As I was cruising down Spadina on my way to Caplansky's, I spotted a new store opening and my heart skipped a beat when I saw that it was Aijsen. I have heard of it before but I have never had their ramen. Gleefully, I plotted my plans to return the following week to try this place out. I so desperately wanted it to be better than Kenzo. It wasn't.
Ok, to be fair - the SERVICE is better. They did greet us and was prompt with the delivery of everything (food / water / tea / refills of tea / bill). The menu was more varied (hello APPETIZERS!). The décor was fun and modern (PINK EVERYTHING).
But alas, the broth is too meh for me. I can't even think of anything exciting to write about it in this review. The beef is tasty enough but a bit too chewy. The ramen is slightly better than Kenzo (smoother - does this make sense?) but the overall meal did not warrant a return to this store. Mind you, I liked the tofu (delicate and crispy). But this is a ramen shop not a tofu shop. Maybe I need to return and try the other soup bases before I give up on Aijsen. The problem is, I have about 33 restaurants on my 'To-try' list and if you don't make a good first impression, I just might not return.