Umami Noodle Bar Calgary Restaurant Review

Calgaryism's Restaurant Review of Umami, Japanese Ramen

I’m always up for trying new ramen joints around town. As a matter of fact, I’ve kind of taken it upon myself to investigate just which are the best ramen noodle bars in Calgary, so I just had to check out Umami once I saw it driving along 16th Avenue Northwest.

This small, simplistic ramen joint restaurant had all the essentials to make for a good Japanese egg noodle experience: several choices of ramen, basic appetizers and a neo-Japanese atmosphere with a decent drink menu plus specials is all you need!

Calgaryism Ratings

• Atmosphere – 9.0/10.0

• Service – 7.5/10.0

• Food – 8.0/10.0

• Cost – 9.5/10.0

*with 10 rated as best

Location

[mappress mapid="303"]

Atmosphere & Service

Inside Umami Noodle Bar you’ll find a simplistic, minimal interior with several half booth seats. Mostly wooden trim with a chalk board at the front section covered in the signatures of past visitors, it’s a nice, comfortable atmosphere to dine alone or catch up with a friend or two in.

Our server did a good job of explaining different menu items and keeping our drinks filled up. She even came over to ask how our meal a few times which showed her attention to detail and is something that’s always appreciated. Absolutely no complaints!

Our Food

Red Devil Ramen - $14.50 - house spicy broth, thin egg noodles, pork chasu, corn, green onion

Lo and behold, if there were one ramen dish that is pushing too spicy for me, this is it. I love spicy foods, especially soups, so the Red Devil was a no brainer to try.

Inside is a flaming hot broth (rated six chili pepper hotness), thin egg noodles, corn, green onions and your choice of lean or fatty pork chasu. If you love spicy and are always eating the spiciest thing on the menu like I do, then this is for you.

Beware – it is VERY hot, and the temperature of the soup adds to the spiciness tenfold. You’ll want to have lots of water and napkins ready while chowing down on Calgary’s spiciest ramen bowl.

Beef Tataki - $7.00 – thin slices of beef bathed in house sweet sauce

Beef tataki is a staple appetizer when it comes to Japanese cuisine. Whether it’s sushi or ramen, I’m always up for a tataki order and this one did not disappoint.

One downside was that there were only 8 slices and they seemed a bit small. Oh well, I guess for only seven bucks it’s not too bad!

All-in-all, I really enjoyed my Umami Noodle Bar dining experience. I wouldn’t say it’s one of the top ramen restaurants in the city, but it definitely does the trick if you’re looking for an inexpensive Japanese noodle experience. Check it out!

Umami Noodle Bar

• Address – 305 16th Avenue NW, Calgary, AB
• Phone Number – 403-454-8383

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