Introducing: Ramen Raijin, the new Toronto outpost of a Vancouver ramen pioneer
Introducing: Ramen Raijin, the new Toronto outpost of a Vancouver ramen pioneer
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
(Image: Renée Suen)
In the city’s ongoing ramen revolution, the two most recent players are both long-standing Vancouver favourites: Santouka, which opened two weeks ago, and Ramen Raijin, owned by Daiji Matsubara, who’s known for his Vancouver ramen emporiums Kintaro and Motomachi Shokudo. Named after the Japanese god of thunder, Raijin occupies the 3,500-square-foot former Creasians space—it’s much bigger than most noodle joints—on Gerrard Street just east of Yonge. Designed by the same team that outfitted Motomachi, Raijin’s decor blends Japanese and Western styles with warm woods, cool slate tiles, bright splashes of painted accents and ample lighting (as well, a six-foot statue of Raijin is at present on its way from Japan). But of course the restaurant’s raison d’être is found in the back stock-boiling kitchen, which prepares up to 300 litres of salty, fatty broth every day.
Raijin offers Tokyo-style ramen ($9.50–$10) made from creamy tonkotsu (pork bone) broth, as well as the rarer toridashi (clear chicken) broth, in shoyu (soy sauce), shio (salt) or miso flavours. However, it’s the grey-tinged bamboo-charcoal dark miso ($11), a signature of Motomachi, that will draw the true acolytes (noted for its putative toxin-cleansing abilities, the charcoal powder adds smoky depth to the miso chicken broth it’s blended in; it will be available starting in December). As at Kintaro and Motomachi, Raijin imports its three types of noodles—thick, wavy and thin—from California, and each is paired with a select type of broth. Toppings include seasoned boiled egg, bamboo shoots, corn, black fungus, nori, bean sprouts, cabbage and char-shu (barbecue pork) made from pork shoulder. Among the sides are pan-fried gyoza ($2.50 for five), pork buns ($7 for two) and Poutine du Japon ($5), which is just what it sounds like: fries topped with teriyaki sauce, mozzarella cheese, green onions and nori. The restaurant is currently in soft-opening mode, without a liquor licence, but when the full menu is launched, expect vegetarian-friendly ramen ($11), tsuke-men (soup with noodles for dipping on the side, $11) and cheese miso with soy milk ($11).
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- Pan-fried gyoza ($2.50 for five)
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- Bamboo-charcoal dark miso ramen ($11): made with toridashi as its base, with food-grade charcoal powder, a unique ingredient brought in from Kyoto and widely considered to be a toxin cleanser by the Japanese. This is a signature ramen bowl from Motomachi Shokudo, and will be available at Raijin starting in December
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- Shoyu toridashi ($9.50): roast pork, bean sprouts, nori seaweed, canola flower and a half-seasoned soft-boiled egg in a clear chicken soup. Toridashi broth is a little rarer than tonkotsu
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- Shio Tokotsu ($9.50): roast pork, black fungus, canola flowers, cabbage, green onions and a half-seasoned soft-boiled egg in a rich broth made by slowly simmering pork bones for over 10 hours. Additional toppings are available for $1–$1.50 each
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- As at Kintaro and Motomachi Shokudo, Raijin’s noodles are imported from Nippon Trends Food Service Inc. in San Jose, California. From left to right: thick noodles (for tonkotsu); wavy noodles (for chicken shoyu); and thin noodles (for chicken shio)
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- Raijin’s back kitchen is devoted to production of up to 300 litres per day of stock. The tonkotsu broth is a 10-hour process, while the chicken broth takes seven hours
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- A narrow window in the back dining room allows customers a view into the stock-boiling kitchen. Here Raijin prepares all the stock (up to 300 litres a day) for its Tokyo-style ramens
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- Donburi bowl light fixtures are a cheeky nod to the Japanese comfort food staple. However, the only rice bowls offered at Raijin will be petite cha-shu rice bowls ($3)
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- Tables are outfitted with ground Japanese red chili pepper and sansho pepper
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- Raijin’s kitchen bar
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- Raijin’s kitchen bar
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- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- The modern decor found at Raijin is a blend of Japanese and Western influences. The feel is less boisterous than at other, more traditional places in the city
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- Running the Toronto outpost are general manager Takuji Kawashima, who has been with the company for 10 years, and floor manager Miki Takinami, both Motomachi alumni, as well as Hiroshi Yoshida of Kintaro
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- The wraparound ramen bar in the front dining room is a common feature of all three Matsubara ramen shops. Raijin’s will surround a six-foot statue of Raijin, currently on its way from Japan, on a pedestal.
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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- Raijin’s entrance on Gerrard Street has a small holding space and a standing bar where waiting customers can order a drink (once the liquor licence is approved)
- (Image: Renée Suen)
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
- Introducing: Ramen Raijin
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Ramen Raijin, 3 Gerrard St. E., 647-748-1500, ramenraijin.com, @ramenRAIJIN
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/food/ramen-raijin/&title=Introducing: Ramen Raijin, the new Toronto outpost of a Vancouver ramen pioneer&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12-Raijin-intro-624x395.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_178692" align="aligncenter" width="656"] (Image: Renée Suen)[/caption]
In the city’s ongoing ramen revolution, the two most recent players are both long-standing Vancouver favourites: Santouka, which opened two weeks ago, and Ramen Raijin, owned by Daiji Matsubara, who’s known for his Vancouver ramen emporiums Kintaro and Motomachi Shokudo. Named after the Japanese god of thunder, Raijin occupies the 3,500-square-foot former Creasians space—it’s much bigger than most noodle joints—on Gerrard Street just east of Yonge. Designed by the same team that outfitted Motomachi, Raijin’s decor blends Japanese and Western styles with warm woods, cool slate tiles, bright splashes of painted accents and ample lighting (as well, a six-foot statue of Raijin is at present on its way from Japan). But of course the restaurant’s raison d’être is found in the back stock-boiling kitchen, which prepares up to 300 litres of salty, fatty broth every day.
Raijin offers Tokyo-style ramen ($9.50–$10) made from creamy tonkotsu (pork bone) broth, as well as the rarer toridashi (clear chicken) broth, in shoyu (soy sauce), shio (salt) or miso flavours. However, it’s the grey-tinged bamboo-charcoal dark miso ($11), a signature of Motomachi, that will draw the true acolytes (noted for its putative toxin-cleansing abilities, the charcoal powder adds smoky depth to the miso chicken broth it’s blended in; it will be available starting in December). As at Kintaro and Motomachi, Raijin imports its three types of noodles—thick, wavy and thin—from California, and each is paired with a select type of broth. Toppings include seasoned boiled egg, bamboo shoots, corn, black fungus, nori, bean sprouts, cabbage and char-shu (barbecue pork) made from pork shoulder. Among the sides are pan-fried gyoza ($2.50 for five), pork buns ($7 for two) and Poutine du Japon ($5), which is just what it sounds like: fries topped with teriyaki sauce, mozzarella cheese, green onions and nori. The restaurant is currently in soft-opening mode, without a liquor licence, but when the full menu is launched, expect vegetarian-friendly ramen ($11), tsuke-men (soup with noodles for dipping on the side, $11) and cheese miso with soy milk ($11).
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Ramen Raijin, 3 Gerrard St. E., 647-748-1500, ramenraijin.com, @ramenRAIJIN ){kind=link}
I wouldn’t call this a ramen revolution. Not in the least bit. I think it would be more appropriate to call it a ramen revolving door. This will come and go. It might be quick too.