Ikkousha Ramen Chicken

Best chicken ramen in Toronto, beating most pork ramen

COVID-19 update: 20% off all orders!

Ikkousha (一幸舎) may be a global chain but its ramen are among the best in Toronto. The original store near Hakata train station in Fukuoka, Japan, is famous for its tonkotsu ramen and its rendition in Toronto is just as good. It’s a close second after Santouka (山頭火), another Japanese chain.

While the first Canadian outlet sticks closely to the formula from the original Japanese location, Ikkousha recently opened a restaurant two doors away that focuses solely on chicken. Even the side dishes like gyoza (pan-fried dumplings) are based on chicken. This is the first Ikkousha restaurant in the world that specializes in chicken ramen. And it is out-of-this-world good.

Ok, technically, this isn’t the first Ikkousha restaurant that serves chicken exclusively. Some branches in Indonesia only have chicken ramen to appeal to Muslim diners. However, the menu here is completely different and this Toronto restaurant is the first to be branded as “Ikkousha Chicken”. If you are wondering, there is no halal or kosher certification.

Ramenology primer

There are many ways to classify ramen. Broth seasoning, broth base, and noodle type are the most common. For this review, you just have to know the difference between broth bases. Ikkousha has long been associated with tonkotsu (豚骨), a whitish concoction from boiling pork bones and cartilage for hours. Their second restaurant in Toronto focuses on chicken broth bases. The two types are tori paitan (鶏白湯; literally chicken white soup) and tori chintan (鶏清湯; literally chicken clear soup). Like tonkotsu, tori paitan is made by boiling chicken bones and cartilaginous parts like chicken feet until all the fat and connective tissue melds into the broth. The result is a creamy, umami-rich, high cholesterol chicken soup.

The food

The menu is hyper-focused with just 4 ramen offerings and a few token side dishes. Diners fill up an order form and hand it to the waitstaff when ready.

Tori paitan ramen is the signature dish. The broth was bright yellow and silky. It was a chicken flavour bomb. It was like five chickens stuffed in the soup. I am not sure how they managed to coax so much flavour out of chicken bits and bones, but it definitely wasn’t artificial flavouring. When I tasted it for the first time, it was a revelation that chicken broth could be just as good, if not better, than tonkotsu broths.

Noodles were thin and straight, which is the same style as Ikkousha’s hometown in Hakata. They were al dente. The basic ramen has just 4 toppings: chicken, black fungus, spring onion, and nori. Slices of chicken breast were melt-in-the-mouth. Black fungus pieces were almost tasteless (as they naturally are). Their main function is to add texture and colour. Diners can add additional ingredients like eggs and bamboo shoots ($2.26 and $1.70 respectively). I didn’t bother with those, because ramen is all about the broth for me. Everything else is secondary. My only nit is that the noodle portion is small. I left feeling 80% full.

There is no competition for the best chicken broth in the city. The runner-up is Kinton, which had the best chicken ramen until Ikkousha Ramen Chicken came along. Kinton’s broth is great but not as stunning. I prefer the noodles at Kinton though, because it is slightly thicker and has better mouth-feel.

Both Ikkousha restaurants offer God Fire ramen for spice lovers. Spicy ramen is not traditional but is quite popular outside Japan. This dish features on Ikkousha’s menu in Southeast Asia, California, and of course, Canada. I have to admit I was disappointed to find the same pork-based broth used for both Ikkousha and Ikkousha Chicken. The only difference was the toppings: pork vs chicken. I had hoped for a chicken-based God Fire broth. Don’t get me wrong, the broth was still tasty.

There are four levels of spiciness. I chose 3 chillies. Due to COOVID-19, I ordered God Fire ramen for takeout. Noodles and broth are packaged separately. The same dry ingredients are used as with tori paitan ramen. The difference is just the broth. The thick layer of fragrant red oil was enticing.

The spice level was just right for me. It induced a few drops of sweat but I could finish the whole broth without problems. I don’t usually order spicy ramen because I find that it is either not spicy enough or the chillies are just added as an afterthought to trivially satisfy spice lovers. The spice in the God Fire broth was integrated well and melds with the meat stock. In fact, at 3 chillies, the spice is already starting to overpower the rest of the flavours. I am used to spicy food, so try 2 chillies if you are an occasional spice eater. 4 chillies is no problem for spice addicts, but I feel that the delicate taste of the meat is lost.

Noodles are best eaten à la minute. Takeout ramen isn’t common, even in Japan. When I reached home, the broth survived well but the noodles had congealed somewhat. I had to stir it to restore its shape. They were still acceptably chewy. The other ingredients were slightly overcooked and moist from being in the container for a long time. Perhaps they should poke some steam vents in the lid? Quality definitely wasn’t as good as dine-in, but it’s still a delicious bowl of ramen I would order again.

Ikkousha also has a loyalty card. You get a stamp on it for every bowl of ramen purchased. There are rewards of free toppings and ramen once you have collected enough stamps. It can be used in either of their restaurants in Toronto.

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The place

Ikkousha Ramen Chicken is located in the fast-emerging “Noodle Row” on Queen Street West, next to Osgoode subway station. There are no less than 4 ramen restaurants on the same block and a Chinese noodle restaurant opposite. The first Ikkousha restaurant in Canada is 10 seconds walk away.

The interior is understated: wooden furniture and three marketing posters. You can read more about the history of the restaurant and their global locations while waiting. The restaurant is small. It’s not meant to be a place to linger. Order, eat, and get out so that the next person in line can get in. There is usually a queue at peak hours.

Verdict

Ikkousha’s chicken ramen is a revelatory experience in flavour distillation. 9/10.

Practical information

Name

Ikkousha Ramen Chicken

Rating

9/10

Recommended dishes

Tori paitan ramen (鶏白湯ラーメン)

Prices

Tori paitan ramen: $15.82 ($14.00 before tax)
God fire ramen: $16.95 ($15.00 before tax)

Address

257 Queen Street West

Hours

Monday to Wednesday 1130h – 1500h, 1700h – 2200h
Thursday 1130h – 2200h
Friday 1130h – 2300h
Saturday 1130h – 2300h
Sunday 1130h – 2200h

Date of visit

March 2020, May 2020