Good To The Last Drop

Kinton Ramen is one of the top Ramen shops in Toronto. Unlike last time, I wasn't here on Saturday just for noodles but to become a Kinton bowler. If you finish the entire bowl, you get a photo taken, a pin, and a tenth of the way to being a 10 bowler. I opted for the extra pork bowl at $12.80.

Having a seat looking into the busy kitchen gave a great view into the proceedings. Looks like every worker had a specific task. Only the noodles: from separating it into neat piles, to cooking it in individual strainers; or just searing the pork shoulder or belly. Given their volume, it was probably the only way to run the busy kitchen. But like sausage-making, watching food being made is sometimes not as glamorous as the final product. Seeing the thick, grey gloop that needed to be continually scooped from the broth almost turned me off my Ramen.

But not quite, because it was fragrant and rich. The typical bowl may give you only 1 or 2 thick pieces of pork. Though tender and delicious, it could seem stingy compared to the numerous slices of beef you get in a bowl of pho. On the other hand, when my bowl arrived, the extra pork was almost too much of a good thing. I need to go vegetarian for the next few meals to balance it out! In any case, draining the bowl was quite easy and needed no heroic effort. You just have to ignore the niggling thought about how much sodium you're consuming.