Kinton Ramen raises the bar in the city's noodle scene

• Name + address: Kinton Ramen, 216 Elgin St.

• Type of food: Japanese noodles

• Appetizers: $6-$11

• Mains: $16 additional toppings extra

• Diet: meat, vegetarian, gluten-free noodle option

• Wheelchair accessibility: Yes

• LCBO Licensed: Soon

• Website: www.kintonramen.com

On the heels of Ramen Isshin and Jinsei, two of the city’s best ramen restaurants, comes Kinton Ramen and this is no small deal. Kinton marks the start of a challenge for others to up their game and I expect their inevitable success will soon lead to more locations.

Kinton was started in Toronto in 2012 by CEO James Kim and executive chef Aki Urata and in that time has had a measured and successful growth. Kinton now has twenty four stores in Canada with two U.S. shops in New York and Chicago.

Kinton means golden pig in Japanese and is a symbol of prosperity. The ramen chain is part of the Kinka family which includes: Kinka Izakaya, Kintori Yakitori, JaBistro, and Neo Coffee Bar.

There’s a high level of care to not just the design of their shops but to the delivery of great food.

Appetizers include standards such as kimchi and gyoza in both pork and vegetarian versions. The kimchi has sufficient fire and freshness to keep you challenged and as a rather nice twist, comes topped with sesame seeds.

The gyoza comes deep fried but there’s a lightness of touch here that still allows for some pliability of the wrapper and keeps the filling moist and flavourful. It really is delicious, but I’m still wondering when the day will come that I will see a truly traditional pan fried gyoza in Ottawa.

The spicy chicken karaage (deep fried boneless chicken thigh) might look dangerous but it’s beautifully seasoned and the heat is something that most people can happily enjoy.

Kinton began life by offering traditional ramen based on pork, chicken and vegetables. Today they have four variations in all these broths: original, shoyu (soy), miso, and spicy. It’s certainly a nice change for vegetarians who are often relegated to fewer options. For those who are gluten intolerant, they offer shirataki noodles, a gelatinous noodle made from the konjac plant that’s also prized by those with sugar concerns for its low calorie content.

On my first visit, I enjoyed an unctuously rich spicy pork broth topped with a scoop of freshly grated garlic. Eventually the garlic settled at the bottom of the bowl and that concentration of flavour did slow my race to the end. I managed to soldier on however, consuming the last drops of this complex pork ramen that counts as one of the finest in years.

The pork itself is prepared from two cuts: shoulder and belly and is an added consideration that you won’t find in too many other ramen houses.

The noodles are quite expert and prepared for Kinton by a supplier according to their own recipe. Noodles are defined as either thin or thick but based on my many experiences the “thick” noodles at Kinton are really just the regular noodles you’d find at most ramen restaurants.

I spoke with Andi Tjah, senior marketing manager of Kinka Family and I could see the pride with which he spoke of the beef ramen. “We’re the only brand to offer beef ramen and it took over a year to finalize this beef broth recipe,” Tjah said.

That was easy enough to understand because upon tasting this ramen it was clear that there was a complexity to the broth seldom found in other beef broths. It was clean, free of any enhancers and had the added comfort of marrow in its profile.

The slabs of brisket were judiciously seasoned and fell apart in the mouth making for a seamless textural experience from noodle to egg to beef.

From the menu you also have your choice of 18 different extras that you can add and, the menma (cured bamboo shoot) is the nicest I’ve yet had. The ajitsuke tamago (cured ramen egg) was perfectly executed with the yolk still soft, yet not runny. The surprise for me was that the egg itself was a little too salty.

On another visit I broke down and gave in to the pleasures of their yuzu (citrus) cheese cake. This crustless slice, so ideal for those on a gluten free diet, was none too sweet finishing with a savoury, almost saline, tang.

If you fancy yourself a ramen aficionado, what strikes you about your experiences at Kinton is that the recipes feel well thought out. That there’s been an uncommon degree of testing with the end result being consistent and properly executed food that has you immediately thinking of your next visit. In my case, I already decided on the chicken jalapeno ramen.

Kinton has their official grand opening this Saturday. All food with the exception of the beef ramen will be offered at half off. Given its already obvious popularity, there will be line-ups on the day. Be prepared.

You may also want to inquire about something they call the Kinton Bowler. It’s a unique take on a reward program that encourages reducing food waste. Finish your bowl to the last drop, that’s a stamp. Collect 100 stamps, and you get a free topping at Kinton for life.

Ottawa’s ramen scene has officially heated up and I’ll be interested to see which famous names are next to call the city home.

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Hungry for more ramen? Check out some of our previous reviews:

• Jinsei Ramen is one of Ottawa’s best

• Ramen Isshin ushered in Ottawa’s ramen renaissance

• Kimono has a solid ramen menu and terrific appetizers

• Konjiki Ramen in Toronto is a must visit for lovers of ramen