Extremely underrated spot. All their food items are so good compared to other ramen spots. I think they just need some help with marketing and interior design because this place should be a lot more popular. read more

Honestly not the best sushi I could've had yoyogi is so much better but ramen wise it's pretty mid like I can make stuff at my house for cheaper. And when I ordered something warm or hot it wasn't super hot it was like kinda cold. The service wasn't bad but it wasn't clear on were to order and there is only one waiter here. But the place looks very clean and nice. But the best part of my meal was the appetizers the main course was just not there I wish it was better. A lot of weird people also walked in very weird. read more

Ranken Noodle House - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

There is nothing better than a warm bowl of ramen on a cool and blustery day. I ordered the Tongkatsu ramen. It was hearty and delicious. The ramen broth was flavorful and the tender pork was really tasty. I also loved the runny egg and flavorful veggies. We also ordered tempura shrimp and vegetables. They were fried with a light tempura batter and they added a tasty soy dipping sauce. Lastly, we ordered gyoza dumplings. They were full of umami goodness. Service was great. We ordered our food and it was delivered in a short while. I can't speak to the ambiance because we ordered delivery. But, our food was amazing and I can't wait to order more. Thank you Ranken Noodle House. read more

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The fact that I've been so close to somewhere that serves legit good onigiri and I haven't been aware... it's a tough pill to swallow. Unlike their onigiri which is absolutely delicious. Interesting, when you order the onigiri it comes in packs of two. I WAS a bit confused when I saw the prices for the onigiri starting at like 8 dollars. And I was like... dang this is some expensive onigiri. But then she told me that it's 2 per order and then I was like... dang this is a good deal on onigiri. They are NICE and plump. Two and a little bowl of soup could make for a nice meal. I just stopped in after I went to My Big Finds next door, and the woman who was working there was NICE AS CAN BE. Like... she was SO friendly and helpful that the customer service itself is 5 stars. I ordered two types of onigiri, the spicy tuna and the fake crab. I will say that I was a TAD bit disappointing that the tuna was not raw. I was expecting the sushi style spicy tuna but it was like tuna mayo onigiri but with sriracha. Still good, but just wasn't what I was expecting. Cause whenever I hear "Spicy tuna" I think sushi spicy tuna. The crab onigiri was 100% my jam. It was so good, well formed. Rice was well done. Funny enough, when I ordered it - the woman told me it was her favorite too. I would easily come back for that onigiri. But honestly. I can't wait to try the like 8 other flavors too. They also have little Japanese snacks. AND super cute, she threw a couple of Japanese kit kats in the bag for dessert. Love this little spot. Onigiri... "I'm coming back for you baby... I'm comin' back for you" read more

Good portion to the ramen, but poor execution in flavor. Tastes very amateur - the broth needed some extra layers of flavor. It's clear they did not use dashi or any high level ramen techniques to satisfy my tastebuds. What really brought my rating down were the soup dumplings. They were not good. Why include this item at a ramen shop? At least make it good if you're going to mix Chinese and Japanese cuisine! Not bad if you want a quick lunch, but don't dine here if you're trying to be impressed. read more

First visit, and it will not be my last. The owners are super nice and attentive, I love their energy. My menu choice was Curry Udon, it was very tasty, my eyes were bigger than my stomach, but I pushed through and finished my bowl, because it's not polite not to finish your meal. Great outdoor seating to people watch wile you enjoy your meal, for a much cooler.l ambiance you can dine indoors. I will be going back soon to try a few more dishes. read more

Ranken Noodle House - Curry Udon - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Stopped in for a fundraiser and because we really love & miss Japanese food. Place was busy for a weeknight, but I suspect the fundraiser had something to do with that. It's a smaller venue but tables can be moved to accommodate medium-sized groups and there is outdoor seating available if the weather is good. Service was friendly & efficient with only 2 main servers working. We got a little bit of everything. Gyoza, Tonkatsu Ramen, Chicken Katsu Curry (but it's no CoCos, IYKYK) were all great. The KatsuDon was a little disappointing, the flavor was great but the pork was a bit tough. To be fair I usually don't like tonkatsu because they tend to be drier and tougher than chicken katsu, but even my tonkatsu loving son wasn't a huge fan. Overall this place is definitely worth checking out for some authentic Japanese food! read more

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Absolutely excellent ramen. I ordered to go and it was well packaged-- they also absolutely nailed every element of the dish, which is a rarity. read more

The service is always good everyone is very happy and kind,but the food is even better it makes any bad day awesome and the drawings at every table are so good and cute. read more

Ranken Noodle House - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Food was blah for ramen but the overall service was outstanding as was the takoyaki I got to enjoy. Parking is plenty and free just a stone throw away. I am grateful the restaurant had outdoor seating and dog friendly. The server brought out not only water for my pooches but chashu pieces for them!!! How so very kind. He was also very attentive and lovely when it came to our interactions. Every meal items arrived at good timing which enhanced the otherwise mediocre tasting ramen. read more

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Onigiri Kingdom Team, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the care and intention you clearly put into your food and your service. As someone who spent 15 years in the restaurant industry, I have a deep appreciation for small businesses--especially those that truly listen to and care about their community. I came across your restaurant recently, and after reading your reviews on Yelp, it became clear to me that you are exactly that kind of business. I've now had the pleasure of trying your shrimp tempura and pork katsu onigiri, and I was so impressed. The rice was deliciously seasoned, the seaweed was crisp and pulled perfectly from the wrapper, and the overall presentation was thoughtful--right down to the small thank-you sticker on the appetizer, which made me smile. You can tell there's heart behind the food. I did want to share a little feedback, coming from a place of support and genuine hope for your continued success. The pork katsu onigiri was very tasty, but I found that it had a little less meat than expected. I must say, the bites with the most pork or absolutely delicious. I loved the shrimp tempura one, but while flavorful, had a bit too much mayo for my personal taste. That said, I completely understand that every dish has its own traditional preparation--and I may simply be unfamiliar with how they are typically made. If that's the case, I sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding on my part. I want to acknowledge that, as someone not deeply familiar with authentic Japanese cuisine, my perspective may be limited. Regardless, I plan to continue ordering from you. I'm excited to try more of your dishes and to support your business however I can. Thank you again for your hard work, especially during challenging times. Wishing you and your team all the best. read more

The owner is so sweet! The food was amazing we had chicken onigiri and chicken ramen! The food is delicious. It is very clean and service was amazing. Fully women opened come support this small business. They do an amazing job read more

Best japanese curry I've ever had! The meat was so tender and flavorful. The owner is a sweet lady who makes everything from scratch. Really enjoyed the atmosphere as well! Loved the flower arrangements. read more

Ranken Noodle House - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Very friendly neighborhood ramen spot. Decent food and price. Attentive staff. Safe location. read more

Ranken Noodle House - Ramen Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Just wow they have improved when the soups and sides were already great. My birthday party members were all happy with the food and loved how fresh it all was. Super friendly service. And they moved tables to fit all of us. One of the best birthday dinners ever thank you. read more

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Food - 3/5 Service 4.5/5 Location 4.5/5 Came here twice now. Located in Kentlands there is plenty of parking and in a nice area. The restaurant itself is pretty small however so not good for large groups. Though the times I went on weekends/holidays during dinner time, it was not busy at all. They have a number of noodle soup bowls - ramen and udon as well as small side dishes. The cheapest bowl is $12 and can get as expensive as $25. I've ordered the Shoyu Ramen twice now. Both times I really liked the broth. The cuts of meat are very thick but unfortunately the 2nd time I got it, the meat was way overcooked and way too salty. The 2nd time the bamboo shoots were also way too hard. Very disappointing since I like their interior decor and location. Service was good too. The other folks I came with said they like their dishes but have tried better in the area. They do make tempura right, which is a marksmanship of a good Japanese restaurant. Portion size is good. We all did leave filled. Maybe the 2nd time was a fluke? But I do value consistency and I was not happy with that Shoyu ramen that night. I think the prices are pretty expensive for something that is not consistently great. Their $25 Tempura Inaiwa Udon seems a little too bare bones for that price. Two pieces of shrimp tempera and a handful of veggie tempura with a bowl of noodles in broth. As for drinks, they do have popular bottled Japanese sweet drinks and beer. Eh not sure if I'd come back again. read more

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Service can be better. Young waiter didn't give us all water or utilizes. But other than that the ramen was flavorful. The protein was tender and yummy. Inside is fairly small. You order by scanning the qr code on the table and pay via online too. Parking is throughout the shopping center and can get packed read more

Ranken Noodle House - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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The service was slow and the food was average. Maybe it was simply an off day for them however I would not go back.

Had a delicious lunch here this afternoon! The dining area is a very relaxing space with a lot of light. It wasn't very crowded while we were there, I imagine it could get a bit loud if a lot of people are dining. The menu had a lot to offer, it was easy to click through, but did not give a lot of information until you clicked into each menu item. I will definitely try more a la carte items next time and look forward to my next visit. read more

Ranken Noodle House - #2. Shoyu Ramen and Gyoza - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Very unassuming and rightfully so. Soft neutral color tones; modern Japanese interior design- which I totally vibe with. Veggie Gyoza- What I loved about these Gyozas- Never have I had great seasoned tofu within a flavored wrapping. Loved the fact that the sauce that came with it was not sweet. At the same time the number of dumplings thats given was perfect. This place does not cheat you with the price and the quantity. Ramen-It's hard to find a place that can make vegan Ramen so close to home is a gem. What's even better is that they were able to make it spicy! Try it, and you'll glad you did it. Personally I thought it was flavorful, and creamy. Not overly salty. When I ordered it, it had minimal veggies; which was straight with me! Don't get me wrong, I do like some vegetables in my ramen; but sometimes you just want to have broth and noodles and your day is made. If there is one feedback I would give to this place: make sure you come on an empty stomach. You won't be able to finish it all in one sitting. The proportions were quite large for one person, so definitely share it with someone. read more

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I have ordered carry-out previously but recently ate indoors. The service was amazing. Place is nice and clean. They also have few outside seating. I ordered a miso ramen with hot chilli oil on the side for an upcharge. Totally worth it. I also ordered 2 thigh skewers and 1 mushroom skewer. Minimum order is 3 skewers. It definitely is more food than I can eat but really want to try the skewer. I took some home for snack. I loved the mushroom skewer a little more than the thigh skewers but all were delicious. Great place to give a try. read more

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Haven't been to Ranken for a while and the menu has expanded a lot, which is great! There was onigirirazu (musubi/sushi sandwich) which I didn't know existed and was I missing out. I'd say it's a cross between Chinese gua bao and onigiri. It's really yummy. You can choose pork/chicken/tofu katsu for the filling. There also mayo and "coleslaw" in the "sandwich". There are also lots of choices of onigiri fillings. The portions are really big for onigiri. Two people could share one order of the onigirirazu for sure. The owner Lisa Ma is really friendly and food came out fast. read more

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Finally got to stop by this ramen place in the Kentlands. It is located across from the movie theater behind Dog Haus, where they are revamping that area to be a little more trendy than what it was. I can't wait for all of the restaurants to open up! I got the Shoyu ramen, David got the tonkatsu ramen. I was craving some potato salad, so we got that too. And the takoyaki, lol. Over-ordering is our greatest strength. Shoyu ramen: Just OK. A little bland in my opinion. The noodles and broth could have used some more flavor. While the pork was thicker and more tender than most ramen places, it also lacked flavor and seasoning. I would have liked some type of soy glaze on the pork but it was very plain. Potato salad: HUGE! Whoa. Not bad for $6. Definitely satisfied my potato salad craving, if I could get this at Korean bbq it would be solid! It also had some ham/pork pieces so it gave it that extra flavor. Takoyaki: Not bad, there was more mushiness on the inside than normal, so would have been nice to have a LITTLE more octopus in there, but it was alright. Overall, have to give it a solid 3. We usually don't comment about service, not sure if they were super busy when we went or what, but it took a while for the staff to take our order, when we asked for straws we only got one LOL. The staff never really checked on us while we ate. There is better ramen in the area and wouldn't recommend as our top pick. read more

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I will admit that Ramen is hardly my favorite option, but my husband wanted to try Ranken in Kentlands so we went there. I wanted to remark on the exceptionally kind service and enthusiasm from the Staff there. We came in about 10 minutes before they closed but they sat us and didn't even one time act anxious about our presence, even taking a second order late into the meal for another bowl of Udon. The owner personally checked on our meal and gave us a free sample chicken skewer that was very good. As for the food: my husband said his Ramen was very tasty, with the right level of spice (very hot without overwhelming the flavor). My Udon was very flavorful too, and tempura was the best part for me. read more

Ranken Noodle House - Tempura Udon, Soba Noodles, Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Nice to have a hot bowl of ramen on a chilly night. I'm still new to restaurant ramen, but I've enjoyed what I've had here, and that's what's important to me, and as I've mentioned before, the busy owner chef manager of this small establishment in the Kentlands is very nice. read more

Ranken Noodle House - The onigiri are huge! - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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My friend and I got lunch at RanKen Noodle House before exploring the Kentlands area! I ordered the tempura udon and my friend got the tonkotsu ramen, but the ordering process would have been easier if the menu included descriptions for each item, since it was hard to choose with just a picture and name. The serving bowls and spoons added to the aesthetic of the noodle house, although we found the music choice to not really fit the vibe of the place. For my tempura udon, the four pieces of tempura (onion, eggplant, shrimp, and mushroom) were given on a separate plate from the udon to maintain the crunchy nature of the tempura! The broth was a bit salty, causing me to be thirsty for several hours, and for the price I paid ($15), there could have been more tempura pieces or other toppings in the soup. However, the tempura was delicious and I appreciated the fact that they had vegetable tempura so the meal didn't feel as heavy. read more

Ranken Noodle House - Tonkotsu Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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The takeout containers were pretty high quality which I thought was good. The sauce container for the dumplings wasn't packed well and leaked, but they tasted pretty good without it. I think this is ok for maybe a quick ramen lunch. The broth tasted pretty watered down and not very flavorful. It didn't come with an egg or anything extra which I would expect for these prices. I had the kaisen and shoyu and I've definitely had much better at other ramen places in the area read more

Ranken Noodle House - Kaisen - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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I had Shoyu Ramen for lunch. It was hot, but everything tasted like it's own thing. The noodles had no flavor of the soup. I mean the taste was all by itself, the flavor was not mixed or mellow into each other! And the desert drink "RanKen Mango Pomelo Sago"? I feel like it was a joke! Sago & Bubbles are not the same thing!! The drink had too much of milk in it, and the drink was not sweet at all! I mean literally there's no sweet taste to it! And I know for fact that was not how HK style is! Once again, Sago does not mean Bubbles!! Sago is really suppose to be small clear tapioca! As far as the service goes... Soon as I stepped in someone explained to me the process. But, the guy was really rushing me to order from him. I mean I sat down not even a minute, he immediately brought me the water and repeated tell me that he can take my order without me even look at the menu at all. And 3 minutes later he came back with the order note pads and say that he was waiting to take my order while I was still looking at the menu on my phone. Why the rush? I was trying to have my lunch. Also, I had order the "Sea Bass Deluxe Onigiri" to go. The rice balls were falling apart soon as I opened the wrapping plastic. The rice had too much too moist, and it was the wrong rice for Onigiri! Finally the ambiance was really quite! There was no music, only the waiter and kitchen talking Spanish super loud. There weren't really any customer in the restaurant at all. read more

Ranken Noodle House - Shoyu Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Decided to try out this new Japanese noodle house in Kentlands. It was a pretty chilly day, so getting noodles was a good idea lol. This was a self-serve restaurant. You order from the kiosk in the front and someone will bring over your order. My boyfriend got the Super Spicy Tonkatsu ramen and I got the Udon Noodle soup with Tempura. He thought the ramen was just okay. It was definitely spicy and kind of reminded us off just chili oil soup. The tonkatsu broth wasn't as rich and flavorful as what he expected. I got the Udon Noodle Soup which had a nice dashi broth flavor. The udon noodles were cooked well! The only downside was the tempura which was soggy. I believe my Udon Noodle Soup was about $15 with the tempura which I would say is okay. It definitely is expensive for an udon noodle soup. The ramen was around $15 as well which is a pretty decent price for ramen around this area. read more

Ranken Noodle House - Super Spicy Tonkotsu - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Who are you trying to fool? Chinese style noodle as Japanese ramen?! Literally everything from the list are horrible. Using Sichuan numbing chili peppers for the spicy ramen??!! Really lol. The chashus are straight up from dongpo pork. The Tonkotsu broth isn't creamy at all--probably from some soup concentrate. The chicken skewers are dry and tasteless. The shrimp skewers are mushy---frozen for a long time. How can you even screw up edamame? It's overcooked!! Everything are pricy on the menu but quality is garbage. I don't expect this place to last long. For those 4/5 star reviews, they have to be either written by their friends and families or people never had ramen before in their life. Save yourself a trip to here and you'll thank me later. AKIRA ramen is light years better in value and quality. read more

Ranken Noodle House - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

I come to the Kentlands often for the movies. But I had no idea this place existed and I'm so glad I found it! Went here for dinner before seeing Barbie. Checked out the menu earlier in the day and decided that this was a must. The menu has a lot to offer and honestly check it out. We both decided on the tonkatsu chashu pork ramen and gyoza that's not pictured. The gyoza was so delicious. It was fried perfectly and the pork was flavorful. The ramen was delicious! The flavor of the broth was on point, noodles perfectly done, the egg is always my favorite getting ramen. The pork was so tender. It was falling apart and the taste was just insane. Highly recommend this ramen. We also got warm sake. However, no matter how many times I try sake it is just not something I like. But if you like sake I'm sure you will like their selection. As far as ordering it was really easy. You walk in and sit where you like and you can either order from the QR code and order and pay on your phone or have the server take your order. Pretty simple. We used my phone to order and pay and it was fairly easy. The ambiance of the restaurant was cute. It's a small restaurant and the seating is done well. There is also outside seating. Overall prices are reasonable and food is delicious. read more

Ranken Noodle House - Tonkatsu chashu pork ramen - Japanese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Still an amazing experience. Might I add, the takoyaki stays crisp and hot even after I drive 15 minutes home. Just wonderful food! I find it so difficult to try anything new because I crave everything I previously had! Can't wait to keep coming back! read more

The ambiance is nice and our server was super nice. We liked the vibe of the whole place and glad that Kentlands is getting more variety when it come to foods. We got the following dishes: Potato Salad - it was ok. It's subtly different from other potato salads that we've tasted. I think the Mayo is different. Quail Eggs wrapped in bacon - this was good. I mean bacon with almost anything taste delicious so there yah go! Tonkatsu Ramen - we felt that the broth was a bit watered down as compared to other ramens we have had but not bad. Beef Udon - our fave of what we got. The broth is tasty and the noodles were delicious. They don't skimp out on the meat too so that's a plus. Definitely give them a try! I'd go more for the Udon though :) read more

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The ambiance is very welcoming and calm. We had the spicy tuna onigiri and it was lovely. I ordered the Tonkatsu ramen and my friend got the super spicy version. Mine was delicious and the spicy version just as good. It did take some time to come out but you can tell that everything is made fresh so it's worth the wait. read more

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So excited this place finally opened and was not disappointed! Went as a party of 4 during saturday lunch Got the tonkotsu ramen - mild and refreshing :) The miso ramen also has a very unique flavor if you are looking for something with more of a punch would recommend that over the tonkotsu. The meat was sooo soft definitely one of the highlights the egg was nicely gooey too. They give a generous amount of toppings like the menma/beansprouts/spring onion. The noodles were a great texture as well The soup and amount of ramen look deceptively small!!! I totally thought i wasn't going to have enough soup but actually ended up with the perfect amount. The bowls are quite deep so it just looks like there's not alot LOL Service is so nice and attentive we had only been waiting like 15 - 20min when one of the servers came over with a potato salad free of charge for the wait Potato salad was fresh and normally im not a fan of potato salad but this one was good! We also got the karaage - crispy on the outside tender on the inside, and very hot. The portion was a little bit smaller than we had expected given the price (5 decently sized chunks) but was really tasty :) Will definitely be coming back here to try some of the other ramen and noodles read more

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3.5 stars. Ordered tonkotsu and shoyu ramen. Staff was very friendly but it took a while until ramen came out(I think it is because they have just opened). Tonkotsu ramen reminded me of ramen I used to eat in the cafeteria of the Japanese company. So it is a everyday ramen(not something you will say wow). The ramen had the great presentation. The soup was luke warm(maybe it is the taste of people here in US). The taste of the soup was good but I think it can be stronger, especially considering it is tonkotsu and people here love the strong broth of Akira and Jinya ramen. The egg(ajitama) was more like a boiled egg rather than porched egg. One thing that surprised me most was the bamboo shoot. It was my first time having spicy bamboo shoot. Chashu was very tasty. I will go back as it has a nice atomosphere and my 2 year old can eat their ramen easily(the soup was not hot so it helps). I also want to try their udon and soba. I am sure they can improve their speed. read more

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Owner was very nice ! The bathroom is fabulous, it's VERY homie. I would poop in it like I would at home teehee. 5/5 soup was a bit mellow sweet, but the satisfaction was this was VERY traditional! I would this places tradition, service and environment ! read more

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I've been eyeing this place for a bit and finally got the chance to come by, but I felt bad because I didn't realize I came by near the end of the day. Both the indoor and outdoor seating is very cute and simple. Some of their items are not available right now due to a supply issue, but we were told at maximum it may take up to 4 weeks. I didn't get pictures of all the food because my party was starving and half of them ate right away :( however I ordered some chicken thigh skewers (1 order is 1 stick!!), the cold soba noodles, and my boyfriend got the shoyu ramen. The chicken skewers were good and came out really quick, a bit pricy to me but I'm not sure how much skewers normally cost. I really enjoyed the cold soba noodles! The soba noodles were cooked well, topped with tempura bits, green onions, and grated radish (I think?). It was SO good, especially on a hot day. I tasted a little bit of the broth and egg from the ramen and from what I got, it tasted good as well. Most ramen eggs are marinated for a long time which give it a more intense flavor, but this one feels as though it had less marination which is perfect for me! read more

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The food is so good! I got the tempura udon and it was very good, the flavors were on point and the tempura was fried perfectly, not soggy at all 10/10. We also got the shoyu ramen and it was very good. My favorite however was the mango pomelo sago it was so refreshing, the smoothie part was super smooth and the tapioca was nice and chewy and sweet. The Service was great, we did not wait too long for our food and any spices or sauces you would need are at your table or within reach. The restaurant is super cute and thier seating is not cramped. Overall 10/10 food is super good and the host was very nice! read more

Clean and simple noodle house in the kentlands serving ramen, miso, soba, udon noodles. They also have sides like potato salad, dumplings and meat skewers. We got the tongkatsu ramen and hot beef soba. Food was decent. read more

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