Ramen spot expands menu
Ramen lovers tend to develop very particular ideas about what constitutes the perfect bowl of Japanese noodles. While one aficionado will espouse the qualities of one place and trash another, yet another selfproclaimed expert will pronounce the polar opposite.
Who should be listened to? Who should be ignored? That makes it all the more challenging to figure out who is winning the ramen war currently being waged in Vancouver, with its epicentre situated at the intersection of Robson and Denman streets.
Consequently, when Torontobased Touhenboku Ramen opened up at 854 Denman Street in August, locals went in with high expectations, even when the restaurant was still in its soft-opening phase.
After several months of receiving feedback, owner Jay Liu decided to leave that company, and he relaunched the place in April as his own new venture: Yuzu Shokutei.
In a chat with the Georgia Straight, Liu explains that breaking away from the franchise allows him to respond to the preferences of the Vancouver market, which he finds is much different from Toronto. With a clearer vision of what he wants, he says that the new menu will reflect the idea of the yuzu citrus that is the restaurant’s namesake: everything, he explains, will be refreshing, light, and flavourful, with an eye on healthy options. Now that’s a sign of someone who understands the local market.
Although the new incarnation still serves ramen, it has diversified and expanded its menu, which is being overseen by chef Phong Vu from Vietnamese restaurant House Special in Yaletown.
Vu, sitting in on the conversation with Liu, says that he was inspired by a recent trip he and Liu took to Tokyo, where they were deeply struck by how well-balanced the flavours were. Consequently, Vu, who said he’s “not afraid to create”, has designed a menu influenced by what he found on the menus of Japanese restaurants.
Yes, there’s still their trademark richly flavoured ramen (ranging from $8.75 to $14.75) with bowls available in sea-salt or soy-sauce versions of several broths: chicken, paitan, or chicken truffle, with a vegetarian spicy tan tan.
But now there’s more than just noodles, which is great news for ramen addicts who want to bring along friends seeking other options.
For instance, rice sets (from $9.75 to $13.75) are served with rice, vegan miso soup, and house pickles and include cha shu (chicken or pork), gyu steak, oyakodon (chicken and egg), or curry (chicken, pork, or tofu). A variety of small plates (from $4 to $10) include the likes of takoyaki (ballshaped ground octopus), gyoza bacon cream, agedashi mushroom tofu, and vegetable tempura. Encapsulating the idea of light and refreshing, the cucumber avocado niçoise salad, with wilted tomatoes, gomae dressing, a teriyaki glaze, and sesame seeds, is just that. Similarly, the panko (chicken, pork, or tofu) is feather-light.
As one of the few ramen places that serve dessert, they’ve also retained the wonderfully delicate Japanese cheesecake, and added two new items.
There’s the artistically presented, ethereal matcha parfait (frozen matcha cream with seasonal fruits, raspberry sauce, and yuzu sauce). Meanwhile, the matcha azuki brulée features red-bean paste and mochi perched on a crackling sugar surface of matcha crème brûlée ($6 each). All are gloriously light, the appropriate coda for a savoury meal and a belly full of broth and men (noodles).
The drink menu now offers an extensive sake list, along with a variety of classic Japanese soft drinks (such as ramune or suika cider). To live up to their name, there’s a sweet yuzu featuring iced organic green tea, fresh lemon juice, yuzu, and bar syrup ($4.50), and a yuzu sour cocktail, consisting of fresh lemon juice, yuzu, and junmai sake shaken on ice ($6).
The menu expansion allows diners to opt for nonramen selections, particularly during warm weather, when preferences may skew toward lighter or non-broth-based foods. Vu is working on a more nuanced level than what was previously on offer, and there’ll be some seasonal specials to keep an eye out for.
The room is airy, relaxed, and spacious, unlike places that pack people in with the traditional Japanese style of elbow to elbow. Although the service was always good, it’s now extremely attentive—to the point of almost overdoing it. Suffice it to say, you won’t be neglected.
The new direction is a wise move, as the area’s stiff ramen competition (with the likes of Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, Marutama Ra-men, and Kintaro drawing loyal lineups) and Vancouver’s savvy diners mean that it’s not enough to simply deliver good ramen: each establishment needs to break out in its own distinct way.