enjoyed by everyone else at the table. I'll chalk this one down to me being the problem, this time.

Ordering and paying happens at one of the stand-alone kiosk stations scattered throughout the interior, although the servers can assist, or take your order themselves, if requested. As mentioned, orders arrive reasonably fast, and the servers are attentive enough despite being somewhat removed from the action.

Rakuzen* didn't exemplify the "joy of dining" for me, but I seem to be the odd man out, so bear that in mind when checking this place out, and feel free to ignore the grumblings of an old man who didn't get his tongue lit on fire for once. I'm sure others will find the rakuzen in a steaming hot bowl of ramen here, as long as they're not expecting to break a sweat.

*rakuzen means "joy of dining"...

I really enjoy Rakuzen! It's a bit out of the way for me (I live in Hazel Dell), so I don't get to come as often as I'd like. But whenever my husband and I are in the area it's always a nice treat! Their broth is light, but still creamy and flavorful. The regular noodles have a little chew to them which I really enjoy, but their vegan noodles weren't really to my taste. They had a nice flavor, but they were much too soft for me. Once you started chewing they basically turned to mush almost instantly. But still, it's nice they have a vegan option for those who need it! On a higher note, the vegan curry broth was so delicious! And the tofu?! I don't know what they do to it exactly, but I was in love! I'm not vegan (just vegetarian), but I'd really recommend both to anyone regardless of their dietary preferences.

It's a small space, but still cozy for what it is. Though it might be difficult if you come in with a party larger than 8. The staff is always friendly and food never takes too long to start coming out. If you're in the area and haven't tried Rakuzen yet, I'd definitely recommend you...

Certain types will like this place. Dining is a little on the small side, however chairs are very comfortable compared to most places. You seat yourself and order from a QR code on the table or you can use the kiosk at the front or if you need assistance someone will help you. We ordered Takiyoki for an appetizer and it was ok, little on the chewy side. I got the spicy red Rakuzen and my partner got the black Rakuzen. Each one is customizable, you can remove whatever and add whatever you want to it. The portion is a good size. They do not have a large variety of broth. If you like Chicken and Pork broth then you'll like it here. If you want variety might suggest elsewhere. Since you order and pay at the same time there's no need to wait for a check, can just leave once you finish. All in all it's not a terrible place, was worth the trip but I doubt we'll be regulars here. The reason I set service 3/5 is because there is no service, you seat yourself, you order yourself, they bring your food and that's about it. We ran out of water but we were almost finished anyways so we just left after...