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| - Ramen snobbery has crept up in Calgary and it's about time we address it. Well it's about time I address mine, because owning a copy of Tampopo (google it) doesn't give me the right to assume the role of ramen expert. But ramen in Calgary is different from the ramen experience in Japan. Even though I've never been there I'm sure of it. One reason is that Japanese ramen is still all about getting a hearty and quicky meal, followed by taste. In Calgary, when one simply doesn't want to bother with cooking dinner, there are a list options and Ramen is in the bottom of that list. In terms of price, availability, and time, I'd take a bowl of Pho' and Congee over Ramen in this city.
One might ask, what does this have to do with Ikemen? Plenty, because Ikemen follows the same path as Goro, Shiki/Shikiji, and other restaurants that serve ramen in Calgary. To eat a bowl of ramen means a fancy dinner out, which affects the characteristics of the ramen bowl. Instead of aiming to be the heartiest, cheapest, and quickest meal, it's now become a battle of broth flavour and it's toppings. If Ikemen were to be rated in the category of "fancy dining ramen" I think they'd be right up there. The noodles were cooked to the right
consistency, the roast pork executed well, but the broth could have done without the overpowering garlic. Overall it's a bowl worth finishing. I couldn't get enough of their sous vide eggs and their char siu chicken was just as delicious as the pork. What entices me for a 2nd/3rd visit were their non-traditional ramen, concocted to mainly please vegetarian appetites.
I'm giving every star for Ikemen's imaginative menu. The appetizers alone are worth the visit! we over-ordered in our last visit and I regret nothing because it was
worth the hit on the wallet and the indigestion that followed. The fried mushroom with truffle oil was salty but balanced with a light seasoning of truffle oil.
I also had a sea bream special, which is a rare item in Calgary sushi menus, and it was refreshing and fresh. But the must have dish at Ikemen: the Unagi poutine. The cheese, the fries, the sweet sauce, the healthy dose of unagi...good gawd...this was a drunk man's fantasy, a failed dieter's dirty obsession, and every Crossfitter's dirty little secret.
Our service was great and the dining room was interesting. However here were a few things to nitpick: 1. our sushi roll was packed with too much cream cheese, a little less would be perfect. 2. See my comment on the garlic overpowered broth. 3. The sea bream didn't seem like it was served just as sea bream, it may have been spiced a little but men and my gf couldn't figure out with what, it would have been nice to have special iteams like that served as is, perhaps we should have request a sashimi option.
I'll def be back for the tomato ramen because I'm a sucker for Japanese Italian fusion and a second helping of the unagi poutine.
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