Ninja Club
January 22, 2015
I’M IN LOVE WITH DA RAMEN…
For reals though. Edmonton’s newest ramen joint has opened up on Whyte Ave and it might just be one of my new favorite places. Called Ninja Club Japanese Bistro, it’s located in the same building as Twist Ultra Lounge. The restaurant itself is very small and has a homey atmosphere inside that can be reminiscent of a traditional Japanese home. (One suggestion for the owner is to increase the ventilation though, the ramen already warms me up enough!) Ninja Club’s main focus is on ramen and with an offering of 5 ramens for around $10-$12, it’s affordable. They also have sushi and donburi (rice bowl dishes), though.
I know many people are wondering how Ninja Club compares to Nomiya, especially if you follow me on Snapchat cause I never replied to my own question in my Snapchat story 😛 Read the end to find out!
Interior
The food was fairly quick on my first visit but it might be because we beat the lunch rush. There appears to be only one waitress though, so if you happen to stop by during peak hours then the service and food might take a bit longer. The restaurant takes a break during the day so they are closed from 3 to 5 and closed all day on Sunday. The upside about the owner, chef, and server is that they’re all Japanese so you know your food will be authentic!
First visit…
On my first visit, I was debating between the Shoyu ramen and Miso ramen. I ended up choosing the Shoyu ramen ($10) and was fairly satisfied with it. The main component of the broth was soy bean so the soup leaned towards the saltier side. It came with egg noodles, vegetables, and sliced pork. I also ordered a boiled egg for an extra $1 (side note: a boiled egg, chicken, beef, or corn are all additional charges for the ramen). The noodles were thick but satisfying and tasted fresh. I wish that my egg had been a bit warmer though with a runnier yolk. I really enjoyed my ramen and would come back and order this again.
My friend had the Shio seafood ramen ($12) which consisted of a fish and seafood broth. It had the same egg noodles as mine and came with shrimp, wakame kelp, and bean sprouts. She enjoyed her ramen and told me that it was filling.
Second visit…
I ordered the Miso ramen ($10) with a boiled egg (+ $1) the second time I came to Ninja Club. The broth uses miso paste so it tasted pretty similar to miso soups that you find at most Japanese restaurants. It came with the same toppings as the Shoyu ramen but the Miso ramen was definitely the lighter soup out of the two. It wasn’t as salty either and could be comparable to the “lightness” of Vietnamese pho soups.
My friend ordered the Kimuchi ramen ($12) with all the additional add-ons (+$4). This particular ramen is spicier than the others but he felt that it wasn’t spicy enough. The Kimuchi ramen was made up of miso broth and came with sliced pork, kimuchi, chili sauce, egg noodles, and vegetables.
The verdict? Ninja Club is definitely worth trying out and in my opinion, if I had to choose between Nomiya and Ninja Club, I would choose Ninja. The portions may appear small but it was filling to me and left me craving it the next day. Their ramen did have that umami but it could’ve been a bit stronger! I will be back for sure and hope that you enjoy it just as much as I did if you stop by.
Address: 10324 82 Ave
