Tori Ramen

Reviews 6

ED

Edward Lundborg

TLDR: - Great organic food (ramen only) with vegetarian/vegan options, - only a couple taps but theyre only for good sake and craft beer, - nice atmosphere, but they are almost always busy. - Takeout is an option but not recommended. Price: $$ ($8 for the cheapest bowl, $17 for the most expensive. No skimping on quality though. Expect to spend $15 per person.) Food: * * * * * (Vegetarian friendly. Not sure about Vegan. Only ramen, but theres GOING to be something you like. Theyre all very well balanced. The E.V. is good for cheap, but I still recommend the expensive ones like the Bali Bali, which has a very rich broth.) Drink: * * * * - (Selection is small, but good) Staff: * * * * - (Evening staff is friendly and great, morning staff is... undergoing some turnover right now) Location: * * * - - (Its small, and always busy, so youll be waiting bunched up in the entryway.) Im a regular here. Ive had a bowl of Jasons ramen every weekend since they opened last Fall and I still love it. Theyre pricey, but for very good reason. First, the food is satisfying and phenomenal. They only do ramen, but they do a great job balancing flavors and sticking to organic ingredients. No extra stuff like youll find at other places. Noodles-wise, they have a Japanese supplier, but hope to find a space to make their own. Back onto food quality, though, theyve thought it through to the point where they use thicker noodles for a thicker brother Second, the location is rather small, and if youre claustrophobic you might not be comfortable. There are only a couple places where a group of 3 or more can sit together, so I recommend coming alone or with one other person. Last, the waitstaff are really friendly. The co-owner/chef Jason is a great guy that I recommend chatting up if you get the chance. Asiya, the other half of the operation is also super approachable. Heck, everyone here is. Just come over and have a bowl!

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CH

Chong Huynh

I was very excited to try this place, but I was extremely let down by the service. Came in with intention to dine, but ended up leaving with a to-go order due to poor service. My girlfriend and I love ramen, and we actively seek new ramen places to try. We heard and read many good things about Tori, I didnt expect to get the bad service that we did. We were there at about 1:15pm on Sunday. It was busy, a few people waiting outside the door. We went in to put our names on the list, as directed by the people in line. We were not able see anyone at the front so we asked a staff, they told us to go to the front and someone would be there to help. After about 15 minutes of waiting with no acknowledgement, and getting skipped in line, twice, by the staff working the cashier (telling us to step aside for the people behind us in line), we decide to just do a to-go order. We felt we were treated very rudely and didnt want to stay. There was a little redemption when the staff who gave us the food apologized for the confusion, but I didnt feel there was any accountability, just a blame on confusion. The ramen itself was okay, we got the ah see yah and the Korean ramen. We liked the ah see yah better. I cant recommend this restaurant to people, based on our experience.

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RA

Rachel Johnson

Great place for Ramen Eating out involves all 5 senses and starts the minute you walk through the front door. Its clear that a lot of thought and care were put into the aesthetic for this tiny place. It is warm and welcoming and they make the most of their limited space. I went on a Friday for lunch and it was steady with business. I didnt have to wait to order or to get a seat but Ive heard theyre popular enough that that is usually not the case. The staff went out of their way to greet me and make sure all my questions about the menu were answered. I ordered a bowl of the Ah See Yah for $13. It came out much faster than I anticipated given that almost every seat in the place was filled. It was a great bowl of ramen and just the right size. Some people complain about a $13 bowl of ramen but that seams to be pretty standard pricing among the other ramen shows Ive been too (Ramen Kazama, Unideli, Zen Box, Masu, Ippindo). They appear to have a great flow between front and back of house. My experience was seamless and delicious! I will definitely be back to try their other varieties. If you value not waiting to order or sit then Id advise you come during off peak hours. This place is worth checking out if you like good ramen.

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BE

Benjamin R. E.

This place is a Godsend in our little corner of St. Paul. I am not a ramen expert, but Ive certainly plenty of it around the Twin Cities and in San Francisco, and I eat my weight in pho about every six months. This place has really, really good, even excellent, ramen: the broth has deep flavor, the different ramens are creative conceived (although they may all be classics, for all I know), the ingredients are fresh and beautifully put together, and the whole approach to the preparation and presentation reflects a respect and love for the food that makes good restaurants good. The noodles and vegetables are perfectly prepared and suited to the various broths. What more do you want? Sake? They have sake, all kinds, sake on tap, for Gods sake (no pun intended), posh beer that pairs beautifully with the food. The people who work there are really friendly. It gets crowded sometimes. I have never felt pressured to leave; not even close. Its also nice to have a place thats open late in our little town.

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JU

Judy Park

I came here after seeing MyFab5 Twin Cities post on their IG account. I ordered Ah See Ya ramen. I found that their broth and ingredients were overpowered by their black garlic oil. Two spoons of the broth and my tastebuds were "numb". I think because of the oil, my tongue could taste only salt and black garlic/sesame seed oil flavors. I tried tasting everything separately and none of them struck a distinct flavor on my tongue...except the burdock. I couldnt finish the broth but ate the rest of the contents. I felt the texture of the noodles were a bit on the overcooked/soft side. I was disappointed but I hope to try their Korean ramen to see if it has any distinct flavors. Service was great. One suggestion: Offering a trio of palate cleanser on the side consisting of any pickled side dishes. Even Kimchi would have helped or pickled daikon or vegetables. Raw onions with vinegar would have helped as well.

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CL

Claire Tenscher

I remember why I love ramen! I ordered the Vegetarian, my dining companion had the Korean, ordered without meat. Mine was fatty and had fresh, quality noodles. I powered through the whole bowl but there was enough to have had leftovers. The restaurant was crowded when we arrived but did turnover quickly. The bar area is a part of the seating scheme, so you may be asked to sit there if it opens up and you are next in line. Once your table is assigned to you, order at the cash register. Bring reading glasses, the menu print is tiny. I do have a request for the couple who we waited for: if youre at a table and finished and see people waiting, maybe consider standing near the door while you take turns using the restroom, especially because your table was cleared and you were staring at your phone.

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