I think what makes this place the best is the noodles. They are perfectly chewy. The broth is pretty standard - except the red devil ramen, my preference. Maybe a 7000 calorie a day diet of mostly sugar and chicken tendies has ruined my taste buds but that thick spicy soup is awesome. I also recommend getting the raw garlic press. But I go back to my basement suite after to level up my mage so bad breathe is of no concern. Staff are very polite and fast.
I’ve been wanting to check out Umami Noodle Bar since my friend, who lived in Japan for a year, recommended it and told me it was her favourite ramen spot in town. It’s located right beside a Jerusalem Shawarma (one of three locations). There’s a parking lot behind the building. Good to know.
The restaurant looks nice on the inside and is small. Big groups of people are able to be acommadated at the restaurant still, since there are seats near the wall that can fit large groups of people. The service is friendly and the food is delicious. There is ramen, which is the main and only noodles at the restaurant. The portions are an alright size and the price is reasonable. The atmosphere of the restaurant is friendly. There is curry that can be served at the restaurant as well.
Umami has one of the spiciest ramen bowls in the city - the red devil. If you like spicy then you HAVE to try this one. I got extra lean pork chasu just because I'm a big guy. Also, loved the beef tataki and neo-Japanese interior. Check it out!
Really good!!! Excellent service. Affordable prices. The buns were the best!! First time having and I am coming back on my next days off. My friend had the seafood ramen and I liked his more then my ramen. But Im new to this food and I will try other ramen because I like this little gem
I had the Tonkotsu original and it was well made. Went really well with the sake. The chashu was tasty and the miso really creamy. Quite a filling dish as well. Just beware that this is a small establishment when it comes to seating.
Had the tonkatsu spicy miso and it was a decent bowl of ramen. Very tasty compared to some other spots I've tried in the area which had better reviews. The noodles were firm and the broth had some full flavour with the spice.
A cute little noodle place that is brightly-lit and has a welcoming atmosphere. The menu may be a little limited and the prices are on par with most ramen places, with up to $15 a bowl. The food itself is nothing that special (the noodles aren't handmade or anything) but the broth is quite salty and flavorful so it's definitely great if that's what you're looking for!
That soy egg was marvellous. The creamy orange egg yolk had a subtle amount of salty goodness. The pork belly was the best part of the bowl, the fatty edges were beautifully seared, the leaner bits melted on your tongue.
I went there with my friend in the afternoon on Sunday. The food took a bit long to arrive, however they were excellent. I had the tonkatsu miso ramen with fatty pork and they were so YUMMY. It is the best ramen I have ever had in Calgary.
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Nice and clean restaurant with friendly staff. Food came out quickly and it was hot. Had the takoyaki to start and it was what you expect with mayo drizzle and takoyaki sauce, crispy and warm. I had the tonkatsu spicy miso ramen with lean pork with egg. The broth was super tasty and had a nice spice but not too spicy. The ramen stayed hot until my last bite. I really enjoyed it, very flavourful and the soft boiled egg was cooked perfectly. Definitely recommend this place to check out if you are looking for ramen.
Decided to update my review since we came here again. Still got the takoyaki but also go the charshu buns to start and they were to die for! The buns was so soft and fluffy and the charshu pork inside was sweetly marinaded with green onions. Totally recommend you get his next time. I tried the new Red Devil ramen this time and it was rated with 6 chili pepper hotness. I was kinda scared to try it but I love spicy! It was the perfect amount of spice. More spicy than normal but not too hot that I couldn't eat it. The broth was super flavourful! If you love spicy I would recommend this ramen. They will be putting it on their regular menu in the future. Finished off with the premium matcha ice cream to share with my friend. It came in a waffle cup with matcha ice cream, red bean and fried mochi balls. Super yummy!
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Another wonderful Ramen shop in Calgary is more than welcome!
Tonkatsu is by far our favourite type of Ramen broth, so of coarse we all ordered it and and chose the Pork Belly Chasu and added a Shiyo Egg to each order.
the menu is a simple and clear menu, which we always prefer. sometimes restaurants over complicate things and try to offer too many items - essentially becoming the "Jack of all trades, Master of none" to the culinary world.
the restaurant is clean, clearly lit, with small tables for easy maneuvering to accommodate your party's needs and benches set along the perimeter walls as well as bar stool counters in the middle. I counted seating for 36 in total, but that's pretty cozy seating.
all in all, the Tonkatsu broth was quite good. my wife and son thought it was pretty amazing. I prefer another establishment's Tonkatsu over this one, but my family disagrees and says they're both pretty amazing. so suffice it to say, it was good.
the Chasu was very tasty and tender. I just wish it were thicker and that we had more of it. 3 thinly sliced pieces was all there was, but probably sufficient for the amount of soup and noodles. the Shoyu egg was done perfectly and was also quite tasty. the noodles... again, I differ from my family on this one. it was very similar to (if not exactly) a Chinese egg noodle. my wife and son loved it, however, I thought it was the wrong noodle all together for Tonkatsu.
and this is the difficult thing about Ramen. there are truly unlimited variations on this classic dish in Japan and so the diversity in our city is a welcome thing. now it just boils down to preference, because they too we're cooked perfectly and brought proper balance in quantities of things to chew on and broth to slurp, as the "proper" way to eat Ramen is to slurp the noodles, inhaling air into each mouthful (while making a mess of your favourite shirt).
on another exciting note, they are planning on bringing Tsukemen Style Ramen to their summer menu! I believe this would be the first for Calgary, and quite honestly, we can't wait to return!
great job, Umami! you're a welcome addition to the Calgary Ramen Scene!
A small restaurant at 16th avenue at the statefarm building. The food was excellent. Their Ramen are so tasty, the calamari were perfectly cooked. Beef tataki and chasi buns are so good. Highly recommended. Their matcha ice cream are made from scratch worth the wait of making it. For sure we'll...
We had the tonkotsu ramen with chashu don and it was delicious. Their pork belly here is sliced a bit more thinly than other restaurants but the grilling and flavour makes up for it. Compared to Japan I would say the ramen is average but for YYC it is definitely one of the better joints out there. Chashu buns are bomb too.
This restaurant has a very simple interior, its very bright & clean feeling but a tad empty. It is a very small restaurant so that is something to consider when going in groups. The ramen here was quite good, and I can see myself coming back here again in the future. The broth is very rich and the meat has nice flavour. However, the bowls were a little on the smaller side for me. The food took a little longer than expected to come out, maybe over 20 minutes. Price wise, its very similar to other ramen restaurants so nothing outstanding about the price, making it very fair for what you get. The service was good, nothing negative, but nothing beyond the expected standard.
Ambience (3/5) - Clean, newer establishment with tasteful but minimal decor.
Service (4/5) - Quick, attentive service. The only knock was the server's English was really broken and difficult to understand.
Food (3.5/5) - Had the char siu buns and pork-based miso ramen.
The char siu buns are tasty, but the bun is the star here - light and fluffy. Portion of char siu in the bun is disappointingly small.
The pork-based miso ramen is perhaps the richest in Calgary, which is awesome. The noddles are on the thin side, but texture is fair. Pork belly is average as far as ramen places go.
Value (3/5) - The char siu buns are pricey for what you get ($6.50 for 2 child palm sized buns), and the ramen has relatively few fixins.
Overall (3.5/5) - This is a solid noodle house. Freshly ground sesame seed on the bowl is a nice touch.
Amazing. Start with hand made gyoza or pork buns made from scratch. Then enjoy some of the best Ramen and great service too. The tonkatsu broth is probably the richest I've had in town, the fatty pork belly is mouthwatering but next time I'll try the lean pork for more texture. Ive tried all the Ramen in Calgary and this is in the top 3.
I had a craving for ramen. It is a craving if I always want ramen? I dropped by Umami Noodle Bar to try their wares. First thing I noticed. The stroller parked in the foyer. As a MoM (Mother of multiples) family friendly restaurants now interest me. The aroma of full bodied ramen broth was wafting through the air enticing me like Pavlov’s dog. The space was small, but not crowded for a midweek lunch. The server was very friendly and helpful. I like that.
Came here for family dinner and we ordered the chashu bun. The bun was soft and the combination of the ingredients was really good. We also had the takoyaki and the gyoza - they were okay. The takoyaki wasn't mushy so that's good. I ordered the tonkotsu original with pork belly and I liked it. The soup base isn't too salty but the ramen is a bit thinner than other places I tried. My mom ordered the chicken soup base and it tasted very light which she enjoyed but I personally like the pork broth better. The service was good although it took a while for the food to get out. I came on a Saturday and got here at 6 pm and it wasn't that busy. There was a line by 6:45-7pm so I'm glad I came here earlier.
Umami is translated as a 'pleasant savory taste' and is one of the five basic taste. The name seems appropriate for this new ramen restaurant. This was an impromptu stop on my way home. I wanted to try this place even before it opened having driven past it a few times. Now, I finally get to try this place after two months since opening. I stopped by Umami after 6pm on Saturday, and the place was not busy at all - not like the place next door. They apparently have parking behind the building but I parked across the street by the school since it looks like there are no restrictions after 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends.
Gave this place a try a few months after they had opened. I ordered the tantanmien ramen with extra egg, and we also shared a pork belly bao appetizer. Overall I found my ramen pretty good, but I was not particularly impressed or amazed by it. The noodles were nice and chewy and I liked my broth, the piece of pork in it was nice and fat (you could also order lean), but overall nothing truly memorable. The pork belly bao sliders were quite good, but a bit expensive for just 2. There are better ramen places in Calgary, but overall not a bad experience
Broth for tonkotsu spicy miso ramen was tasty. The $1 soy sauce egg was worth to add-on. Tonkatsu was good but it was pricey for such small portion. There are very limited parking spots available so parking can be troublesome.
Great service. Tonkatsu original has very tasty broth. Noodles are nice and firm. Difference between fatty and lean pork is very similar. I don't mind because it's on the fattier side and that's how I like it. Takoyaki came out nice and hot. Chashu buns had fresh tasty ingredients but it came out cold. If you get there when it opens you can find spots on the street and on the next block.
We finally have a legit ramen place in Calgary. The flavour somewhat taste in between Jinya and Santouka in Vancouver. If anyone had tasted the ramen from Jinya and Santouka you will get what I mean.
Tips for parking~ can park anywhere behind the building and Statefarm parking, also I park behind the residential street parking and after hours ATB bank parking lot.
Tried this on a friday, it wasnt busy. We got seated really quick. They have a small menu, not many choices. I have ordered the original and miso. For the portion we got, the food was a bit pricy. And we need to add extra money to get the soy sauce egg.
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Drove by this place a few times and decided to come here for dinner with my family. It's a little small ramen shop. We ordered a few appetizers (gyoza, takaki, takoyaki, and the charshu bun). All came out fairly quickly and was delish! We each ordered a ramen bowl (I got the tonkotsu original), and the broth is very rich, yet not too salty. Meat is very tender and is very soft, literally melts in my mouth. Service is very prompt and everyone there is very nice. The bowls are large and initially looks like small portions, but it actually has a good decent amount of noodles. I highly recommend adding egg to your bowl. I definitely will be coming back!!!
FIY: I was talking to the lady when I was paying (I think it's the owner), and mentioned that parking is very limited. She said if you come at night time, you can park in the state farm spots in the back alley behind, or try the residential street parking (2 hr parking, not the permit required ones). The strip mall next door checks parked cars and isn't afraid to give out tickets! So beware! I parked at ATB (a block away) which wasn't an issue as it was after hours. So don't park in the strip mall next doors!
I'd read rave reviews of them online, so I had to start the evening with an order of the chashu buns. The pillowy buns filled with meltingly tender thinly sliced pork, crunchy cucumbers and onions, and creamy sauce were just as good as advertised, if not better! I'll be ordering these next time for sure. Although I love a spicy bowl of soup, on this night I was in the mood for something a little more classic, so I opted for the Tonkotsu Original ramen. The noodles were thinner than some I've had at my favourite ramen shops, but they had the perfect chewy bite, and the broth kept me slurping until my bowl was all but empty. Although I didn't try it, my friend gave rave reviews of her Tonkotsu Spicy Miso.
Quite tasty... my Original Tonkatsu compared well with most other Ramen I have had in Calgary. The chashu pork was done just right... perfect amount of fattiness and cooked so it melts in your mouth. Service was very friendly. No real faults as far as I'm concerned. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the neighbourhood.
I really like their tonkatsu shoyu ramen. The noodles are a little bit chewy but the soup base is really nice. You must add their egg to the soup, it's super delicious. Cute little place. There is barely any parking though so be prepared for that.
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Passed by this new noodle bar a few times, and decided to finally check it out on a Saturday afternoon. I was surprised to see the restaurant empty, but it did look like they were finishing up a few touches around the place. I was greeted quickly by a friendly server, and made the decision to try an order of takoyaki and TanTanMen (spicy peanut noodles). The food came out pretty quickly, and I found the takoyaki to be a nice balance of crispy skin and fresh takoyaki, which was highlighted nicely with the choice of sauces on top. At $4.50 for 5 pieces, I thought it was a pretty good deal. Then came the noodles, which were traditional ramen noodles that have a little bit of a harder texture to them. I found the broth to be delicious, although it could have used a little bit more of the peanut flavour. The noodles were tasty, and I was pretty satisfied with the meal as a whole. One piece of feedback though, was that the char siu (pork belly) portions of the noodles were a bit on the smaller side and thinner compared to some of the other local ramen-eries. Overall, not a bad pick to satisfy that ramen craving! *Also important to note that this is a cash and debit place only!
I try the citain miso.
They use Hokkaido style noodles. The broth was tasty and very warm. Pork belly was thinly slice and char lightly. However, the sweetcorn was very disappointing. It does not taste like corn and it does not have the sweetness that sweetcorn should have. It felt like I am eating "no name sub grade" corn.
It is new, everything is clean and shiny. (got to love the art work in the bathroom).
I would go back to try other items on the menu
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Came here a couple of weeks ago after hubby noticed the "opening soon" sign a couple of months ago. I was definitely skeptical of another ramen place popping up in Calgary, but as I love a good bowl of noodles I didn't hesitate to give them a try.
First of all, the restaurant is a small place. They've only been open for a few weeks and currently they are only accepting cash and debit. I'm not sure if they plan to accept credit in the future. Then the menu - it's one page, simple... very simple. There's two types of stock - pork and chicken, and then your typical flavors: regular, miso, shoyu, and there's tantan, tomyum and tomato (coming soon).
I don't know much about the authenticity of ramen since there's so many different types depending on the region but what I enjoy is a bowl of perfectly cooked noodles with a flavorful broth, and I got just that here at Umami. Each bowl comes with some basic garnishes, two slices of pork belly (I do wish they were thicker) and you have the option to add an egg (or half, I actually don't know) for $1! One thing I absolutely fell in love with is their chashu don - a bowl of sushi rice topped with fat and lean pork pieces, drizzled with an array of sauces and garnishes.
Prices are very reasonable and the staff are courteous and efficient. The owner loved my kids so much and actually gave them complimentary matcha ice cream to encourage my son to eat faster :) One thing I found interesting though was when I went to pay, they had these little small square boxes by the cash register and they said it's a gift to ladies... hmmmm... I'm sure they only have good intentions but it is such an odd thing to hand out especially at a ramen place! Nevertheless I know where to go to get a bowl of tasty noodles when the craving hits!
Nothing bad to say about this place. Their ramen (take-out) was great, and not expensive. Was given tea while waiting for the pick up, and advice on the menu (didn't know what to order). Will definitely be going back.
The restaurant appeared busy as we approached,, but we didn’t have to wait. We were starving and it didn’t take us long to place our order. My had recommended I try the Gyoza $5, and Chashu Bun $6.5. I ordered the TanTanMen $13 and Stephanie ordered the Tonkotsu Spicy Miso $12.5. We both like spicy! Our order came pretty quickly and we started with the Gyoza and then the Chashu Bun. The Gyozo came with 5 pieces and they were light, crispy and very juicy. Stephanie loved them. Next the Chashu Buns arrived – the order came with two pieces.
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Umami is a cute small ramen restaurant that opened less than 2 weeks ago. It is located right on the busy street of 16th ave and the complimentary parking is very limited behind the building. You'll probably end up parking at the strip mall next to it.
When I first got there, it was a full house and I couldn't help but noticed the small restaurant had a lot of waitresses (4-5). Which surprisingly, the service was only okay. The waitresses weren't entirely personable, almost robotic and no expressions. The menu is definitely on the pricier side $11-$13 for a bowl of ramen.
Thankfully we ordered appetizers first because the food takes a long while to come out. When they did come out, the appetizers would come out sporadically in 5-10 min intervals from one another, even if you ordered 2 of the same ones... The cha su bun was easily a favourite. The in-house made gyoza ($5 for 5) was perfectly crisp and the wrap was thin. The shrimp dumplings were just like mini siu mai's from dim sum. Green tea is $1 per person with a shared pot. The ramen was a bit too al dente for me but after it sits in the soup a while, it's perfect. The broth was good though a bit on the salty side but fairly enjoyable.
I would come back to try a different broth and potentially some other appies. I will give it some time though, as I think the staff requires more training and the food shouldn't take that long to come out.
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We went there for an early dinner, so we had no problem getting a parking spot behind the restaurant and were seated right away.
We ordered gyoza as appetiser, they were pan-fried just right and the sauce was flavourful.
Then I had Tonkotsu Spicy Miso. Portion-wise, it's a little bit on the small side. The soup base, which I liked, were flavourful, though n nothing much be labeled "spicy". I requested for extras spicy sauce and the waitress kindly gave me some on a saucer. I tried to taste the sauce by itself, it has some interesting and fresh flavour, which is preferable. However it is rather too thick to be mixed well with the soup. The pork belly is the best part, really tender and tasty. The ramen was thinner than what I preferred, but was OK.
I also ordered a matcha ice-cream and it came out to be soft-served type of ice-cream. I guessed they made it in-house. The matcha flavour was rich but it was not smooth enough.
The restaurant is still quite new and I will certainly wait another month or two and go back again and hope it will be even better.
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Saw Umami advertised on my facebook a little while back before grand opening and was super excited to give it a try!!!
Didn't get a chance to go on grand opening but went on the day after instead. Location was super easy to find (right along 16 ave) by New Asia market. There's also a super bright, giant bowl of ramen outside of the restaurant... So you can't really miss it lol.
Service was really good!! All the staff were very friendly and knowledgeable :) Lots of great recommendations from their temporary menu.
As for food... We ordered the chashu bun and the tonkatsu (pork cutlet) to start. The chashu bun was probably favourite dish in the entire meal. Packed with flavour, soft bun, and mouth-watering chashu
As for ramen, we both got the original tonkatsu. Broth was good- not too light but not too heavy / rich either so caters to everyone :) I personally prefer something a little heavier so next time I'd probably try the tantanmen heh. Texture of the ramen was a bit different- it was a bit thinner than what I am used to but nonetheless still good. Was also informed that a rice noodle (?) substitute was available too- which is good to know :) The chashu in the ramen was the same as the in the bun, soooooo gooooddddd.
No dessert on this visit because we were a bit too full. However... we did receive a little something at the end of our meal *blush* Thanks!!!! ^_^
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