A broken heart is not unlike a broken bone in that you have no choice but to just bear the weight and discomfort of it until it eventually heals. It is in these times we turn to comfort food and for me it's ramen. To come in from the cold and mix my own tears with the ones induced by a delicious bowl of spicy ramen noodle soup is just what the heart doctor ordered, to which I happened upon the new Kinton Ramen location on Bloor in Korea Town.
The first thing you'll notice about the restaurant is it's clean and crisp modern appearance followed quickly by the wave of high energy the place exudes. As a customer you are greeted by all staff in a boisterous greeting in Japanese the minute they lay eyes on you. The servers on high alert hang up your jacket and seat you as quickly as possible. From there you are given a menu to browse as the onslaught of what I assume is Tokyo Pop dance music attempts to drown out the walla-walla of your fellow customers.
I ordered the miso based ramen with pork belly. From there I was given a glass of water in a cool metal cup, chopsticks and a wooden spoon which I appreciate over the plastic or porcelain that you usually get in Asian restaurants. The soup came hot and smelling delicious. I quickly dove in and found the ramen warming me, stimulating the pleasure centers of my brain long neglected.
The staff always attentive checked in on me periodically to see if I was enjoying everything, which I was. By end meal I was informed that if I finished every last drop in the bowl they would give me a discount card towards free dumplings and plaster my face on their facebook wall. Well who was I to say no to brilliant market ideas. I was instructed to show off my empty bowl as they snapped a picture of me via an iPad. I looked at the picture, the ramen having eeked out a smile from me over the affects of a still broken heart.
All in all a great high energy place with delicious ramen with friendly and attentive staff. A little too cacophonous for quiet intimate dining however. Kinton exudes lots of friendly energy with their food and that's just what I needed.