Introducing: Touhenboku Ramen, a new Queen West ramen shop from a Tokyo-based noodle master
Name: Touhenboku Ramen
Contact Info: 261 Queen St. W., touhenboku.ca , 416-596-8080
Neighbourhood: Entertainment District
Owner: Zuimei Okuyama
Chef: Keiichi Machida, who mastered the art of ramen-making in Tokyo
The Food: Unlike most ramen shops, Tohenboku uses chicken broth instead of traditional pork. Bowls come with fresh-cranked noodles in four types of broth: garlic, chili, original (creamy) and light (clear). Each soup is topped with wood ear mushrooms, a boiled egg, seaweed and scallions. Chef Machida makes his noodles with a special high-protein flour for optimal elasticity.
The Drinks: Japanese beer and sake.
The Place : The streamlined space has bright red walls, modern furnishings and an open kitchen where noodles are cranked daily on an imported ramen-machine.
The Numbers:
• $40,000 for the authentic Japanese noodle-making machine
• 1000 pairs of chopsticks imported from Japan
• 450 custom-made Arita porcelain bowls (which cost $50 a piece and reportedly keep the ramen hot for longer)
• $18 for a bottle of Gekkeikan Junmai sake
• 6 desserts, including tiramisu and chiffon cake
• 1 kawaii mascot named Tomo, an animated log wearing a ramen-bowl hat
• 0 reservations
246098 The new ramen shop is located at 261 Queen West, at Duncan (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Touhenboku Ramen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A001-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A001.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A001.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/touhenboku-ramen-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a001/ toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a001 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
246099 Touhenboku’s mascot, Tomo, is an animated log with a noodle-bowl hat (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Touhenboku Ramen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A002-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A002.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A002.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/food/touhenboku-ramen-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a002/ toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a002 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
246100 The casual room has one faux-slate wall and an open kitchen (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Touhenboku Ramen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A003-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A003.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A003.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/touhenboku-ramen-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a003/ toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a003 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
246101 The elaborate noodle-making machine was imported from Japan (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Touhenboku Ramen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A004-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A004.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A004.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/touhenboku-ramen-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a004/ toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a004 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
246102 Chef Keiichi Machida used to each ramen-making in Tokyo. (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Touhenboku Ramen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A005-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A005.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A005.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/touhenboku-ramen-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a005/ toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a005 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
246103 Original ramen in a thick chicken broth ($10.50). Owner Okuyama claims the broth is good for your complexion (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Touhenboku Ramen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A006-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A006.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A006.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/touhenboku-ramen-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a006/ toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a006 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
246104 Spicy ramen in thick broth ($10.50) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Touhenboku Ramen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A007-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A007.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A007.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/touhenboku-ramen-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a007/ toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a007 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
246105 Spicy ramen in thick broth ($10.50) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Touhenboku Ramen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A008-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A008.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-A008.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/food/touhenboku-ramen-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a008/ toronto-restaurants-touhenboku-ramen-a008 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
LOVE THIS PLACE. they have a new location at yonge and eglinton for midtown-ers.
Check out my review of that location: http://foodstochew.com/touhenboku-ramen-izayaka-review/
BTW, the godzilla’s egg. DELICIOUS!