Kaisen Tomato Ramen: This deftly fuses French Bouillabaisse with Japanese Ramen, resulting in an item that has impactful flavours yet retains the comforting quality both iconic dishes are renowned for. Chef Kazuya Matsuoka utilizes saffron, seafood and tomatoes to create a complex soup brimming with umami taste. The distinct broth is perfectly paired with chewy medium width in-house made noodles, a bounty of expertly cooked seafood, and extremely tender and juicy sous-vide chicken chasu. This elevated ramen is in a class of its own in Vancouver and is a new ramen experience that must be tried.

Pork Shoulder Ramen: The non-vegetarian ramen served at Harvest Union combines traditional elements with more modern Western touches. The thin wavy noodles bathe in a clear salty broth that is best described as a shio broth. The well executed egg served can rival more traditional ramenya’s version. The more unusual components include the well seasoned and fork tender pork shoulder in lieu of chasu. Radish and salad greens provide an appetizing colour to the dish. Although the leafy vegetables wilt somewhat in the hot soup, they still provide a crunchy contrast to the noodles. Speaking of crunch, did I mention this ramen also comes with a crispy strip of BACON!

Toroniku Ramen: The toroniku (pork cheek) chasu served at Santouka is melt-in-your-mouth fantastic. It is served on a separate plate to prevent the heat of the soup from liquefying the fat in the pork cheek. When you are ready to enjoy this wonderful ramen, place the well-marinated slow-cooked toroniku slices in the broth to allow the heat to release its fatty flavor and soften the meat. Santouka deploys a slow boiled cream coloured smooth and decadent tonkotsu broth. The ramen is completed with thin white noodles which doesn’t have too much of a kansui taste and as such takes a secondary role to stars of this dish: the broth and Toroniku chasu.[Image via Yelp]

Marutama consistently produces the best Ajitsuke Tamago in the city. This perfect egg always features a gooey and creamy yolk. The mirin soy marinade used not only permeates the outer layers of the egg but also reaches the runny yolk; a rare feat! This fantastic egg is only one of four standout features of the Tamago Ramen. Marutama use a unique appetizing chicken broth which is light yet has an intense umami taste. The flavor of the broth is further elevated with the addition of the salty Aosa seaweed. Even Marutama’s noodle are distinct as they are the thinnest ramen noodles used in the city which complements the lighter chicken broth used by the ramenya.

Charcoal Ramen: This distinct pitch black ramen is unique to Motomachi Shokudo. Despite its colour the flavor of the charcoal is handled deftly by the chef’s at this ramenya. The soup is well balanced to allow the eater to taste and enjoy the flavour of the charcoal without it overwhelming the umami component of the broth. Complete with an ajitsuke tamago, pork chasu, bamboo and green onion slivers, this solid and innovative ramen is a perfect break from the traditional noodles served in town.

Tsuke-men with Pork Belly Cha Su: Taishoken is a Japanese chain that claims to have invented the Tsuke-men style of ramen in Japan. Also known as dipping ramen, cold curly noodles are served separately on a plate paired with a bowl of sweet and savoury soup. As one can guess from the name, to eat this dish, take the noodle and dip them into the soup, allowing the umami rich and soy sauce sweetened soup to coat each strand. Two key features make this Tsuke-men great. The pork belly chasu is seasoned well and super tender. Secondly, staff will bring out a thermos of plain broth so you can adjust the flavour of the soup to your liking, enabling you to slurp up every last drop.

White Sesame Ramen: This extremely aromatic ramen is reminiscent of Chinese Dan Dan noodles due to use of ground sesame in the broth. As a result, the broth is fairly thick and each sip has a sweet nuttiness that is balanced with touch of spiciness. The well-seasoned pieces of chasu are tender and generously sized. The two pieces of pork cover combined cover the entire surface of the bowl. This novel ramen served from a second floor food court is a must try.

Shoyu Ramen (Hard, Normal, Normal): Tucked away in one of Richmond’s many restaurant-packed strip malls, Yah Yah Ya is the only ramenya in the Lower Mainland serving the city of Yokohama’s signature ramen: Le Kei Ramen. The broth, called Le kei, is a slow simmer soup similar to Tonkotsu but includes soy sauce and sometimes chicken bones. The version at Yah Yah Ya has impactful light sweetness that makes you want to drink every last drop of the soup. In addition to the distinguishing Le Kei broth, eaters get to customize the firmness of the noodles, heaviness of the broth and how much oil, (traditionally chicken oil) is desired for the bowl of ramen. Lastly, this Le Kei steeped ramen is traditionally paired with spinach which provides a contrasting texture but its ferrous flavour also works well with the intense soup and imparts some of flavour to the soup. If the name of this ramenya doesn’t put a smile on your face, then its shoyu ramen will.