Yuzen
June 29, 2016
It’s been a busy month! I’ve been out and about and in just a few weeks, I’ll be halfway across the world. If you have Instagram, my food adventures are now posted daily at @mshangryfoodie. Give me a follow if you wanna stay hungry (or should I say hangry?)!
Photo taken from @mshangryfoodie on IG
Last month, I finally had the chance to check out Yuzen! I was never able to before since I always worked on Saturdays. Coincidentally, my friends had never been there either so all 6 of us were newcomers! Yuzen is a Japanese restaurant in St Albert that offers the regular food you’d find such as sushi, sashimi, bento, and tempura. They’re also very well known for their ramen, which is only made on Saturdays from 11:30 am to 2 pm. My friends and I came around 12 pm and knew we’d have to wait since we needed a bigger table. Our wait was about half an hour which wasn’t too bad. The restaurant itself is tiny though. You’re very close to each other and although it doesn’t feel intimate, there’s a bit of a cozy feeling. Which is perfect for eating ramen, of course.
Miso Ramen $11
All of the ramen was accompanied by the usual: cha shu, bamboo shoots, green onions, and nori (seaweed). I was craving miso soup so I decided to go with the miso ramen, which uses a soy bean paste. The ramen sizing was decently generous, I was full after for sure! Actually, I got mad itis after. The broth was very light but it wasn’t bland. The noodles were chewy in texture and fun to eat. One thing to note is that eggs are an extra addition with the ramen, so don’t forget to order it. The size of the egg was surprisingly big compared to other ramen bowls I’ve had.
Tonkotsu Ramen $11
The tonkotsu ramen had a thick and creamy broth made from pork bones. Yuzen perfected it because it wasn’t too thin or thick which can be a problem! This particular ramen is more creamier so I would recommend it if you wanted a heartier meal.
Shio Ramen $11
The shio ramen had more of a saltier base. The right touch of umami was found in this ramen, just like all the other bowls.
Tantanmen Ramen $12
For those with a spicier taste, tantanmen ramen will be your go-to! It uses a sesame paste which brings out the redness in the broth. The spiciness level was definitely there so this isn’t for the weaklings (aka me cause I can’t eat anything spicy).
Chicken Teriyaki Don $9.50
Along with their ramen menu, Yuzen also has appetizers and donburi (Japanese rice bowls) on Saturdays. It’s definitely a smaller portion that the ramen so I wouldn’t say it would be filling as a meal. My friend ordered the chicken teriyaki flavored which came with deep fried chicken. The teriyaki sauce was too light for me. I feel like overall the bowl lacked some flavouring and was of average.
I wouldn’t say Yuzen is the best ramen shop but it’s definitely one of the better ones in and around Edmonton. Honestly, I prefer Ohana Ya in St Albert for ramen (review here). If you ever have a chance to stop by on a Saturday, I’d recommend it. I probably won’t be back till the colder season though just cause I don’t really like ramen in the summer… Yeah I’m weird like that! If you decide to stop by, go before they open so there’s less of a wait time. And less chance of them running out of eggs cause we got the last eggs apparently.
Address: 127-1 Herbert Road
