Ippin Ramen-Waite Park — Restaurant in Waite Park

We tried 3 different ramen dishes, 1 rice dish, and the calamari appetizer. With 3 bobba teas.

The calamari was cooked properly, tender not rubbery. The flavor and texture was awful. The batter recipe tasted like it was created for chicken or onion rings. The fryer oil likely had not been changed or filtered.

The ramen, all of them, had a muddled flavor. The proteins were of poor quality. The pork belly tasted like it was burnt on a flat top grill that hasn't been cleaned properly, or had sugary sauces that had caramelized and burned. Once the proteins were added to the soup base, the mixed flavor from the grill top infused through everything and that was all I could taste for the next hour. The beef and rice dish was palatable at best. The beef had the appearance and flavor of Arby's roast beef prepared with soy sauce, sugar and sauteed onion. Our server was personable and did all he needed to do that was in his control with the exception of asking if we enjoyed what we had ordered. None of us ate much of what we had ordered. With us being the only diners in the restaurant I don't understand why our food came out at separate times. The menu is very limited. Four dishes and an appetizer gave me enough of a sampling of the menu to know that the overall flavor and quality of the food on the menu is poor. The portion size is appropriate for the main dishes. The calamari Our bill was over a hundred dollars (before tip) to feed a family of two adults and two young girls. It's rare that I will write a negative review. The quality of the food...

We enjoyed everything we ordered. Milk tea with boba, taro tea without boba, takoyaki, char siu donburi, and shredded char siu ramen. The milk teas were everything we hoped for; the milk tea was comforting, the boba bouncy without being too chewy, and this taro was particularly earthy and flavorful. The branded cups are cute, too. We've both had very different takoyaki than what was served here and both very much enjoyed Ippin's takoyaki. The dancing fish flakes have a strong fish scent and flavor, and the interior of the takoyaki is soft and squishy. I mention it because my mom would have a hard time with both aspects, and may not have been pleased about the octopus either. However, my dining partner and I both felt like we had a delicious treat, I can see why this might be a well loved fair food. We will definitely get this again. I've not had donburi before, but the char siu donburi was surprisingly sweet. The pork was delicious and the rice was flavorful and as soft as botan. The shredded char siu ramen was very spicy, the kind that builds with time and stirring, and so I only had small bites but it was, with gusto, enjoyed by my dining partner. What I had of it had a good spreading flavor, the wood ear mushrooms crunchy, and the bean sprouts fresh. Definitely will be returning to Ippin Ramen when we're...

Stopped in for my first visit, my review may be a reflection of not understanding the flavors. I'm just scoring this as my opinion.

The restaurant itself is so clean, fresh and welcoming! The staff are exceptional! Very kind and helpful!

I tried the Gyoza having them by themselves didn't do much for me. Very dull flavors, using the sauce served with them. That was magic! The sauce added deminision and brings out the flavor in the pork.

I went with the crispy chicken ramen. The bowl looked stunning! I couldn't wait to dive in. As I took the first few bites I'm left thinking, the heat is there, but the dish as a whole lacks other flavors. I did add a little soy that can be found at the table and that helped a lot! For me, the Ramen needs something else to elevate the dish, to keep you interested in the bowl. The heat isn't enough.

The reason for the 4 stars. One, I think the ramen can use more flavors besides heat. Second, I don't know for a fact, but I do believe my crispy chicken and Gyoza were warmed in a microwave. My chicken was definitely rubbery and so was the...