Maybe Toronto's ramen craze is not a fad afterwhile. Maybe it`s the fact that it can be a quick meal at lunch or something to warm you up on those chilly evenings that make it so popular but either way, I think ramen is here to stay. Ever since Kinton Ramen (read review here), it's been a while since either of us has had our ramen fix so we decided to go and try Santosei Ramen.
The restaurant is not very big and they dont take reservations so if you are planning on heading there during peak times, choose a sunny day so you can work on your tan while you`re waiting outside for a table.
The great thing about ramen restaurants is that their menu is simple. You won`t get a headache over a menu that`s too big for your hands to hold and the words are too small to read. You go to a ramen restaurant for exactly that - ramen.
The great thing about ramen restaurants is that their menu is simple. You won`t get a headache over a menu that`s too big for your hands to hold and the words are too small to read. You go to a ramen restaurant for exactly that - ramen.
Don`t worry though if you don`t think a bowl of ramen will keep you satisfied, there are a few appetizers that you can order as well. We ordered the Gyoza ($4.50). They told us it would be a 10-15 minute wait for the dumplings and when they came out, I knew why.
The dumplings tasted very fresh and the dumpling wrapping was just the right thickness. Holding it all together without overpowering the meat. Be careful eating it though because they are HOT when they come out.
Next we ordered the Zangi ($4.50), which is basically Japanese fried chicken. It comes with a lemon that you can squeeze over the chicken. If you don't plan on eating the chicken right away I would hold off on squeezing the lemon juice on it. Once the chicken becomes cold, the lemon juice becomes very strong and makes the chicken a bit more acidic then it should be.
I opted for the Chasu Don ($5.50) instead of the Ramen this time just to try something new. It's basically a bowl of rice with two pieces of pork belly and a half a soft boiled egg. Soft boiled eggs are a pretty prominent part of Japanese cuisine and it's not always easy to cook the egg so that it's hard boiled on the outside but still raw enough on the inside for the yolk to be runny. Santosei does it pretty well. I wish the rice wasn't so moist because it made the dish pretty heavy and it filled me up quite quickly.
We can't forget the star of the show; Tonkotsu Ramen ($9.25). You can choose whether you want original noodles, thick or thin. Monica decided to order the original noodles. The broth was very flavourful without going overboard. This broth wasn't as oily as other ramen that we've had, which was a pleasant surprise.
The Spicy Tan Tan Ramen ($9.60) is a spicier ramen. It has the same ingredients: pork belly, ground pork, bean sprout, bamboo shoot, egg and green onion. Don't worry though, it's not too spicy, but just enough! I found that this was as rich as the Tonkotsu ramen.
I personally found the noodles to be a bit chewy but they were perfect for Monica so it'll take some trial and error before you find the perfect cook on the noodles. Each bowl has the perfect amount of noodles to keep you full without making you go into an immediate food coma.
The Spicy Tan Tan Ramen ($9.60) is a spicier ramen. It has the same ingredients: pork belly, ground pork, bean sprout, bamboo shoot, egg and green onion. Don't worry though, it's not too spicy, but just enough! I found that this was as rich as the Tonkotsu ramen.
I personally found the noodles to be a bit chewy but they were perfect for Monica so it'll take some trial and error before you find the perfect cook on the noodles. Each bowl has the perfect amount of noodles to keep you full without making you go into an immediate food coma.
We would definitely come back to Santosei for another bowl of ramen. It's location is perfect for a quick lunch or dinner and then make your way to Eaton Centre for some shopping :)
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