Horin Ramen + Sake finally open their doors on Robson and Bute in Downtown Vancouver. They specialize in Fukuoka Ramen with their own spicy twist. Back in 1966, Mr. Sadayuki Nakahara and his wife Keiko were the originators of adding spicy chili peppers into a pork-based Tonkotsu broth. They have taken this secret recipe and opened a bunch of ramen shops in Japan and now around the word.
Interior
The interior is very narrow with half the restaurant for seating and the other half is their kitchen. Since it just opened, it’s not very busy at all. Plus, they have very limited hours as they are still in their soft opening phase.
They also make their noodles in-house, so you can watch them turn dough into ramen noodles.
Menu
Chashu Ramen with Soft Boiled Egg
You have the base of tonkotsu broth and 3 times more slices of braised pork belly for a total of 6 pieces. There is also green onions and their house made chili blend.
You can customize your ramen with noodle firmness (soft, standard, firm), Dashi (less salty, standard, extra salty), House Chili Blend (less spicy, standard, extra spicy), and lard (less fat, standard, or extra fat).
M thought it was ok, but didn’t stand out compared to some other ramen shops in Vancouver. He didn’t like the saltiness of the broth even though he got it standard and the chashu slices were very thin. He didn’t feel like the chili blend was that special as other ramen shops do that in town too.
Ajitama Ramen
You get their soft-boiled egg marinated in their tare-seasoning. There are 2 slices of chashu, chili sauce, and green onions.
You can customize this ramen too and I got it mostly with the standard options, but with firm noodles.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it’s a solid bowl of ramen for this section of Robson Street, but they have stiff competition as there are more ramen shops a few blocks away. It all comes down to personal preference.
The prices are also very fair. When it comes to their sake selection, there are only 4 options and it’s pretty pricey for a whole bottle. They don’t have options for just a cup.
Address:
1226 Robson St, Vancouver, BC
