Hokkaido Ramen Santouka is one of the most popular ramen shops in Vancouver. The restaurant is a chain that has many locations in Japan and all over the world. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka is located at the far West end of Robson street and it is always packed. The inside has a bustling atmosphere and you will probably be shoved up close to the person beside you.
I got the kara miso ramen ($10.50), which is made with a spicy miso broth. As it turns out, the spicy miso broth wasn’t actually very spicy. It had a mild chili flavour, but I didn’t get any heat off of the dish. The miso flavour was also mild compared to just a plain miso broth. The broth was tasty and it had a thick rich texture, but it wasn’t quite what I hoped it would be.
The noodles in the soup seemed thinner than other ramen noodles I’ve had. Their texture was still bouncy, but they weren’t quite as filling. There were two large slices of juicy, fatty pork that were delicious and some of the best pork slices I’ve had in ramen.
I enjoyed my ramen and I left satisfied, but I don’t think Hokkaido Ramen Santouka fully lives up to the hype surrounding it. I didn’t think their ramen was any more special than most other ramen places around and if anything, it was smaller and a bit more pricy. I would return though to try some other flavours.
Recommendation:
Yes, for a decent bowl of ramen.
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