Jinya Ramen Bar opens in Langley this week (and we tried it)

Jinya Ramen Bar is opening in Langley at Willowbrook Shopping Centre. Photo by Aleesha Harris /PNG

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When it comes to ramen in Langley, Akedo Showten immediately comes to mind.

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But Japanese-American heavyweight Jinya Ramen Bar is set to go up against the hometown favourite.

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Jinya, which was founded in 2000, is opening its first location in Langley at Willowbrook Shopping Centre this week.

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And we got an early look inside.

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Bowls of ramen at Jinya Ramen Bar in Langley. Photo by Aleesha Harris /PNG

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Located in the outdoor expansion area of the mall at 19705 Fraser Hwy., in a space vacated by a previous ramen outpost, AO Ramen, it joins other recent food additions such as Oeb, Lee’s Donuts and Chachi’s in the updated zone.

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Jinya Ramen Bar’s Langley menu is the same as its three other locations in and around Metro Vancouver — including Brentwood in Burnaby, downtown Vancouver on Robson Street, and on West Broadway — which is to say it boasts starters such as gyoza and tempura shrimp, salads, rice bowls and more.

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But it’s the ramen that is designed to be the star.

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We started with three pieces of the Aburi salmon sushi ($9.80), petite rectangles of salmon and rice topped by a slice of jalapeño. Moist and just a little bit creamy, it wasn’t quite as good as Miku, but it was a close second.

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Crispy garlic rice ($16.80) offered a tabletop show with scrambled raw egg poured atop the sizzling skillet for a garlicky spin on a fried rice. Featuring plump cloves of fried garlic, it was divinely delicious, especially when allowed to linger on the hot surface to achieve an additional crunch. We ate every last grain.

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Garlic rice at Jinya Ramen Bar in Langley. Photo by Aleesha Harris /PNG

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The bowls of ramen are served in generous portions, ensuring that you leave with a very full belly.  We tried the Jinya Tonkotsu Black ($21.90) pork ramen, as well as the Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen ($23.90).

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The ramen featured chewy noodles (a thinner option for the Tonkotsu Black and a thicker one for the vegan bowl) that are not made in house, rich broth and either silky cubes of tofu or meat such as thinly sliced pork chashu, chicken and a seasoned egg.

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The soups were savoury but not too salty. We found our two ramen selections were brightened by the addition of vegetables such as spinach, mushroom, green and white onion. And there’s a full menu of additional toppings that can be added (at an additional cost).

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Drinks at Jinya Ramen Bar in Langley. Photo by Aleesha Harris /PNG

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There’s a selection of signature cocktails and mocktails on the menu, including the mojito-mimicking J. Girl ($8.50) and the matcha-forward Matcha Lychee Lemonade ($7.50).

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“We’re excited to bring Jinya to Langley and introduce our signature ramen experience to the community,” said Tomo Takahashi, founder and CEO of JINYA Holdings Inc. in a news release. “We look forward to becoming part of the local dining scene and welcoming guests to enjoy our menu.”

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To celebrate the opening, the restaurant will be giving away a free bowl of ramen (to be redeem on a future visit) to the first 100 guests on May 20.