Japanese ramen chain finally opening their first Canadian restaurant this month in Toronto

A Japanese restaurant chain serving world-famous ramen should finally be opening their first ever Canadian location in Toronto around the end of this month.

Machida Shoten is a Japanese restaurant chain famous for their ramen, specializing in Yokohama Iekei ramen which is known for its rich, savoury flavours and is made using techniques that stick to old traditions.

The brand was originally founded in 2008 in Japan, and has now expanded to open over 800 locations around the world in places such as the United States, the Philippines, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

The origins of Yokohama Ieki ramen can be traced back to the 1970s in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

The hallmarks of this particular style of ramen are straight noodles with a medium level of thickness, a very rich and creamy broth that’s created using pork bones and soy sauce, and chicken oil that makes the whole dish umami, savoury and satisfying.

The most traditional toppings for Yokohama Iekei ramen which will be available at the Toronto location of Machida Shoten are quail eggs, chashu, nori, spinach, spicy karami and negi. The original, max, chashu, negi and kara ramen bowls from Machida Shoten all come with different combinations of these toppings.

In addition to their signature Yokohama Ieki ramen, some locations of Machida Shoten also serve other ramen dishes like dipping ramen, miso ramen and veggie ramen, and also serve some side dishes on the menu such as karaage, gyoza and Chinese-style fried rice.

Uniquely, Machida Shoten also serves every bowl of their ramen with a complimentary bowl of rice that you can use to sop up the rest of your broth after all the noodles have been finished.

To gear up for the opening of the first ever Canadian location of Machida Shoten in Toronto, the Toronto team is being trained by a specialist team flown in specially from Japan to make sure every single detail is just right and the quality of the ramen matches Japanese standards exactly.

The opening of Machida Shoten’s first Canadian restaurant in Toronto is a big deal, and they’re celebrating with a huge giveaway of a year’s worth of ramen from the restaurant, which you can enter to win on social media.

Machida Shoten should be soft opening their first ever Canadian location in the city of Toronto on Nov. 25.

The Canadian location of Machida Shoten can be found at 326 College St.