Over February, exclusive 3-course and group specials have made its way onto Kinton Ramen’s menu, just in time to warm us up in this cold weather. The meal for two ($27.99) arrives with two ramen, an order of gyoza, and pop that can be upgraded to beer ($2 a can) – you bet we did the upgrade. I would have liked the ability to choose/upgrade the side dish as the citrusy sweet glaze slathered on the gyoza ($4.50 by itself) is not for me. In general, Kinton’s dumplings aren’t the greatest; after scraping off the sauce what’s left is bland, the filling lacking texture and flavour.

In the mood for some heat, the pork spicy garlic ramen ($12.95 for just the noodles) certainly hit the spot – right to the back of the throat as you sip the flavourful fragrant broth. The thick noodles went perfectly with it and stayed chewy despite not being consumed right away.

In hindsight, the ramen could have used some extra toppings as the base was nothing more than just the garlic, a few slices of pork, and a sprinkling of scallion. I would have like something crunchy, like bean sprouts, and a mound of sweet corn to balance out the spice. Note to self: add-ons are key.

My husband was on the right track elevating his bowl with the karaage pork original (additional $3.50 with the combo; $16.45 for just the noodles). I assumed it would be a soggy bust, but the four thick pieces of crispy pork still had a bit of crunch and was oh so juicy. Even as it sat in the broth and the batter soaked in the creamy pork soup, it still tasted good. Way to go Kinton, this karaage ramen is delicious!

Overall, we were just impressed with how well the ramen held up with delivery. After re-heating the broth (a key step for enjoying ramen at home) and placing everything into a glass bowl, it tasted like we were right there in the restaurant - sitting at a high top or the bar and tucking into the hot noodles with a buzz around us. I sense this will become a favourite of ours during the winter, something to keep us warm and cozy.