Kinton Ramen brings its popular franchise to Oakville and fills a demand

Saturday, March 11, was the grand opening for Kinton Ramen in Oakville. This popular ramen soup franchise is popping up everywhere, and the Town of Oakville welcomes its first authentic ramen eatery with open arms.

This Canadian company has 27 franchise locations across Canada and the United States, with its flagship store on Baldwin Street in Toronto. The company anticipates 2023 to be a big year for Kinton Ramen as they continue to expand.

Where there was no traditional ramen eatery available in Oakville, Kinton Ramen now fills this niche. When asked why she thinks a staple once embraced by struggling students has become a popular food trend, Collia adds, “It’s the climate of today’s culture. There’s so much more diversity, and everybody’s willing to try new things in food.”

Ramen is a comfort food for many, with boundless potential to customize.

At Kinton Ramen, they celebrate time-honored traditional techniques while pushing the boundaries of what a ramen dish can be with their signature dishes.

Collia, a foodie herself, gleaned a lot of satisfaction from watching others enjoy the food that she prepared. From her Chinese/Vietnamese heritage, Collia was familiar with the dish, made most popular in both China and Japan. Ramen seemed to be a business choice that she decided fit well with her cooking experience. “Soup is like a soul food for me. I wanted to bring it to Oakville.”

To maintain an authentic flavour, Kinton Ramen imports some ingredients like bean curd and bamboo chutes from Japan. The umami is an essential part of their ramen dishes. This broth is prepared onsite, made from a combination of pork bones, chicken bones, and vegetables that are simmered for many hours to extract maximum flavor. 

Kinton Ramen’s most iconic dish is its original pork ramen. This soup is prepared with pork bone broth that simmers for hours, served with thin noodles and slices of roasted pork belly. It is topped with seasoned bamboo shoots, scallions and seaweed, then finished with garlic oil, taking the flavour to the next level.

At Kinton’s, the kitchen is open in order for the guests to watch the preparation of the meats, welcoming intimate interaction with the guests. 

The signature ramens are $17.99 each. Guests are welcome to customize their bowls. Servers are available to provide beverages like Sapporo or sake. There is seating for 63 in the Oakville location. The decor is modern and stylish, adorned with a handset wood block wall and natural accessories that add to the overall experience.

As part of Julie’s heartfelt message, “Come have a taste of Kinton. We treat everyone as family. We’re very friendly. See for yourself. We are so happy to be part of a new family in Oakville.”