Kuma Noodle Japan
#215 – 1551 Cedar Hill Cross Rd.
Saanich, BC
(250) 590-3398

J: It’s not often one can be bought dinner for doing very little work. I managed to get away with that. I was originally meant to clean gutters at Ed’s home, but I was downgraded to moving kitchen appliances when a suitable ladder could not be located.

And for my reward Ed drove us to Kuma. He had avoided this place until a pair-up review was possible.

I’d never heard of the place. And nor did I realize a ramen shop that actually looked like a ramen shop existed …

E: … and it resembled a few shops in Japan! I should know thanks to a trip I made a long time ago. Admittedly, the landscape changed, but I do recall finding a street cart style of operation in Shinjuku.

Ever since then, I’ve had an inkling to experience the full nine yards of waiting in line just to enter a ramen shop. I’ll have to return to Japan for that bit, but in the meantime, going here is just fine.

That miso broth defined everything that I enjoy in a bowl of ramen. The noodles have to be just right, and the additions should complement each bite down to the very last spoonful. Sometimes that’s not possible. I was hungry like a wolf and I gobbled up all the seaweed with great speed.

J: The miso did appear appetizing. I was disappointed when they didn’t have at least one seafood option. But that was okay. To have anything added further to the menu would burden the kitchen staff. I love miso soup almost as much as I love sunomono salad. I waited mere minutes but to my eagerness, it seemed like forever.

I spent time soaking up the atmosphere. The diner was busy but it was vibrant. That kind of ambiance elevates the place and it really makes you feel like you belong there. And the staff were equally as enthusiastic.

E: And I watched James do a tongue hop scotch when he exclaimed the meal was too hot. I hardly noticed the scorching difference. I liked how the soft BBQ pork added to my meal and the green seaweed floated like fresh kelp in an ocean’s wave. I could not imagine any more toppings; if there were, it would have killed the simplicity of this meal.

J: The BBQ pork had a higher fat content than I expected but it added to the bowl’s overall flavour. It looked delicious and certainly tasted as such.

Adding any soy sauce from the tray in front of me would’ve been bad. Instead, I made a judgement call and ate the dish as the artist intended.

E: This meal is one that does not need any further tampering with. The noodles were succulently delicate, tasting like they’re home made. And the sesame oil was wonderfully scented like in how an import product should be. The way it mixed with the broth teased my taste buds, I did not leave a drop behind. Had there have been any, even in James bowl, it’d be gone!

2014 Update: Sometimes the sauces or spices they use in a few of the dishes are not up to par. Although the quality of the meal is often very good, some ingredients may have sat past expiry and is still being used. The kitchen staff needs to be mindful of that, since some vegies did not sit well after the meal.

3½ Blokes out of 5