Dining Out: Signature Shoyu Ramen and Pork Katsu Set Meal at The North Japanese Noodle Bar

New ramen shop alert! 

I went with my friend Iris to check out The North Japanese Noodle Bar this evening. The small mom-and-pop shop just opened up a couple months ago, located in a corner unit at Langham Square, which is notorious for its terrible parking lot and fast restaurant turnover. But this noodle bar, having only been opened for two or so months, has received nothing but rave reviews so far. Inside is tiny — there's only four high-top tables plus a row of seats at the kitchen bar — but not overly crowded. It's self-serve, so you order at the cashier and get your own water or tea, but they bring your food to your table.

Signature Shoyu Ramen

Both Iris and I decided to get the Signature Shoyu Ramen. The ramen comes in tall, narrow bowls and is topped with a perfectly runny soft-boiled egg, two thick cuts of pork belly, two thin slices of pork tenderloin, plus corn, seaweed, and randomly, arugula, of which the peppery finish surprisingly complemented the rich, umami flavour of the broth and the smoky, salty flavour of the pork belly. The noodles were nice and springy with a satisfying chew, and the broth was smooth and milky. An excellent bowl of ramen. Frankly, I found it more to my taste than some of the more popular ramen chains here. 

Torched salmon sushi tapas
Pork Katsu Set Meal
Pork katsu
Torched salmon sushi and assorted sashimi

We also decided to get the Pork Katsu Set Meal to share. The set comes with miso soup, salad, a bowl of steamed rice, sashimi, and torched salmon sushi. The katsu has a great aroma, dressed with a classic tangy katsu sauce, and has ultra-crispy, perfectly golden breading, but I did think the pork itself could've been a little more tender. Still, I do think the set gives you a great bang for your buck. You get a good variety of sides and excellent portions for $22. That having been said, this is a noodle shop and at the end of the day, the ramen is what really shines. I will definitely come back again to try more of their noodle offerings, especially the Kotteri Rich Shoyu Ramen and the Roasted Garlic Ramen, which are just calling my name.

The North Japanese Noodle Bar

Langham Square

28 South Unionville Ave., Unit 1056

Unionville, ON L3R 1J5

(905) 475-8898