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There's a new noodle joint in town and it's sure to warm your soul. Ramen Isshin is opening its first restaurant in Ottawa, so you can enjoy creamy broth and slurp ramen noodles until you burst.
The grand opening is on February 18, and they're offering dine-in specials on opening day for most ramen dishes. With multiple locations already in Toronto, the Ottawa restaurant has a similar atmosphere, with simple wooden tables and a large purple and red dragon mural.
The menu is the same as the other locations, besides one or two dishes. You can start off with a tasty appetizer of pork gyoza dumplings, takoyaki, tofu or edamame, among other options. The gyoza is both crunchy and juicy throughout each bite. Cooked to perfection, there are no burnt spots or inconsistencies, with a great ratio of pork filling to wrap.
If you're not a fan of tofu, think again. The stereotypical spongey texture of tofu is a distant memory as you bite into the wonderfully chewy Age Tofu. It's a good portion and comes out hot so you may want to enjoy each piece in two bites. The homemade chili sauce gives it a great kick without being too spicy. Even the edamame has a unique chili flavour, a real step up from the usual basic salt.
You may want to check out the menu before you visit — there are so many different ramen options that it's a tough choice to pick just one. If you're in the mood for a bit of spice and chili flavouring, the Spicy Shio ramen bowl has a creamy light broth with a slight kick that is not overpowering. The pork is tender and thin, so it's easy to bite into as you inhale noodles. It comes with sesame seeds on the side that you grind in a bowl. The more you grind it down, the more you'll smell the seeds, leading to more flavour in your dish.
In addition to the original ramen dishes, they offer Shoyu ramen, Red Miso ramen and vegetarian options. If you want to try something different, the Tsukemen is dipping ramen with a double broth and is the owner's favourite. It comes in two bowls, one of thick noodles and toppings and boiling hot broth in the other. Be careful, the broth literally comes out bubbling.
The ramen bowls are deeper than they appear but hopefully, you've saved room for dessert. There are six flavours of mochi for dessert; strawberry, vanilla, mango, green tea, red bean and chocolate. You'll bite through a chewy rice dough, into a cold ice cream filling in your flavour of choice. It's practically bite-size and is worth it even if you're full of noodles.
As if the warm environment and delicious food weren't enough, the staff is welcoming and friendly. If you're new to trying ramen or have any questions about the meal, they are more than happy to explain dishes to you and offer any help you might need. Tasty at any time, this restaurant is a perfect dinner idea on a snowy or rainy day, especially.
Ramen Isshin
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Ramen
Address: 775 Bank St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: You can warm up with a tasty bowl of creamy ramen, and with appetizers, noodle refills and dessert, it could turn into quite the feast. You'll definitely be going home satisfied.
In Ontario, a vaccine passport is required to access some events, services and businesses, including restaurants and bars.
