Taishoken Ramen

Had the opportunity to make a return visit to Taishoken and I'm happy to say that their ramen was as delicious as I had remembered it to be.
I came with a few friends and we were treated to a feast which consisted of:

Chicken Ramen - as good as I remember with very tender chicken chashu, a good amount of firm noodles (even after sitting in broth for awhile), half an egg and some veggies for a balanced meal. The broth was flavourful but my favourite was the chicken...I am amazed that they can get breast to become so tender and the portion is generous.

Tsukemen (original) - I dont usually order Tsukemen (dipping ramen) but this is known as one of their specialties so of course we had to order it. I liked the thicker noodles used for the tsukmen and their dipping broth was very thick and flavourful. I found it a bit easier to ladle the sauce onto the noodles in a bowl but either way, it was a filling ramen.

Chashu Rice Bowl - we ordered this thinking we wouldn't have enough to eat but it turned out we had to pack some to go! The bowl had plenty of rice doused in a savoury sauce with some chunks of chashu and shiitake mushrooms on top.

Okonomi Gyoza - a unique twist on pork gyoza with okonomiyaki toppings including bulldog sauce, bonito flakes and green onions. Beneath the plethora of toppings, the gyoza were crisp, tasty and very enjoyable.

Sodas (Ramune and Watermelon) - we got a couple drinks to go with our meal and they were both Japanese bottled sodas. Good but nothing amazing.

Overall a small ramen place near BC place and international village that has some of the best chicken ramen around!

I came here to try their famous tsukemen. First impression is the noodle isnt as thick as others but the dipping sauce was still quite hot. Many places just serve warm broth which I don't like because dipping the colder noodle in it makes it cold.

Noodles were good and chewy. The chasiu was paper thin and quite dry. The dipping sauce had such a weird flavor. I feel like I got a burst of ginger taste. The sauce was plenty and was thick enough to coat my noodles. I just wasnt a fan of the flavor.

Taishoken Ramen (大勝軒) has long been known for its fantastic Tsukemen (Dipping Ramen Noodles), but on our recent visit, we decided to try out and explore other items on their menu, Yakisoba and Kimchi Chashu Ramen.

Yakisoba: The stir-fried noodles were perfectly cooked with just the right texture--not too soft or firm. The savoury-sweet sauce perfectly complemented the veggies and pork, resulting in a flavoured dish.

Kimchi Chashu Ramen: This dish was a delightful blend of flavours, with the savoury chashu pork, spicy kimchi, and flavorful broth creating a mouthwatering combination. The noodles were perfectly cooked, and the mild spiciness added a kick to each bite.

We couldn't resist pairing our ramen with gyoza. This time, we decided to try the Okonomi Gyoza and were not disappointed. The pan-fried gyoza was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, and the generous topping of Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) added an extra layer of flavour. Plus, the Japanese mayo on the side was the perfect finishing touch.

Overall, we had a fantastic meal at Taishoken. The food and service were delicious; we'll definitely return soon. We highly recommend it to any ramen lover!

Food: 5/5 Must Try!
Service: 5/5
Kids: 4/5 Yay! Kids usually love noodles and gyoza.
Presentation: 3/5
Parking: Parking can be challenged in the neighbourhood.
Tips:
* Convenient pre or post-game dining location near BC Place.
* Generous portions encourage sharing for a diverse taste experience.
* Don't just stick to ramen; try their tasty side dishes like gyoza, chashu plate, and don bowl.
Would I Return: Yes ‍

I'M CRAVING SOME NOODS

We finally had the chance to try out @taishokencanada last week and it definitely hit all the right spots.

This small ramen shop on the edge of Chinatown has been serving their signature Tsukemen and Aton lotus ramens for years now. I remember always walking past this ramen shop and being enticed by the smell of their broth wagging out onto the street. And now that I've had the chance to try their ramen, I'm beating myself up for not stepping through the doors sooner.

Their signature Tsukemen (dipping ramen) is one of the better ones that I've tried in Vancouver. You eat Tsukemen by dipping the dry noodles into a condensed broth and slurping it up bite by bite. Once you're finished with the noodles, you can even ask for a clear broth to dilute your dipping broth so that you can enjoy a post-ramen soup. We tried all three of the Tsukemen broths--original, karamaiso, and spicy. My personal favourite was definitely the spicy, even though I'm not usually a fan of spicy soups. I just found that one to have the most depth of flavour. The noodles were also perfectly chewy but still bouncy at the same time.

Their Creamy Tomato ramen though, stole both of our hearts. Each strand of noodle was coated in that delicious tangy, sweet, and umami broth. The melted cheese topping also gave each bite a super rich cream flavour. Even the tofu was soaked in that tomato flavour. My best friend and I couldn't stop slurping this one. This ramen is also vegetarian friendly--and I promise you will not be disappointed.

We also tried out their Okonomi Gyoza as an appetizer which was really delicious as well. I really enjoyed the added flavour from the bonito flakes and okonomiyaki sauce. The bottoms of the gyoza were perfectly seared, giving each bite a nice crunch.

If you guys haven't checked this place out yet, I would definitely recommend you stop by the next time you're in the area. I haven't been this satisfied by a bowl of ramen in quite a while.

What's your favourite type of ramen?

9/10
‍10/10
$$ (aprox. $20/person)
Taishoken Ramen | 515 Abbott St, Vancouver

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Pretty tasty ramen shop on Abbott, across from International Village.

Parking is pretty awful here. Nearest spots I can think of are in the International Village parkade. Just don't get caught.

The inside looks pretty Japanese, with the pale walls and dark wood theme.

Staff are friendly and helpful. No complaints.

I tried the tsukemen (dipping noodles) with karamiso (spicy miso?) dipping sauce. Pretty tasty. Came with a sheet of seaweed, soft boiled egg, 2 slices of pork (chashu), and some bamboo shoots. Average sized portion. I must say I enjoyed the dish quite a bit. Noodles were bouncy and not mushy.

I would definitely come back. Recommended.

The egg is so good. I love this place. Service is very nice.
I really enjoy this place and good location. It is interesting food. Egg is very special. I recommend everyone to try this place.

my favorite dipping noodles in the lower mainland. the richness of the broth never disappoints. the portions are enough to make you order 'kaedama' which is another order of noodles. the egg is perfectly soft boiled and the pork is extremely tender and juicy. they unfortunately don't let you pick lean/fat in terms of meat and they don't add naruto anymore, but it is still the #1 for tsukemen. the okonomi gyoza is delicious as the mayo and bonito flakes make it flavourful. service is fast, welcoming and friendly and the setting of the entire restaurant makes me feel like i'm back in Japan.

ordered:
okonomi gyoza, regular tsukemen

Very authentic ramen, fantastic gyoza, and a really nice staff.

It was raining and ramen sounded good. Got in the door-full house. Put our name on the list. Waited 5-10 minutes and a counter spot opened up. Sat down and ordered quickly- place suddenly cleared out. I'm wondering if it was a pre hockey game rush.

I got one of the spicy pork ramens- not crazy spicy - probably 5 on a scale of 1-10. Maybe even a 4. Great flavor though. I ordered extra noodles and was glad I did as I was hungry. If you're not starving their amount is above average.

The gyoza were fantastic! Great crunch with a tasty light center. So good!

We were the only non Asians there wich lends to the authenticity of the place. If you love Ramen, come here!

Im in Vancouver so a night for business and wanted good food. I walked by this place and it smelled so good that i walked back and had to try. Im glad i did because it was DELICIOUS! The servers were so attentive. The place was nice and dimly lit. I loved it. I had the Miso Tonkotsu. It was so flavorful. Bug portions. Highly recommended 10/10 would try again.

Ok, my wife and I are ramen lovers and we love to try out new ramen restaurants. When we saw this restaurant we decided to give it a shot.

Ambiance - a little confusing. 1) Korean owned Japanese ramen shop. 2) Korean fusion. 3)Waitress greet you in Japanese but greet the kitchen in Korean. 4) K-pop song was playing in the background. So is this restaurant Japanese or Korean ramen shop?

Let's dig into details around the food we ordered.

Gyoza - 2/5 I personally feel it is frozen dumplings that you buy at the grocery store. You heat it up and serve it. I really don't think the texture is homemade. ( I could be wrong but that is how I felt when I tried the dish)

Karamiso Tonkatsu - 2/5 my wife and I felt it was similar to Korean doenjang jjigae.Soup was too rich to combine with ramen. One fact about the soup is they should filter it. We can taste the "residue". I wouldn't order it again.

Kimchi chashu- 4/5 this is similar to kimchi jjigae. I personally enjoyed it. I feel it was a great idea to combine the concept of korean soup with Japanese ramen. It was executed beautifully. Everything clicks in the soup. The charcoal on the chashu really brings the soup flavor out. The aromatic and texture from the fermented kimchi made you want to drink the whole soup and also cleanse your palate for wanting to eat more of the chashu.