Sansotei Ramen currently has two locations around the GTA- from what I gather on the internet, it seems like they'll be opening up a third location in Markham soon! On our visit, we went to their Dundas location- the small shop was steps away from the Yonge-Dundas Square and at a very convenient location. While we've definitely heard the name before, we had not found the right time to visit. To be completely honest, I went to the restaurant ready to be disappointed as I don't seem to be a fan of the traditional ramen bowl. But I am happy to report that I was very pleasantly surprised!
Their storefront is certainly very small and cozy, with just a few tables squished closely together. A quick scan of the place showed five or six large tables that seat between 4-6. Luckily, we went on a Thursday night around 7PM and there was only a short 10-15 minute wait outside for a table for 6.
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| The menu offering is small- with just a few ramen and side dishes offered. |
Zangi ($4.50)
Deep fried chicken
I'm always game for trying fried chicken and this time was no exception. The chicken was cut into small bite-sized pieces and deep fried 'til crispy. We generally prefer our fried chicken in larger pieces as it keeps more of the moisture in and there's more to enjoy. These pieces of chicken were slightly smaller than what we like and reminded Stanley of chicken nuggets.... While these chicken bites were delicious, we do prefer the fried chicken at Cafe Michi or Isshin Ramen.
Spicy Tan Tan ($9.60)
Pork belly, ground bork, bamboo shoot, egg
I really enjoyed this Spicy Tan Tan! The broth didn't have the strong pork taste that I generally dislike about traditional ramen noodles and it offered just the right amount of kick! It looked like the pork belly had been grilled quickly on both sides before going into the noodle bowl, giving it a bit more flavour. I only wish there as more pork belly.. perhaps it's worth getting some extra on the side. This time, I got the thin noodles; but next time (yes, I foresee a next time..), I will definitely be trying out the thicker noodles!
Tonkotsu Black ($9.85)
Pork belly, black fungus, egg, green onion, garlic oil
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| Because black is better. |
For this outing, Stanley picked the Tonkotsu Black - Sansotei's classic tonkotsu ramen with added garlic oil. The core elements of the ramen bowl are identical to the Spicy Tan Tan but this one comes with a bit of black fungus and a green onion garnish. It is, for the most part, a no-frills traditional ramen experience, with the broth and noodles being the primary focus. While not entirely absent, it was a relief to discover that the broth was not plagued by boar taint. Pork belly slices were prepared in the same manner and just as tasty. Stanley also got the thin noodles and thought that they could've used a bit more springiness.
Overall, this was a great meal and I thoroughly enjoyed the ramen here- I look forward to visiting Sansotei again!
:D~~~~
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