Kazakh Ramen has become a favourite spot for me when it comes to ramen dishes…read more Service is always very welcoming and fast at this place, which is always nice!! I'm a regular with the tonkotsu ramen bowl, served with pork, ramen, delicious broth, and egg, to name a few. Their shrimp tempura is always tasty. Ambiance is relaxing and it's very enjoyable to eat the ramen bowl.

It is no secret that ramen has exploded in Edmonton and what was once an elusive cuisine is now…read moreentirely common. It's wonderful to have so many options available and one of those is Kazoku Ramen in the west end area of Glenwood. The Edmonton Food Faves We Crave 2022 list named this restaurant as one of their Favourite Date Night spots and I was very excited to find out how they compare to the other big ramen shops in town. Visiting on a Monday evening, the restaurant was busy and bustling, indicative of it's popularity. Almost every table remained occupied for the duration of my visit. The location isn't exactly the greatest part of the city, however you'll find them in a strip mall directly next door to perennial favourite Bucas & Pastas (have you had the pasticcio??). Kazoku is immediately recognizable by their red awning and this theming remained excellent on the inside. Stepping through the door the aroma of broth tantalized my senses and I couldn't wait to taste the food. My eye was drawn to the incredible mural on the wall, which I absolutely loved!! It's of a city skyline with an adorable cartoonish Godzilla eating a naruto (a type of fish cake). The artwork is striking and looks amazing with the red lanterns hanging throughout the restaurant and dark wooden beams. They've done a wonderful job of creating an amazing atmosphere that you wouldn't necessarily expect from a strip mall! Kazoku means family in Japanese and this family business strives to only serve food that they would serve to their own family. The focus is on authentic ramen made with the freshest ingredients, creating delicious melodies of tastes and colours. Our server was prompt and efficient but I did find her to be quite curt and uninterested in answering many questions or offering recommendations. I was happy to order a Japanese Cream Soda (Melon flavour soda with a scoop of vanilla ice cream - $6.50) to drink, a beverage that I've seen on Japanese menus before and was happy to find here. The colour alone is a lot of fun and we enjoyed slurping on the deep green liquid. The soda tasted sort of citrusy to me and not as much like melon. But when you get the ice cream in the mix it's all very sweet and joyful. (An ideal treat for kids.) Next, we grabbed an order of Edamame (Soy beans sprinkled with coarse sea salt - $4.50) because you can't go wrong with some tasty beans. Bright green, well-cooked, and nicely salted. We happily popped these into our mouths and enjoyed the tender beans within. Edamame always feels like snacking, except in a healthy way. The menu features several types of appetizers and tempura but I zeroed in on the Takoyaki (Fried wheat balls with octopus in the center topped with tonkatsu sauce, mayo, nori, bonito - $13.00), a favourite of mine. Complete with dancing bonito on top, these takoyaki balls appeared to be entirely legit. I am certain that the restaurant is using a specialized takoyaki pan, which is what creates their perfectly spherical shape. Biting into the golden-crispy balls, these were almost identical to what I'd experienced on the streets of Osaka. Crisp on the outside but very soft on the inside with a piece of tender octopus hidden within. The sauces on top added a lot of flavour as did the shaved bonito. These were really good and one of the highlights of the meal for me. Ramen, of course, is Kazoku's specialty and with twelve types on the menu they've got a ramen for everyone. Heavy to lighter broths are offered and the menu does a good job of describing the type of broth to expect in each. I couldn't help but notice some stark similarities between the ramen at Kazoku and the ramen offered at Japanese ramen chain Santouka (my favourite ramen of all-time), including the appearance of shio ramen (my favourite!). They also have a chili goma which I usually love, full of spicy chili oil. However, for my first visit I felt that I should experience the Kazoku (Char siu, full soft-boiled egg, nori, bamboo shoots, corn, black fungus, bean sprouts, toasted sesame, green onion, naruto - $18.50), the restaurant's namesake bowl. Unexpectedly, the server asked if we wanted pork belly or shoulder for our char siu and I have never encountered this option before. Looking for some guidance on which to choose, the server offered little (none) information on the difference between the two. We chose pork belly as that seemed to be the cut of char siu that we were more familiar with. Made with a lighter pork broth, the depth of flavour was alright but I did find myself longing for something a bit more robust. I wasn't all that impressed with the char siu overall. As a BBQ pork, I found the slices incredibly thin (they should be quite thick!) and completely lacking in caramelized BBQ char. The meat was underdone and full of wet, uncooked fat. The noodles were great; nice and loose and tender. The ajitama (egg) was nicely prepared with an ideal jammy yolk, although a bit more marinaded seasoning would have been

I ended up doing delivery from here last week when the usual place I order from was closed. They…read moredid not have a spicy beef pho but for an extra $1.50 I was able to order a side of chili oil for my dining companion. For me, I ordered chicken vermicelli, which came with two spring rolls. I requested vegetarian ones. They were large and crispy. The chicken was flavourful, plentiful, and just slightly spicy. I had the regular sized portion, which was ample. There is a smaller portion for $3 less. The food was fresh and delicious. We will definitely order from here again.

Have been here a few times and dont have a bad word to say. The menu is extensive. The place is…read morewell kept. The items that I have had were all good. The staff have all been friendly and helpful. This is a great place for a nice lunch or supper.

I went to this place today and tried a few dishes with my friend: crispy tofu, tomato beef noodles,…read morepork intestines, beef noodles, etc. The food was delicious, well-made, and the only thing was my beef noodle, which I didn't take a picture of, was not salty enough. The service was very generous and kind. The overall environment is very traditional Hong Kong Chinese. And, it was not pricey at all! Six dishes in total costed me 65 dollars plus tax and tips. Recommended!

This is the second time I visited the restaurant. I have reviewed this place during my first visit…read moreand I decided to leave a second review. I ordered the Curry Beef Brisket Noodle again during my second visit because the dish left a great impression on me during my first visit. The Curry Beef Brisket Noodle is a must-try and I definitely recommend this if you are visiting this restaurant. During my first visit, I did not have the chance to try their satay skewer and I decided to order a chicken satay skewer to try. The chicken satay was good. The meat was tender and nice, and not too burnt or tough unlike some of the satay that i tried. It came with a satay dipping sauce, but the sauce was not as good as I thought. Perhaps it did not contain peanuts due to possible allergy concerns so the sauce was not as fragrant as I expected satay sauce to be. But still it was good, and the skewer wasn't too expensive as well. Great restaurant and definitely one of the hidden gems in Edmonton.

Food was hot and super tasty. Service was exceptional. Very fair prices. Not a fancy place but this…read moreplace is substance over style.

Good rice, fresh broccoli, beef slimy, lemon chicken deep fried something that was tasteless…read more chicken balls OK, good service, restaurant clean.

Great vibe. $5 highball on Sundays. Jake is one of the friendliest bartenders in the city. The…read moreambiance and low lights with Neon works very well. The DJ keep the mood going. Will definitely be back.

Place was 90% full Friday at midnight. We left at 1AM and still 60% full…read more 2 single stall bathrooms. Great decor. We were seated at the bar. Place was not rowdy at all. Music was pretty loud. Honestly, I was a little toasted by now so I am hesitant to give ratings. We tried: Baijiu barbie: 8/10 Strawberry Yum Yum: 7.5/10 Pisco Sour: 9/10 boyfriend thought it was better than at the Alchemy (smoother). Ha Long Bae: 9/10. Boyfriend loved it and gives it a 10/10. Drunken Dumplings: too spicy for me but boyfriend loved them. 7/10 for me. Very small portion, just a small bowl with 6 dumplings in it.

We are incredibly spoiled by the amount of amazing Vietnamese food that we have here in Edmonton. I…read moredoubt that the Vietnamese population is greater here compared to in other cities but the culinary deliciousness and pure celebration of the cuisine that comes out of this community is second to none. Certainly a point of pride in our city! From the best phở in the country (King Noodle), near-perfect bánh mì (Van Loc), delicious plant-based fare (An Chay), to innovative street food expressions that you've never tasted before (Mãi Mãi)... We've got it all. And it's the best of the best. XO Bistro + Bar throws their name into the ring with a more elevated and modern Vietnamese dining experience, demonstrating that there's a sophisticated side to Viet food that demands representation as well. VUE Weekly loved this restaurant and named them #1 Best Vietnamese, #1 Best Late Night/All Night, and #1 Best Happy Hour in 2018. First opened in 2017 and now with two locations, I visited the original Downtown spot on a Saturday evening, anxiously anticipating the symphony of flavours ahead. XO Bistro is in good company on Edmonton's famous boardwalk street which is lined with a collection of many popular restaurants. The parking is a nightmare and the small handful of street parking spots always seem to be taken. But you'll figure it out. With its proximity to the ICE District you can easily imagine that this restaurant has been able to take advantage of the pre-game dinner crowd and post-game spillover from the Moss Pit. The restaurant is larger than you might imagine, with its soaring second-storey ceiling and filled with dark moody finishes and an impressive bar completing the lounge vibe. However, the real show-stopper is the life-sized cherry blossom tree right in the entranceway, covered in pink blossoms. This tree serves as a major focal point and it's difficult to take your eyes off of it! The servers are cheerful and friendly, and although there were no window tables available we were seated comfortably. Priding themselves on their cocktail program, I knew that an XO Original was a must and soon I found the Good Morning Vietnam (Gin, Soho, hibiscus, lime juice, lychee puree - $15.00) in my hand. A cocktail to match the restaurant perfectly! I loved that this beverage was fresh and fruity and wasn't too strong. Pretty and drinkable, the sweet flavour of lychee took the lead while tart notes from the lime and hibiscus leveled the beverage out. Without a doubt, the correct drink to sip on under the blush-hued blooms! XO Bistro's goal is to serve food that isn't always traditional but is always authentic. Bold, balanced flavours inspired by the everyday energy of Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, and Da Nang. The liveliness and fresh takes are apparent on the menu right away and I was excited to order some dishes that felt new. Starting with appetizers, the Double Trouble (Rice paper, shrimp, lettuce, vermicelli, tangy fish sauce. Choice of pork or veggie spring roll - $11.25) stood out as something fun to try. Can't choose between a spring roll or a fresh roll? Get both! I loved this playful version and especially enjoyed getting to eat two types of rolls instead of just one! We chose the pork spring roll for the inside and I loved the textural crunch and juicy pork that it provided. Meanwhile, the outside was wrapped in rice paper, acting as a window to the shrimp enveloped within. Dunking each bite into the zippy fish sauce added just the right acidity. Wonderfully tasty, so much fun to eat, and striking presentation to boot! Another item that really caught my eye was the Bone Marrow (Roasted bone marrow, panko crust, toasted baguette, pâté - $19.00). A dish that I love but only come across seldomly. Now this was a dish that I certainly did not expect. But boy did I love it! Roasting the marrow topped with a crust of seasoned panko was inspired - a genius way to add texture (and more flavour) to an otherwise fairly gelatinous ingredient. Bread is such a huge component to Vietnamese cuisine (think bánh mì) because of the French colonization in the 1800s. The Viet people then proceeded to transform this bread into a completely new, localized culinary staple. The baguette at XO Bistro was absolute fresh, housemade(?) perfection. Crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside. I loved slathering the bread with ample amounts of delicious pâté (another "gift" from the French) and then topping it all off with spoonfuls of rich bone marrow. Each bite exemplified decadence and I reveled in it. This might very well have been the best bone marrow preparation that I've ever had. Vietnamese food might be one of the earlier examples of fusion cuisine, and while colonization sucks the food admittedly does not. XO Bistro provides everything that you know and love in terms of main dishes; from bánh mì to phở (there's even a "phở challenge" where if you eat an obscenely-sized bowl in 45 minutes you get a prize) to bún. On my visit I was in the

This was really good food. We ordered three different appetizers, but they did not provide us with…read moreplates to share initially or utensils. The food was good.

Really delicious food and generous portions! Ordered delivery through Skip. We were very impressed…read morewith how well prepared our meal was. This is definitely going to be our new go-to Indian restaurant. The vegetable samosas were huge and the dough flaky. Came with two different sauces plus a delicious side if Chana Masala. Was a meal in itself. Also had Daal Makhani...yum! Love that we were given a spice level preference to all of the dishes we ordered. Came with an order of free Saffron rice which was also very fluffy and flavourful. The naan bread came in it's own sealed bag. Delicious, well prepared and packaged food. Wonderful experience and looking forward to trying more dishes. Highly recommend this restaurant!

Great food !! Love the butter chicken, so creamy and a kick to it!! The Mann is amazing!! Service…read morewas very nice, we always get the same gentleman

Ordered the "sizzling platter" to go. When i got home it was one small take out container that…read morewasnt even full. It came with a small cup of rice. The meal cost $30. Not worth the price and definitely not a platter.

Grain of Rice use to have a whole thing on the website about how their prices are higher because…read morethey pay a living wage and do not except tips. Fair enough. Well now their prices are still higher than any other Pho restaurant, the servings are smaller without all the different types of meat you get at other restaurants and they expect tips. If I am paying $21 for a bowl of Pho I expect it to be loaded with meat and noodles and fill me up. Paying $25 ish for a bowl of Pho is crazy unless it is the most amazing thing ever, which it was not. The pho was good but needed the different types of meat other than steak. No meat balls or any other options unless you add them and then you are looking at a $30 bowl of pho. I will be sticking to pho hoan pasteur. They either need to get rid of tips again or lower the prices to a normal Pho restaurant price. Can't have both.