Kamen

It’s been a while since we decided to eat here but we’ve only gone today because it’s always packed. We got there at 5 minutes past 11 am, they just opened but their tables were almost half filled. We were greeted by a very friendly staff, took us to our table for four and given us water and menus.
The menu was simple, straight forward. Ramen, special ramen, spicy ramen, side orders and drinks.
For today we had gyoza for starters, Tsuke-men (thick noodles with chicken with a side of katsu dip), tonkotsu ramen, tonkotsu sho-yo ramen and yakisoba.
The gyoza was flavoured very well with a certain sweetness to the saltiness. The broth ramens were seasoned with a balance of what meat it accompanied it and its ingredients. The meat was cooked with the right texture that you can eat with the noodles. The toppings completes the soup without overpowering the flavour. I point out the bamboo shoots that doesn’t taste like canned products. This is a main complaint that I have with other locations ramen joints. The yakisoba was cooked just right with extra flavour of bonito flakes on top. The tsuke-men is a dried version of a ramen, no broth. But the way it was served is something to try with a lot of flavours that accompany the dish.
These dishes are served with big portions. We couldn’t finish our orders and they are nice to give us take away containers without any fuss. The price is very reasonable with the quality of the food and service come to mind.
Ambiance is excellent with that warm cozy feeling when you settle down n their establishment waiting to be served. Very clean and organized even with their washrooms.
Service is great with a lot of their servers willing and able to help you even if you are not their assigned table. It was fast enough for us. If people are complaining about wait times, it is a very well known establishment, more people come for the reputation and it gets busy. Do they not realize that?
I’m glad I have gotten the chance to try out Kenzo. The problem is going back to try out the other items on the menu. To be continued...

Despite the weekend craze and it being Chinese New Year, the service was quick, albeit the wait, and the ramen bowls were very good. Come hungry though as the portions are generous in comparison to other ramen joints.

Seriously great ramen. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen with extra spice. The spice sank to the bottom but it was still great. I enjoyed the toppings, especially the garlic on the side and the bamboo. Would definitely return for the broth:)

This place always seems busy when we drive by. There is a sign in sheet when you arrive and a very small waiting area. The tables a close together trying to fit in as many tables as they can, since it isn't a large place. The bathroom was clean and tidy. Much of the kitchen is visible from where you sit. Noodles etc are made in-house; We could see them making the Gyoza dumplings at one of the tables. Service was quick. This one guy really takes the time to review the different menu items for first time customers and gave good honest recommendations. We tried the Sho-yu Ramen which had a nice broth if you don't want any spiciness at all. The pork was not as tender as I expected. I ate once at the downtown location, and the pork there was superior in texture and flavour. Overall it was good though. The Tonkotsu ramen was also quite nice, it was light but had more of a creamier textured broth. The Gyoza were smaller than expected but tasty and obviously fresh; it's good for sharing. The real star was the ramen for dipping, I can't recall the proper name. The ingredients came on a plate with a medium spicy and flavourful broth on the side. You can dip or pour it over the ingredients. I'll definitely try one of the other spicy ramen next time after enjoying the delicious broth.

We arrived to find a full house, and proceeded to write our names down on the waiting list. Browsing through the menu while huddled in their tiny waiting area with other patrons, we were led to a table some five to seven minutes later.

I started with a Matcha Latte, which was more watery than it was grassy. Despite its unmistakable green hue, the standard Matcha flavour was barely there; thankfully though, it wasn't overly milky as with other shops, nor was the cup unnecessarily filled to the brim with ice. Although it was generally average in all aspects, I would definitely prefer Kenzo's rendition as opposed to Chatime, especially if I'm in dire need of a refreshing post-ramen beverage.