Vancouver's culinary scene continues to evolve, and ramen enthusiasts have something exciting to slurp about. Nestled in the heart of the city, Menya Juémon has taken over the old spot of Benkei Ramen. My husband and I were lucky to walk by a few days after their soft opening.
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| Dinner at Menya Juémon |
Our food adventure starts with pork gyoza, and it's perfectly fried with crispy skin, and the filling is flavourful pork. I highly recommend their gyoza if you love the Japanese dumpling.
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Pork Gyoza from Menya Juémon Crispy & juicy pork dumplings |
Now, let's discuss the star of the show: ramen. My husband opted for the Umami Shoyu Premium, and what arrived was slightly thicker broth filled with deep dark soy; you can also taste the seaweed flavour seeping through the soup. The thick, chewy noodles soaked up the essence of the broth while the tender cha-shu (sliced pork), crunchy bean sprouts, fresh Chinese greens, earthy wood ear mushrooms, and soft soft-boiled egg completed the dish.
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Umami Shoyu Premium from Menya Juémon Dark soy flavoured four elements umami broth with thick cha-shu, bean sprout, Chinese greens, wood ear mushroom, soft boiled egg, and seaweed served with thick noodles |
While hubby's ramen hits every flavour profile and is definitely an umami bomb, I chose the Cha Cha Cha-shu Men. As you could have guessed, it has six pieces of tender and fatty cha-shu. It also boasts a more familiar and traditional shoyu (soy sauce) broth. It also includes crunchy bean sprouts, colourful green onion, and, for subtle sweetness, corn. It comes with perfectly cooked medium-thickness noodles.
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Cha Cha Cha-shu Men from Menya Juémon Rich shoyu flavoured four elements umami broth with thick cha-shu, bean sprout, green onion, corn, served with medium thick noodles |
The ambiance of the place is cozy, perfect for casual lunches and intimate dinners. They kept the J-shaped bar in the middle from Benkei Ramen, which I love. I hope they offer chicken karaage because I love fried chicken, but their ramen game is on point.
