Vancouver is home to a lot of restaurants and bars, but there are tons of hidden gems that the majority of Vancouverites aren't unearthing. To help guide us to these potential discoveries, we've enlisted some of our city's food players to share their recommendations for a feature dubbed Dining Confidential. This week, Wildebeest chef Wesley Young, shares his favourite ramen restaurant. Know a chef who wants to share some top dining spots? The tipline is open.
So: where is this amazing ramen spot?
Jinya Ramen on Robson between Cambie and Hamilton. It's a Yokohama-style ramen place with noodles and pork broth. They make their noodles in-house and it's just really well executed. You've got great quality of noodles, great quality of broth, the garnishes are wonderful and the other essential component for the four pillars of that meal is the oil - all their oil is made in-house too.
What's your favourite?
The one I like is the Tonkotsu Black ramen made with black garlic oil: it's pretty straightforward, you know how it is with all of us in the industry, when we eat out, we generally like to eat something that is not what we cook and eat all the time. This place is fast, convenient and very satisfying. It just hits the spot. I think it's my favourite ramen noodle in the city and I've eaten at all of them I think they're executing it the best.
Do you always have the same thing?
I'm going down the menu and I'm about half-way through now. I've had the black ramen three times though; I only discovered this place this year, I don't think they've been open too long.
What's the atmosphere like?
It's similar to a lot of the noodle places that I went to in Japan this past year, it seems like it was very much an authentic shop. There is always a bit of a bustle, the service is brisk but friendly and there are always people coming in and out. I like the activity of the place and the energy, I have ramen and a beer and just watch the people go by.
· All Previous Dining Confidentials [EVAN]
· Wildebeest [Official Site]
· Jinya [Official Site]
· All Previous Wildebeest Coverage [EVAN]