Benkei Ramen on Robson

We were still hungry after Guu and stopped by Kintaro, which was really busy. So we walked to Benkei nearby, which turned out to be cheaper.

Benkei Ramen
1741 Robson St.
Vancouver, BC V6G 1E1

It was kind of late and while we ordered their more special ramens, we had to settle for something a little more basic since they were out. I believe we got the Miso and the Shoyu. The decor and service gave off a much friendlier vibe than at Kintaro. Since the restaurant wasn't busy, it was also more relaxed.





I don't remember having the choice between fatty or lean meat, but I did add an egg which was well cooked and creamy. The ramen was decent but portion might be smaller than at Kintaro. Quality wise, I don't remember Kintaro enough to make a valid comparison. Truth be told, I don't like ramen enough to have it often. In any case, I am looking forward to trying something beyond the basic shoyu, miso, and shio soup bases next time.

Guu on Thurlow

Guu on Thurlow
838 Thurlow St
Vancouver, BC V6E 1W2
(604) 685-8817

The seared beef was tasty and nicely presented. I don't remember anything else about it.



For the tofu dish, again, I liked the presentation but I found the texture of the tofu too hard. It would have been nicer with a softer tofu. The high ratio of tofu to everything else made the dish seem rather bland. In other words, I don't think the tofu paired well with everything else. I'd like to point out that this wouldn't have been an issue if the sauce was good, instead of insanely salty. Then again, maybe the bland tofu was to provide relief from the sodium overload, which it did.



This was the seared pork belly. It was a bit salty, but acceptable. Would have been better if the meat was more tender and in bigger pieces.



The meal was okay and I enjoyed my glass of plum wine. However, I have to say that I was a little disappointed this time. Service was also very slow. I think I'll stick with their deep fried fare and udon. Regardless, I find that Guu never satisfies my satiety no matter how much I order. I usually end up going somewhere else afterwards.