3.5
Pros:
Friendly service
One of the few Ramen places uptown
Cons:
Long wait times
Not as good as downtown locations
Santosei at Yonge and Bloor is my favourite Ramen in the city. Having one open uptown, it was only a matter of time before I gave this place a try. It's one of the few places you can get Japanese style Ramen uptown.
The number one thing you should note about this place is to come early or expect a long wait. We came just before 6pm and we still probably waited 40-45 minutes for a seat. It's a very busy place and the places isn't the biggest. Expect to share tables with others for sure. If your here with a date or friends, it's not too bad. If you got children with you, it can get a little tough.
When I'm at Santosei, it's always the Tonkotsu Black with extra noodle and corn. My GF got the same thing minus the corn. They recommend the extra noodles on the side in a separate bowl which I agree with. If you opt for it all in the same bowl, the noodles get to soggy near the end. The noodles come out pretty fast considering how busy they are. We also ordered the Zangi (deep fried chicken)
Comparing this location to the Yonge and Bloor location now. The Ramen here is good, but a step below what they make downtown. The broth here is much more saltier than the location downtown. The noodles just didn't have the same bite as the ones downtown. It still is a good bowl of Ramen, just feels a little off from what I'm used to. The Zangi also comes in little strips, not the big chunks the downtown location offers.
The service here was very good throughout our visit here. All of them were very nice and patient despite how busy and hectic thing got.
You've got yourself a very good place to get Ramen here. If you've been to the locations downtown though, it might leave you a bit yearning for more.