The last time I ate here was in the summer when they first opened up. I remember having a decent experience, albeit slightly disappointed in the ramen. I decided to give it another chance in hopes of seeing improvement.
Just wanna say that Xinji has an industrial look that I'm obsessed with. The brick walls, geometric light fixtures and colorful blue chairs are all aesthetically pleasing and I appreciate the effort that they put into the look and feel of the restaurant. Water is even served with cucumber slices in cute mason jars.
Now on to the food. The fried asparagus appetizer was average at best. The Korean fried chicken however was delicious and had the perfect amount of spice and crispiness. It was also beautifully plated.
For my entree I decided on one of their specials, the wonton ramen. What I liked was the thick curly noodles, the bamboo shoots, and the taste of the wontons. What I didn't like was the bland broth and how small the ramen portion was. The broth needed something extra in it, maybe adding chili oil would've made it better. For $12, I expected a bigger bowl and more than 3 wontons, but I understand that this is a higher-end ramen shop which equals higher prices.
So would I come back? Yes, because they have different specials every month that consist of interesting dishes and unique takes on ramen. However, I don't think I will ever have Xinji ramen cravings so Otani is still the winner for me.