Columbus Park Ramen Review

Photo courtesy from MCT Campus

After hearing about this restaurant a few weeks ago from my parents, I finally set aside an afternoon to visit Columbus Park Ramen shop.The glowing arrow above the door guided me and many other ramen lovers into Kansas City’s only restaurant dedicated solely to ramen. The 350 square foot restaurant started as a kickstarter project and now produces some the best authentic Asian cuisine in the city, for an average price of only $12 for a bowl of ramen.

The ramen shop is only open Thursday through Sunday and opens at 5 p.m. I made sure to get there 15 minutes before the door opened to ensure a seat in the small eatery. I could tell this meal was going to be exceptionally delectable because the line stretched to the end of the block before the closed sign flipped to open.

After waiting a short five minutes, I was seated at one of the very few seats available, and  I glanced over the menu of four entree items. Not surprisingly, they are all ramen with variations of pork, chicken or beef. I ordered the Tonkatsu, which is a pork broth with white miso, braised pork jowl, pickled bean sprouts, scallions and spicy sesame. This all comes mixed in with traditional ramen noodles, of course. I also ordered one of their signature marinated eggs and a Thai Bubble Tea.

I waited for my ramen and sipped on my bubble tea, which is one of the most delicious mixtures of sweet milk and tea. As I sat there, I observed the decorations. The restaurant has an average hipster look, where everything complimented each other, such as all wood walls that had small plants around to balance it out.

Within 15 minutes there was a steaming bowl of Tonkatsu with a marinated egg sitting on the table in front of me. At first sight, the marinated egg did not seem like something that I would find appetizing. After taking a bite I couldn’t believe I had gone my whole life without tasting authentic ramen. These were the upgraded version of deviled eggs.

This ramen was a little more ornate than the one-minute chicken version I was used too. The pork was placed in perfect strips atop the noodles and bean sprouts. The ingredients created a savory blend that made me cherish every the bite. It was quite obvious that many hours of work had been put into creating the perfect broth that had vanished in front of me.

Overall, my visit to the Columbus Park Ramen Shop greatly exceeded my expectations. The staff made the experience enjoyable and delicious, and the wait to get was not ridiculously timely considering the reward, the ramen.

Even though it is busy and a small restaurant, I will keep coming back for steaming bowls of ramen. If you’re looking for an upgrade from the Maruchan boxed ramen, this is the place for you.