This time I visited Ramen Buta-Nibo, which is located close to Pape Station. The “Buta-Nibo” combines “Buta” (pig) and “Niboshi” (dried anchovy), which is the two broth types offered here. I haven’t seen anchovy broth from any other ramen places around Toronto, so this makes Ramen Buta-Nibo unique.
Food
Niboshi Shoyu Ramen ($17.9)
Because I’ve tried a lot of pork broth ramen, I had to choose the anchovy broth and see how it was. I think the price is a little high considering the quantity, but it’s not outrageously expensive.
The anchovy broth was very light, a decent amount lighter than chicken broth. There’s a trace of the fishy smell/taste, but it’s nowhere near overwhelming. I think the the light taste is a refreshing change from the more typical rich and salty pork broth. Honestly, drinking the broth reminded me of an anchovy broth-based soup.
Besides the broth though, the rest of the dish was ok. The noodles in particular were just average; not bad, but not particularly outstanding. I think the pork pieces were pretty good though.
Thoughts
I think Ramen Buta-Nibo is decent. I think my dish was slightly underwhelming overall, but that might just be caused by not choosing the right dish for me. I think anchovy broth has its own distinct flavour, and I think it’s a good alternative to often saltier pork and chicken broths. I think the noodles might be average, but the overall dish is fine.