Ramen series: More than noodle soup at Kenzo Ramen

Miso Ramen @ Kenzo Ramen

There have been many ramen places sprouting up recently across GTA. And with one burst of cold weather, my co-workers and I went out to try the ramen at one of the branches of Kenzo Ramen.

There were a lot of choices--not just with noodle soup but other Japanese dishes. They had basic ramen which you can order in varying degrees of spiciness. There were also straight out hot/spicy ramen. They had rice bowls as well as fried soba noodles. They even have various sides like takoyaki (octopus ball) and gyoza (dumplings)!

I ordered the Netsu Ramen which was a spicy Sapporo-style ramen (Sapporo is said to be the birthplace of miso ramen combining miso with pork broth and minced toppings) with ground chicken. Ground pork was also available. The broth was delicious and there was sufficient meat. However, there was an abundance of bean sprouts which made the dish seem like a bigger serving than it is. I was stuffed, though, at the end of my meal.

Netsu Ramen @ Kenzo Ramen

Apart from other basic ramen, my co-workers ordered King of Kings ramen (more like regular Netsu ramen but with more varieties of meat and toppings) and Miso ramen which they said were good.

King of Kings Ramen @ Kenzo Ramen

Overall, it was pretty good value with most dishes under $10 plus a variety of other sides that were available. I can see this spot becoming one of our go-to’s when we feel like having a good bowl of soup. And, outside of the cold weather, we can definitely try their rice bowls or other dishes.

Lobster Tower at Fishman Lobster Clubhouse

Lobster Tower @Fishman Lobster Clubhouse

We always try to have a lobster lunch for Grandma’s birthday. This year we tried Fishman Lobster Clubhouse in Scarborough. After seeing a video review with Chef Susur Lee, I figured it was quite unlikely for this to go wrong. Actually, it turned out to be one of the best lobster meals we’ve had.

As with many other Chinese restaurants, this was a cash only place. Despite this, the place was packed—not only with diners but with tanks on all walls, filled with king crabs and lobsters. There can be no doubt what the specialties were!

King Crab tank @Fishman Lobster Clubhouse

We were just originally going to go with a 5-6lb lobster and some noodles but we saw one of their lunch combo meals. So, we ordered the Lobster Lunch Hong Kong Style combo.

The order did not take long, our Lobster Tower arrived about 10 or so minutes after we okayed the 5.75lb lobster.

Lobster @Fishman Lobster Clubhouse

We got the Hong Kong style and it was the best we’ve had! The fried lobster chunks came arranged in a tower and heaping with crunchy garlic flakes. The lobster was sweet, juicy, and tender. The fried garlic was taken to a higher level. It was so good that hubby ate a couple of bowls of just crunchy garlic. No vampires can come near us now! They provided disposable gloves as this made for a pretty messy meal. Plate changes came often enough, though.

Hong Kong Style Lobster @Fishman Lobster Clubhouse

With our combo lunch, we had lobster roe fried rice with vegetable and poached snow pea tips with Goji berry. Rice was okay. 

Lobster Roe Fried Rice with Veggie @Fishman Lobster Clubhouse

The snow pea tips were a bit bland, but in a good way! It did not compete at all with the strong flavours of the lobster so it was a perfect veggie accompaniment. Dessert was a red bean soup.

Poached Snow Pea tips with Goji berry @Fishman Lobster Clubhouse

Price ranges about $16-18/lb and king crab about $45/lb. Service is typical Chinese—no nonsense, efficient.  They have many combos to choose from and a different dinner menu. Hoping to get a chance to splurge on some king crabs next time. We will definitely be back.