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Davedigger
Aug 31, 2009 07:31 AM
A colleague and I went on Friday. The place was a little less than half full. Our waiter arrived quickly with our menus and took our drink orders. The menu was nothing like I expected. Very nouvelle Japanese I guess I'd describe it. They had a Tom Yam Ramen, a Spicy Beef Ramen, and a Chicken Ginger Ramen among others. They had starters that included Curry Gyoza, and Yakitori. Also on the menu were rice dishes and desserts.
Alas, our waiter never returned. After 20 minutes of waiting for our drinks to be delivered and our orders taken, we gave up and left.
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re: Davedigger
I was also there this past friday and had a similar experience. About 40 minutes into waiting we were asked by our waitress whether we 'had been told about the hour plus wait'? The answer was definitely no...as we would have never been cool with a hour long wait for soup.
In the end our curiosity kept us there and we waited for the ramen (an hour and twenty minutes all in all). I had the Spicy Beef Ramen, which was a braised beef in a curry based sauce with a huge helping of fried noodles on top. Ignoring all claims to authenticity, i liked the flavor of the broth. The ramen noodles themselves were not nearly as chewy as i would have hoped. They were actually closer to mushy.
Service, though, was just abysmal. Our waters ran empty about 40 minutes into waiting and never got refilled. I hope this is just a matter of getting the kinks out.
With most of the menu being priced around or over $10--higher than most places in the neighborhood--it'll be awhile before I try round two.
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re: robopope
i have to say that's the most ridiculous thing i have read about - 1.5 hour wait for noodles!?!? i'm selfishly glad you waited, just because your report has spared the experience of waiting myself (i was thinking to trying them for lunch this week):)
last week i passed by the place and so peeked in to look at the menu and their hours. the place had no more than 8 people in there - how can they be so swamped? a couple of waiters and the people who were in the open kitchen clearly looked at me but no one acknowledged me, much less walked up to see if i want a seat or perhaps place an order. this all seems so odd - this isn't a novice restauranteur nor is the place dealing with a mad rush of people.if they're banking on the lunch crowd, shouldn't efficient and quick service be at the top of their priorities?
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re: Kasia
My office is around the corner. I've been waiting for it to open for months. I have noodle soup for lunch at various places about 2 times a week. If I have to wait over an hour, forget it. I can have pho at Rua Vang, wonton noodle at King's, or Ramen at Kenzo in about half that time, including a drive to get to those places.
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re: Davedigger
I drove by 7 minutes ago on my way back to the office from a meeting. Paper still on the windows. I drive by at least once a day. Seems like it's taking an awfully long time. Maybe they're trying to perfect their stock or their handmade noodles but I'm too pessimistic to think that. If they've been making us wait all this time, building anticipation, and then is SUCKS, I'll be super pissed.
ll keep you posted...
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re: OnDaGo
Oro is pretty bad (although I have not had everything on their menu) and Raaw seems to be a plain vanilla, TO sushi joint. Nothing special.
If there is a top notch noodle house in Liberty Village I'll guarantee you it won't be dead. Walk by School (old Warehouse Grill space) during lunchtime and then tell me if you think the area is dead.
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re: OnDaGo
robgm
Aug 6, 2009 04:19 AM
the whole area isn't dead, Raaw is not the standard for the hood. As much as I hate the Brazenhead-it does well, Mildred's is doing well, Carole's Kitchen is doing well, School is packed on the weekends, Liberty Cafe, Merci Mon Ami...all very consistent with business levels and the whole area is packed when the Toronto FC play.
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I just went to their website and it appears that there is a menu available on the "Order Online" link.
The online menu does not appear to be fully populated yet, but I think it gives a flavour of what will be available when the place opens, which is soon I hope. When I passed by the other day it looked like they have lots more work to do.
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re: acd123
Davedigger
Jul 7, 2009 07:38 AM
From the look of the website menu, I don't think I'll be trying this place. I was really hoping for traditional style ramen. Especially tonkotsu... :(
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re: Davedigger
skylineR33
Jul 7, 2009 10:09 AM
The menu looks fine to me, hot and sour chicken ramen.....it certainly looks westernized and from the look of it, they are doing the job right to deliver what it says. Eventhough they are going to put up a tonkotsu, you won't like it anyway if it is made in a healthy and nutritious way as what it says. So why bother looking for it ?
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re: acd123
skylineR33
Jul 7, 2009 10:18 AM
That's right, looking forward for your report on the sweet and sour chicken ramen. Thanks.
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re: Davedigger
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re: robgm
robgm
Jun 25, 2009 01:50 PM
i kind of am answering my own question....i noticed today when walking by that they have stands up now saying that the parking for the 6 spots is for their customers only between 7am and 6pm...i'm thinking patio as opposed to drive up breakfast, lunch and happy hour business....
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The Chowhound Team
May 21, 2009 06:24 PM
Folks, please keeps posts on this thread limited to known facts about Liberty Noodle. Speculation isn't help anyone eat better. A discussion about the merits of authentic vs. Westernized ramen has been split to the General Chowhounding Topics board, and can be found at this link:
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aser
May 20, 2009 01:32 PM
"Having traveled extensively around the world looking for the next concept, we fell in love with the idea of Japanese Ramen Houses and thus set out to create a modern and more westernized version, of this centuries old tradition. "
Westernized ramen, no thanks....
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re: piccola
JonasBrand
Jul 7, 2009 04:15 AM
if Liberty Noodle it is anything like Momofuku Noodle Bar, Toronto is in for a treat :D
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re: aser
Hi, my name is Arshad Merali and I am the owner of Liberty Noodle. I wanted to respond to your comment as I think you raise a good point.
Our intent of the term 'westernized version' was to suggest a more modern decor and approach to service. I'm not sure if you've been to a "typical" Ramen House in Japan, but they tend to be small and crowded. As well, the decor is very traditional and the service, for the most part, is below what we're accustomed to here in Toronto.
So... what we want to do is focus on the experience as a whole, which obviously has to include food, but also incorporates the design, music, service, people, etc. Our goal is to elevate Ramen to a new level, which is very much along the lines of what we did with sushi when we built Blowfish almost 6 years ago.
I hope this clarifies things for you and I look forward to seeing you at Liberty Noodle.
If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call at 416-588-4100.
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re: amerali
For me, the food is by far and away the most important issue. I would go to a small, noisy and crowded noodle house with delicious ramen before a design focused noodle shop with music, wifi and flavourless ramen.
I agree that having both would be great. If I have to choose, the food trumps every time.
I am very much looking forward to trying your place. I have a thing for noodle soup for lunch. Two or three times a week I go to Ossington for pho, Chinatown for wonton noodle, or the not-very-good Japanese place at the head of Atlantic for udon.
If the broth, noodles and toppings are delicious at Liberty Noodle, you will have a loyal customer. I'll be there regularly for as long as you or I are around.
Thanks for your post.
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re: amerali
HarryLloyd
May 22, 2009 06:45 AM
I like what you did for sushi, I hope you can replicate it with ramen!
Chow!
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re: amerali
For me the food is the most important part. It's a shame you didn't mention it. Your denigration of the atmosphere and service of a "typical" ramen shop shows that you don't really understand what ramen is about anyways. The service you receive at most ramen shops is warm, speedy, and authentic, something that many Toronto restaurants do not get (including your other endeavor). They're supposed to be small and crowded, for very good reasons (which I'll go into below).
If Liberty Noodle intends to do for ramen what Blowfish did for sushi, I'm not sure there's any reason to doubt what had been said in the thread previously, which is sort of depressing. Unless the "new level" was mediocre quality, mostly inauthentic, sushi for a "specific clientele" at a higher price point than necessary. Please also note that Blowfish is yet another place serving mislabeled food products ("Kobe" beef).
Understand that, if your product is good, I would be a repeat customer, even though you've shown that you really don't know anything about ramen. In Japan, ramen, like sushi, is something that the chef/owners have dedicated their lives to doing. Despite many of them probably having very high rent due to location, they keep overhead low so they can deliver the best possible product at a reasonable price. They are proud of the food they make, and are extraordinarily dedicated. Now I understand why you assume people will be excited to hear that what should be a $20 bowl of ramen is only $10 at Liberty Noodle, or that you've decided to make ramen healthy, or that people will really love being able to use wifi at your restaurant.
It may seem like some of us are picky, but that's because we are. This is a board about food, not business concepts. "Elevating," for many of us, means using the best possible ingredients and technique to make the best possible food, something with which you do not appear to be concerned.
Maybe you should have told us about the food you intend to serve; you know, because this is a board about food.
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re: tjr
pinstripeprincess
May 23, 2009 07:50 AM
have you been to one of those wagamama chain restos? looking at the website for liberty noodle i immediately felt as if they were modeling it with wagamama in mind.
i happened upon one in amsterdam, not sure if that location would have affected the quality of the product, but after hearing so many good things about them on the american boards i found them not very good and would eat toronto ramen over those bowls in a second.
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re: pinstripeprincess
I've been to a Wagamama in Cork, Ireland...I agree that the concept was pretty good but we found that the food lacked the deep flavours that I think Torontonians would want to see in that style of food. I'm absolutely looking forward to Liberty Noodle opening up though and will definitely check it out.
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