authentic with a capital A with the kindness and respect from an amazing team of servers. tiny little place locked deep away in an obscure strip mall that I would have never come across had I not made the wrong turn one day but now it's a destination when in that part of the city. Must try... also love the fact that if you like a real spicy bowl they have options to ratchet that heat up a few notches
This used to be my favourite ramen spot in town.As someone who has lived and worked in Japan for over a year, and had their fair share of both serving and eating ramen, Ichinen was a treat to Calgary. Simple and no-frill menu with light ambient jazz in the background made a comfortable and refined dining experience. Their Tonkotsu flavour is creamy and full-bodied, also pairs nicely with their unique ceramic bowls.It seems their service and ambience has slipped since the last few visits. They have added a couple more seats, perhaps to increase revenue post-pandemic, and their service was rather forced and unpleasant. We all have bad days, that is understandable.The ramen however, while still one of the top in Calgary, seems rather inconsistent, mostly being too salty, and also having received the end pieces of the meat (instead of whole slices), made me feel as if I was eating a staff meal instead of a bowl of ramen priced at $15.
I came to Ramen Ichinen for the first time today and was so pleasantly surprised. There was a depth of flavour to the broth that reminded me of my grandma’s kitchen. The noodles were fresh tasting and perfectly cooked (as I hate soggy noodles). To be honest, I’m annoyed by the bad reviews of this restaurant on google. Of course it’s not 100% authentic -we live in Alberta, Canada. What I can say is that it’s better than most fancy ramen places I’ve tried in Calgary. I think it’s better to have less on the menu and perfect it than to have more on the menu and provide less quality. If you think it’s bland, it’s probably because there’s no MSG. ?
A great experience here from beginning to end. Super friendly and welcoming staff member who promptly got us seated. There doesn't need to be a lot of food options here as ramen is the specialty (can't go wrong with any item). Highly recommend the chicken karrage for appetizer - juicy and crispy in an unexpected way. Ramen, broth and content all came out in a reasonable portioned manner. The taste isnt overly salty and very flavourful. Ranging from $13-16 a bowl, well worth the amount.
There are word of mouth among our Asian friends that this is one of the best Ramen in Calgary, and I think they’re not lying! First of, parking in the area will not be problem as there are lots of spaces in their commercial compound. Staff was amazing and really happy to serve their customers. Service was super fast! I mean, we got our Ramen bowl in just 5-7mins!! It’s piping hot and smelled heavenly. I like that they don’t put any MSG in their broth and they really put attention to tiny details in their bowl. I ordered their black garlic oil ramen and it tasted amazing! The pork broth tasted delicious with some kick of umami. The noodles were kinda thin for my liking, but there is an option of thick noodles too. The Chasu pork I think was the best part in my bowl. Super tender, marbled fats, and smoky that it compliments the wonderful taste of the broth! I tried my partner’s Original tonkotsu broth and it was creamy and full of umami flavour! Overall, we only spend 15-20mins inside and we’re fully satisfied! I think this is the best place to go on a quick lunch break during work week. I will order their spicy ramen next time!
Tried this place out for the first time. Highly rated so I had high expectations. Service was top notch and the front of house ladies were very nice and welcoming. Although we ordered the same ramen one was level 3 spice which was great. Overall it kind of lacked flavor personally, a bit bland for me. Great experience though and would probably come back
Service was fast and friendly. Ramen was great, no MSG in the broth yet had wonderful depth of flavour. Fried chicken knees and gyoza were yummy as well.
Food ★★★½☆Service ★★★★☆Ambiance ★☆☆☆☆Value ★★★☆☆Price $½The Original Tonkotsu Ramen ($14), Gyokai Tonkotsu Ramen ($15.50) and a Asahi beer ($10). The both Ramen portion sizes are small with the option to add extra noodles for free. You have the option of choosing thick or thin noodles. And in my opinion, both are thin so I would choose the thick noodles because the thin are too thin. There is only one piece of pork so I'd recommend adding more meat and perhaps more add-ons if you are hungry. The broth is too salty but the flavor is tasty. You have the option to make your noodles spicy.Even with the extra noodles I left hungry. Overall, the Ramen was tasty and I would go back if I had a craving. So far, this is the best Ramen I've have in Calgary
Best meal I had in Calgary in 2 weeks!Broth is scrumptious. Plenty of options. Everything from noodle choices, spice/ heat options and toppings. I had the tonkotsu with a level 10 of heat and it was just what I needed in this -25c weather! Can’t wait to come back on my next trip!
Wonderful service in a simple and clean location.Disclaimer: There are many types of ramen noodles, but my preference is for thick, chewy noodles with a good bounce and a bit of bite.We ordered 2 dishes:Tonkotsu Black Ramen - unctuous broth with great flavour (on the salty side). The thick noodles had good bite, but could use more bounce. They remind me of a good wonton noodle more than a ramen noodle.The star of the show is the Tsukemen (dipping ramen). We first tried this type of ramen in LA and were hooked from the first bite.We ordered the Tsukemen with thick noodles which is perfect for gripping the salty, fatty broth.We’ll definitely be going back for the Tsukemen and would recommend giving it a try.