Ramen One
[Restaurant Review]
Vancouver, BC, May 19th, 2024
When we were in Okinawa, Japan, we tried the solo-dining ramen experience at Ichiran Ramen and absolutely loved it. We’ve heard that Vancouver recently opened a new ramen restaurant called Ramen One, which offers similar experience. We just had to try it! We’ll be comparing our experience between Ramen one and Ichiran Ramen.
The Vibe
Having been to Ichiran Ramen, our expectations for Ramen One was high. We were hoping for a similar experience with minimal human interaction and the opportunity to enjoy a nice bowl of ramen in peace and isolation. However, we were slightly dissapointed to find that our order was taken by human staff rather than through a vending machine. Although, the service was actually great and on point. The staff were very nice and welcoming.
While we have nothing against human interactions, we missed the very private and efficient experience we encountered at Ichiran Ramen in Japan. The vending machine system at Ichiran gave us a more solitary and streamlined dining experience, which we were hoping to get at Ramen One.
The layout of the stalls at Ramen One is quite nice and has all the similar feel to Ichiran Ramen. Each private stall is designed for individual dining and is equipped with a water tap for filling your own water. One of the staff will roll up the curtain in front of you to serve your food when it’s ready and wish you to enjoy your meal in Japanese.
Instead of using a paper form to personalize your ramen like at Ichiran Ramen, Ramen One provides all the sauces and condiments in your stall so you can experiment with them yourself. Although this is a nice system, it doesn’t allow you to customize how well-cooked the noodles are or how rich the soup is, as you could in different ramen joints. However, it still offers a degree of privacy and control over your dining experience, making it a pleasant and unique visit.
The Ramen
I went with their signature dish – Premium Chashu Soy-Milk Ramen, which cost $13.95 cad before taxes and tips. A regular Chashu Soy-Milk Ramen is only $10, which is very affordable compare to other ramen joints.
The soup is based on soy bean and comes with kikurage, three pieces of chashu (pork), two pieces of nori (seaweed), one egg, bamboo shoots and green onions.
To be quite honest, it’s not a bad bowl of ramen, but it’s nothing special either. The quality just can’t compared to the other ramen places in Vancouver and the lower mainland.
The soy milk-based soup broth is a bit weak; it’s not as creamy or rich as other ramen places, but it does offer a different taste. The noodles are a bit too soft for my liking, as I prefer firmer noodles in my ramen. The chashu (pork) was okay; a bit tough to chew and too salty, but not too bad. The poached-egg though, was overcooked. Overall, it’s a pretty basic bowl of ramen. While there’s nothing particularly special about it, considering the price point, it’s fair.
The Conclusion
We are spoiled for good ramen joints in Vancouver. Ramen one’s quality fell short compared to the other competiton like Danbo, Marutama, Kintaro, etc. What it offers though, is the solo-dining experience, serving decent ramen at an afforadable price point. Even though this experience might not for everyone, some people who wants privacy and efficiency will appreciate it.
I would come again for another try, especially on days where I don’t want to be disturbed or am just too lazy to socialize. I could just come in, have a quick bite, and continue with my day. I’d love to sample their onigiri and other dishes the next time we visit.
Would yougive this experience a try?