Hana Ramen 一花ラーメン – 1024 Gerrard St E, Toronto, ON M4M 1Z5
Country: Japan       
Must-try dish: Pork Ramen 
Seating: Indoor seating only. 
Dinner guests: Dancing Queen
The high: There are several good ramen options to suit all palates. 
The low: The portions are really big so be prepared. 

This popular Scarborough restaurant now has an outpost in Leslieville. The name of the game here is ramen, and there’s a generous selection of broths and meats to please any taste. Although there are delicious sounding beef, chicken, and seafood options, our unwavering option is to always go for the pork when it comes to this Japanese soup, and that’s exactly what we did. 

This type of meal is more individual than our usual family-style, so when it comes down to it on a visit to Hana, you can pick what you’re in the mood for with broth and protein. The two most popular ones according to our server are the Miso Pork and the Spicy Pork. 

The Miso Pork is a rich broth with a dominant miso flavour and thin but large pieces of pork on top of the noodles and soft boiled egg. There are also a few pieces of seaweed that ultimately sink deeper into the soup and you’ll likely eat closer to the bottom of the bowl. The Spicy Pork on the other hand definitely has a kick to it with chili flavour dominating the broth. The same fixings are included in the Spicy Pork as the Miso Pork – chashu, bamboo shoots, green onion, garlic, seaweed, egg, and noodles. 

In keeping with the theme, the third order was the Shoyu Pork, which is the saltiest of the bunch because one of the main ingredients used in the broth is soy sauce. All the additional ingredients remain the same in these three classic broths, but may change if you order one of the specialty ramens like beef tenderloin, seafood, or vegetarian. 

For every ramen ordered, the diner can get another round of noodles for free to add to the broth. That might be a lot, but if you’re still hungry then take advantage! You also have the option of getting extras added like a soft boiled egg, meat, seaweed, and chili sauce. 

To accompany the soups, we ordered a couple of side dishes. The first was the Original Karaage – breaded and deep-fried pieces of tender chicken with a spicy mayonnaise sauce for dipping. These fried chicken pieces are going to be hard to beat. Our second dish was the Takoyaki, which is a more acquired taste. These deep-fried octopus balls are made with ground octopus, tempura, and seasoning then rolled in batter and cooked. 

The menu offers rice and noodle dishes alongside a few more traditional items from the Japanese menu like miso soup and seaweed salad. But let’s be honest, you’re going to Hana to quench a ramen craving, and you’ll enjoy every minute of it.

Eat with you soon, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)