Japanese Ramen Kai

i was wondering why they shut down they were one of the best! man ichi is there now and it sucks.

Why am I reviewing a place that closed down? After completing a year-​long search for the best bowl of ramen on the island, I finally concluded that the Miso Cha-​Shu Ramen here was my absolute favorite. The broth was flavorful, savory, and porky with hints of miso, ginger, and garlic. The chewy noodles and succulent chashu created a memorable experience. So ono!
Unfortunately, the owner got homesick and moved back to Japan.
So here are my current fave bowls of ramen:
1. Agu Ramen Bistro on Isenberg Street. The Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu (level 2 spiciness) is so flavorful and satisfying. Whenever I’m in the UH area, I always drop by. (Second location at Ward Centre.)
2. Kiwami Ramen on Ke’eaumoku. I am addicted to the Spicy Tsukemen Ramen (medium level spiciness, noodles served hot.) My current «go-​to place.»
3. Wagaya is a new ramen shop in McCully. The Tsukemen was awesome. Will be back soon.
4. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka at the entrance of Don Quijote. The Shoyu Ramen is savory and comforting. Part of a large chain, but still so good.
Here is my blog post of my ramen quest:
«Always dreaming of ramen…»

No idea why it is closed… I hope they are reopening somewhere else because this spot reps some seriously good ramen. I was just here less than a month ago!
Gyoza here is lacking but the ramen broth is very tasty and savory.

Would have gave one more star if it weren’t for the extremely slow service or maybe the Japanese staff just hated me and my friend…
I wanted to try this ramen place out ever since it opened right across from Ala Moana. I finally got that opportunity when, as luck would have it, we were starving on a Sunday afternoon and just so happened got done with shopping at the mall. So we got seated, and were immediately handed menus and offered water. Then, I noticed a family of 3 and one individual get seated about 5 minutes after us.
We ordered. I got the Goma Tan Tan and friend got the Hokkaido Shoyu Ramen. As we were waiting, we chatted and such. Then, the waiter comes and brings bowls of ramen to the family of 3 and the individual that got seated AFTER us. I’m pretty sure me and my friend ordered before them. How’s it possible that people that ordered after us got their ramen first? What. This usually doesn’t bother me but it did this time because I was really hungry. But, I didn’t show any annoyance since our ramen came out soon after… still.
My friend liked the ramen. Said it wasn’t too salty, and just the right amount of flavor. I liked mine too. It was spicy, but the kind of spicy that I adored. Our waters got refilled too so I couldn’t help but tip the minimum as we got our bill. This is a nice place to grab a bite to eat, but I don’t see myself visiting again anytime soon.

Had another eventful experience at a ramen restaurant, this being a second time my food had something unusual in it. Hopefully this isn’t a new trend, but more on that to follow. First time visiting this place, the interior was laid out spaciously despite the overall small size of the restaurant and it is comfortable and clean on the inside.
Ordered the Sio (extra pork) goma tan tan ramen. The price and portion size are comparable to other ramen restaurants. They also offer a selection of sides that you can add into your ramen. Their gyoza side dish was perfectly pan fried. The bowl of ramen had five pieces of perfectly fatty char siu pieces, a not-​overwhelming amount of veggies (like some places throw in) and expertly cooked noodle. The broth is as flavorful and spiced to the right amount without being overpowering like my other ramen restaurant review.
Halfway through my meal is where it gets eventful. I find a small caterpillar floating to the top of my soup which was instantly recognizable with the small black head and segmented worm body. I’m told it appears to be the kind that munch on leafy greens until they grow to adulthood. I pluck it out and we call the waiter over and he quickly apologizes and takes it to the kitchen. Later, he and the chef come out and apologize and immediately put my meal on the house and offer me a new bowl. I was impressed by their handling of it and no fuss was made. Still being hungry, I took them up on it and got a new bowl free of extra protein ingredients.
All things considered, have to give them 4 stars how they handled the situation. Not every place would provide the same customer service. The only thing I didn’t see was water refills being offered.
Parking can be found in the small neighboring lot or in Ala Moana itself.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that because I finally remembered to do my first check-​in through Unilocal here that this is a sign that I should review the place. Overall, I like this place okay. I’m in between «A-​OK» and «Yay! I’m a fan!» If only Unilocal does .5 stars, I would give 3.5!
This location used to be a pretty decent Phở place but was changed in 2013 to what it currently is — no complaints about the old place, and no complaints now as a Japanese ramen restaurant! Location is very unique as it’s tucked away next to Ala Moana and doesn’t seem to attract the same crowds as restaurants inside the mall. Call me claustrophobic (or agoraphobic?) but at least there’s not much of a wait during peak dining hours while I bump elbows with everyone and anyone that walks by at the mall.
The first time, I ordered the Hokkaido miso ramen, and the second/​most recent trip, I ordered the white ramen. I liked both as they were full of flavor but they did not go too overboard in salt or seasonings. All the noodles come in the gigantic Japanese noodle bowl so portions are pretty good if you’re a big eater, and pretty damn generous if you aren’t too famished. The most memorable thing was the white ramen because I love paitan and it was the closest I could get to that at this place. It actually came with a chunk of butter which enhanced the flavor, rather than make it oily or too rich. So yes to butter please! Not that anyone would say no to butter anyways, hehe.
The staff was nice and pleasant — did the usual «irrashaimase» greeting, refilled water, answered my questions, etc.
It’s not that secretive anymore but I did see the sign for happy hour from 3pm to 5 pm where their listed ramen were $ 5.00 per bowl, so definitely something to think about if you want to check this place out at a discount. Now I will be off to try and convince my boss that I’ve always taken my lunch breaks at 3 pm.

After a long 2 hour bus ride back from the Dole Plantation, my daughter and I were hungry for dinner. We wanted to try the discounted happy hour ramens, between the hours of 3:00 — 5:00p.m., but was declined due to our arrival of 5:04. Missed it by 4 minutes. :(We ordered the Char Siu Don and Shoyu ramen. The service was prompt, polite and spoke Japanese for tourist. The meat for the rice bowl was salty but they give generous portions. The pork slices on the ramen are thick but the broth was salty and flavorful. I would recommend giving the other ramens a try during happy hour. Be sure to arrive on time for happy hour.

Maybe it’s because I haven’t gone to a ramen shop since I left Japan, but I really liked this place. It’s true that ramen is never the same as when you have it in Japan, but Kai’s surely one of those few who gets as close to it.
It’s my first time here so I don’t have much to compare. However, in ordering the Hokkaido Sio Ramen, I found the noodles fresh and the broth very enjoyable. It didn’t have too much flavor going on and it sorta had that creamy (?) taste I love when the wheat from the noodles mix in. I can just taste the authenticity!
Ramen aside, the staff were very welcoming. They paid everyone close attention without being too pushy or in your face. Total first impression? Complete success & satisfaction!
PS; Happy Hour is such a great deal! $ 4 off all flavors of ramen (or at least that’s what I remember. lol)

Having been to Japan three times and visiting some of Tokyo’s finest Ramen spots. It’s difficult for me to give any Ramen or noodle spot in Hawai’i a perfect score. So, right off the bat, if you see a 4-​stars Ramen review from me, that’s probably as good as it gets in Hawai’i! IMHO.
I’ve been to Japanese Ramen Kai a couple times now. Very good, but not my absolute favorite. On my visit today, I came with my friend from Japan, Akira.
We came here by default since Hokkaido Ramen Santouka was über crowded and Yotteko Ya «Kyoto» Ramen was closed!
We wanted to stick around the mall so we decided here. Anyway’s… Akira’s debating on going to college at the UH, so she’s on this quest to try every Ramen/​Soba/​Udon spot on the island! Interesting enough, I don’t think she’s as picky as most of us. Maybe I’ll make some home cooked cup-​o-​noodle, toss it in a bowl with garnish and see if she knows the difference. Nah!
Just find it funny how my very authentic Japanese friend isn’t as picky as most of us.
After the typical, «I-​RASS-​HAI-​MASE!»
We order:
-#1 Hokkaido Miso Ramen ($ 9 + tax)
-#3 Hokkaido Shoyu Ramen ($ 9 + tax)
–Shared 5 Gyoza
–Complimentary Icy Tap Water
Since I’ve been here before I knew what to expect. Friendly & efficient servers, a nice casual ambiance, fast turn-​around, and pretty authentic Ramen! Flavorful broth & noodles with the «Japanese» texture you want. Cha-​shu pork a tad tougher than I would like, but heck Akira ate all hers! So nvm.
The in-​house Gyoza was delicious as we split piece #5.
The first time I came here with my sister & cousin and went with the Miso. This time I went with the Shoyu. I prefer the Miso.
I would highly recommend Japanese Kai Ramen. It’s a tad cheaper than similar restaurants and the service is excellent!
Finally, I’m afraid to tell everyone about the $ 5 HH Ramen deal they have running, like 3pm-​5pm. Don’t want this place to get too crowded. Shhh.
LIVE ALOHA…
Unilocal REVIEW #242

Japanese Ramen Kai is yet another shop in my sampling of Ramen places in our Honolulu. A cozy ramen shop tucked away in a cluster of small businesses on Kona Street, mauka of Ala Moana Shopping Center. If you blink, you might drive right past it! Just be on the lookout for it and you’ll be ok.
As we entered the place, we were warmly greeted and had our choice of seating. Our menus were brought to us and our orders taken in a very timely manner. I ordered the Hokkaido Miso Cha-​Shu Ramen and my companion ordered the Hokkaido Shoyu Ramen. Both of us were very satisfied with our ramens. The miso was a thick, rich broth and very flavorful. The noodles were prepared just right, which for me is a slightly chewy texture, but not hard. My dining companion’s ramen was just as satisfying, she did mention that it wasn’t really overly salty like some broths may be. The order of gyoza that we had with our meal was surprisingly good. They were generously filled and cooked to a nice golden brown. As a reminder, they do offer a happy hour menu on some of their ramens on weekdays from 3−5pm. $ 5.00 each, great way to try out their offerings! A very enjoyable ramen meal for me.

In the never-​ending search for authentic Japanese ramen, I decided to stop by here for a bowl after reading the reviews and seeing pictures friends had posted.
The location is very easy to find… on Kona street (parallel to Kapiolani) near Bank of Hawaii and Fitted. Parking was a breeze in the lot next door (the lot attendant was very friendly) and there were plenty of stalls.
The restaurant wasn’t completely packed when I went in and I was seated right away. Service was very friendly and gracious… definitely get the owner-​operator vibe.
The ramen was delicious and the broth was very flavorful. The ramen wasn’t over/​under cooked… just right. Also, my bowl wasn’t overloaded with bean sprouts like you might find in other not-​so-​authentic ramen spots.
In my opinion, it isn’t exactly what you’d get in Japan, but it is close enough to tide me over until my next visit abroad. I will definitely be back to Japanese Ramen Kai to satisfy my ramen cravings.

OK, I went yet again, this time ordering the Shio (salt) ramen. I noticed that the menu now says «customize» so I did. Shio Ramen «Spicy» with firm (shin) noodles.
It was AWESOME! Next time I will ask for triple spiciness, but this was great! I love this place and I cannot understand why other places get the advertisements (hello — Star Advertiser why AGU???) Also why was this place not mentioned in Honolulu Magazine. WHAT AN INSULT!
This place is good and if you don’t like it — then sorry, you really don’t like good ramen (IMO). This place makes you feel like you ate something very good and the taste is TASTY! OK??? I mean seriously tasty. The pork is just so good — something that AGU or Santouka cannot do. It’s thick and soft and just great.
It would have 5 stars for me if they didn’t use the generic Sun noodles. I just came back from eating at Daikoku and Orochon in little Tokyo, Los Angeles and eating at Kai is not a let down.
My favorite ramen place in Honolulu.

I just went to this quaint place when it was a thai restaurant, and found out from my friends that it changed into Ramen Kai. They remodled the restaurant a little to make it different from the previous restaurant:
Tan Tan Ramen — 4 stars — for $ 9, what makes the ramen is the broth, and although my friend told me that it wasn’t too spicy, it was pretty spicy to me. The broth was very flavorful and although a little gritty, it wasn’t too oily and blended well with the char siu, which melted in my mouth.
My friend ordered the recommended Miso ramen. I tried some of his soup, and it was also flavorful, plus, some garnishes that I wished was in my ramen.
They also cut the ramen price to $ 5 between 3pm — 5pm, but we were there during lunch, so paid the full price.
Service — 4 stars — they were very friendly and attentive.
Parking — a few empty stalls, but it’s right across from Ala Moana, so you can also park in the mall area. If you’re craving for dessert, there’s Ailana shaved ice right beside it, but we were too full to order dessert.

A solid ramen joint.
I do find it funny that there are so many ramen places opening up. How much of them can be good? I had my doubts about this one, but when the bowl hit the table I knew this place was legit.
I tried their tan tan. The broth was really good. I expected a chili oil flavor, but it was more meaty. The char siu was also very thick cut and lean, but very tender. The bean sprouts were also fried. Thank goodness, because I hate raw bean sprouts. The noodles were just the way I like them, chewy. My favorite is the sio tan tan ramen. I usually get the regular. The char siu sio tan tan only comes with 2 extra char siu pieces, so I don’t see why. I do recommend their fried chicken as the appetizer. The fried chicken was really good, even better than the gyoza.
The restaurant is pretty small and it was kind of cold during lunch time. The cold temperature made the ramen look all the more delicious with the steam raising from my bowl. Take off your glasses or else it’ll get foggy real quick.
The restaurant is small and there is a sheet outside to sign in when it’s busy. It would be nice if this place had a bar, so loners can eat without taking up tables. I wouldn’t mind coming in by myself, since I work so close by, but I’d hate to take up 4 chairs.

Who doesn’t love Happy Hour!!!
RAMEN HAPPY HOUR, THAT IS!
On weekdays from 3pm to 5pm, Japanese Ramen Kai serves up an amazing happy hour deal of $ 5 bowls of ramen. This is an awesome pick me up from a hard day of work – for all the other days of the week that aren’t Friday. Plus, I love ramen, and I absolutely love good deals, so this is like a match made in heaven!
The restaurant is conveniently located on Kona Street, across from Ala Moana Center. Definitely a good meal option if you aren’t feeling like food courting it. It’s a little on the small side, but it’s clean, the service is fast, and the food is delicioso!
The happy hour deal is only applicable to the Miso, Shoyu, and the Shio ramen. I was impartial, so I ordered the miso on the sole basis that the menu *recommended* it. Not a bad choice at all! The ramen came out quickly, and was piping hot. The broth was very good – flavorful, perfect level of richness, and had a nice delicate salty flavor from the miso. I love the texture of the noodles that they serve – it’s a little on the thicker side, and has a little bit of a chew factor.
The ramen came with wood ear, menma, and three fatty pieces of char siu. The char siu here is amazingly tender, smooth, and just melt in your mouth good. The wood ear had good texture mixed in amongst the soft pork and the noodles, and the menma brought a really nice earthy flavor to the table. I also ordered a shoyu egg ($ 1.50), to round out the meal. You can never go wrong with eggs.
But then again, for $ 5, you just can’t go wrong. (FYI: Non-​happy hour prices for the ramen run from a reasonable $ 9-​$ 10!)
I thought that there would be some gimmick, like child size portions, or no meat in our ramen. watered down broth… who knows. But nope! Not the case here, only full sized bowls of deliciousness!

Who doesn’t love a nice hot bowl of ramen on a rainy day?
We originally planned to eat at Gomatei in Ala Moana, however the wait was crazy. So we checked on Unilocal for other close by ramen places ;D That is how we found Japanese Ramen Kai, located right outside of the mall! What luck we have, when we arrived there was no one in front of us! Just had to wait for the waiter to clean up the table :)
The waiter was nice and took our orders quickly. It was not a long wait for our food to come out, which was great because I was hungry!
The Grub.
[[ GYOZA $ 5 ]]
[[ HOKKAIDO SIO RAMEN $ 9 ]]
[[ HOKKAIDO MISO RAMN $ 9 ]]
Overall: I thought the ramen was good. The broth was very flavorful :3 I do prefer my noodles a little more on the softer side, but that’s just a personal preference.

Japanese Ramen Kai
Hokkaido Shoyu Ramen:
Price
$ 9 (worth $ 900 IMHO)
Broth
Deep, rich, and hearty. Viscosity is semi-​thin with a GREAT slick of fat floating the surface. «Meaty» would also be a great way to describe its flavor profile. Sugoi!
Noodles
Provided by Sun Noodle Factory, they’re on the thick and round side, profile-​wise. It definitely has the signature Kansui flavor and texture, being «eggy» and glutenous. Silky would be another good way to describe these ramen noodles, while also being deeply permeated with the Shoyu Ramen Broth.
Chashu
Someone please slap my @ss, as I went into a trance upon every bite of this Shoyu Ramen Chashu’s goodness. Oh. My. Goodness, is this AWESOME! Immediate words that come to mind besides flavorful and tender would be buttery and orgasmic. Pork really just doesn’t get better than this. Well, OK, nothing can touch bacon and Big Island style smoke meat, but this is a contender to top their crown. Seriously!
Menma
Like the Chashu, again, it doesn’t get any better than this, and they give just enough to balance the experience. Because you know, eating great Japanese Ramen is an experience, and Ramen Kai’s Shoyu Ramen delivers! Their menma is well marinated with an ever-​so-​slight sweetness (from Mirin I take it), having that added «eggy» flavor profile, with a great silky, yet fibrous finish to its texture. Lovely!
Konbu
Do I have any stuck in my teeth? If so, please tell me. lol No but seriously, a great finishing, rounding out the overall «earthy» tones.
Other
Ambiance is great, being clean, hip and modern, yet casual. Service is EXCELLENT. My order arrived very quickly and overall just really great folks from Japan who speak enough English that you can order confidently.
Verdict
Nom nom nom da*(&)*)^*^&&%^*&^3#@@!_(?:^^% … So effing ono!!!
Seriously, as far as I’m concerned, coming from someone who’s tasted Tokyo’s BEST Shoyu Ramen, the north of Japan rolls into town with Japanese Ramen Kai’s Hokkaido Shoyu Ramen is in it to win it for best Shoyu Ramen in Honolulu. Oishii-​yo!

Location and parking: This is a small ramen place located across the major bus area across Bank of Hawaii at Ala Moana. They have their own stalls to park in on left of the restaurant.
Ramen is meant to be fast and efficient food that fuels you for your next journey. Whether that is to fight a dragon or finish your essay, the bowl of noodles should make you feel good.
I love the flavors of the ramen here. Each broth is based on tonkotsu, but each is unique. My favorite is the Goma tan tan because I love the sesame taste it brings. The tan tan on the menu means it’ll be a little spicy but I honestly don’t think they are. It just has some extra flavor kick. The noodles are good too. They use sun noodles and I haven’t had a problem with mushy noodles like some have.
The service is also friendly and the atmosphere is nice. I always see individuals come to eat by themselves which is a good sign for me.
Prices are around $ 9 or $ 10. Gyoza comes in five pieces and are pan friend perfect.
Overall a great and casual place to eat. Prefer this place to other busy establishments.

Hmm, came here with a bunch of my buds after work about 5:30ish…
The ramen was OK.
I ordered the Goma cha shu tan tan men. The broth was flavorful and robust. A little on the thicker side, but I like a thicker broth that will cling to my noodles.
Good news first, now the bad news…
The noodles were extremely mushy! One of my friends ordered hers with firmer noodles (explicitly said ‘Japan style’), and they were not firm enough either. I don’t believe I’ve had ramen noodles this severely overcooked before. Two big thumbs down.
In addition, the cha shu was the least tender of all the top ramen spots on Oahu. A big disappointment after reading other reviewing rave about tender cha shu.
Upon the Oahu ramen landscape, I would rate their ramen on the 4^th tier…

A solid four stars for this little ramen shop located on the outskirts of Ala Moana Center. The cleanliness, location and affordability factor give it everything you could want in a casual sit down noodle shop on those cold weather days. We arrived around 1:15 pm and were lucky enough to snag a parking stall in the adjacent lot. If the lot is full you can always park at Ala Moana and walk across the street. We walked in and were greeted by their all Japanese from Japan staff. A nice older gentlemen gave us our menus which were the standard miso, shoyu and tan-​tan selections that you see at ramen shops around town. Turn around on our food was fast and we dove into our food like dolphins at the water park. Order the gyoza which is made fresh daily and enjoy lovely sips of soup that are sure to nourish your body and your soul.