I approached this cookbook wondering if I could actually use it without access to a specialty Asian market, as I live in a small town in Estonia. The answer is yes! Kimoto-Kahn's recipes are adaptable and inspiring, with clear instructions that help you understand not just how to make ramen but how to make it special. I loved the introduction explaining how Kimoto-Kahn came to explore her heritage and ramen specifically, learning the difference between good ramen and great ramen. She starts off easy, with clear explanations for bringing all of the components together into a meal. The pages are cute and inviting.

I started with the miso base and chashu pork topping, which allowed me to lean into the Estonian love of cheap pork and autumn mushrooms. I wanted to make the noodles as well, but they require a pasta maker which I do not have. My base used red miso, which I happened to have in, but the result was so tasty, I'm pretty sure it would have been OK without the miso, in a pinch. From there, I explored a number of components making for a number of delicious meals. There was so much variety; I felt very much inspired to make a number of meals so that I could explore the different options. Each recipe had a difficulty rating and the instructions were generally easy to follow using a fun mix of ingredients. I felt like I could have ramen every week and never repeat

My only negative note is that Kimoto-Kahn must have a much better liquidiser than I do, because some of the items (pork paste, black garlic oil) came out gritty and required some straining.

The real strength of this cookbook is how it breaks down ramen into components - bases, noodles, toppings - letting you mix and match your way to your perfect bowl. Even with ingredient substitutions, I ended up with delicious results that definitely beat instant ramen.

This was cute, well written, but for me at least, somewhat aspirational.

I love Ramen, however the idea that it is a "quick and easy meal" has been somewhat squashed by this cook book. This book takes you through all of the different components of making Ramen, and has a range of recipes with really cute illustrations.

Even if I never end up making anything I will enjoy flipping through and imagining!

This book is so kawaii! The cuteness overload in the styling of this cookbook is absolutely delightful. I really enjoyed the different recipes and the way that they were presented. I think this would be a really fun gift for the foodie in your life, or even just for a college student who you wanted to help up their ramen game.

Easy to follow recipes with super cute illustrations!

Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is absolutely the cutest cookbook I've seen. The instructions are clear but also flexible–ramen gives you the freedom to improvise, mix, and match, and each chapter can be used for inspiration to meet your ideal taste. It doesn't limit itself to traditional ramens (and even then, most recipes are made more approachable and simplified by the author to make them more accessible, especially if you can't find some of the more niche ingredients locally). You'll find inspiration for cold noodles and dipping noodles, toppings and sides, pretty much everything you need for a truly tasty dinner. It's not limited to just Japanese cuisine either, as the author takes inspiration from the gastronomy of Indonesia, Thailand, and Korea, to name a few. It's a great look at Asian-fusion food at home.

The only small downside is I was expecting some more illustrations. Some pages are just the recipes, which is fine, but when talking about lesser-known ramen suggestions, it would've been nice to see them illustrated as an example.

I really enjoyed Kawaii Café Ramen! The author’s approach to encouraging experimentation with the recipes was a highlight for me. As someone who has dietary restrictions (like avoiding gluten and dairy), I found this mindset empowering—it made me feel confident about modifying the recipes to suit my needs.

The illustrations were absolutely adorable and added a lot of charm to the book. The recipes themselves were straightforward and easy to follow, making this a great resource for ramen enthusiasts of all skill levels.

That said, I think the book could have benefited from some additional visual aids. Photos of the dishes or illustrations of the cooking process would have been helpful for readers, especially those trying ramen-making for the first time. I also wish the author had shared more of her personal experiences. I found it fascinating that she’s a fourth-generation Japanese American and attended ramen school, and I would have loved to hear more about her journey and how it shaped her approach to ramen.

I originally received an early copy of this book from NetGalley, but unfortunately, it was archived before I could download and read it. I was still so interested in the book that I decided to purchase a copy. I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to review it in exchange for my honest opinion.

Overall, this is a delightful cookbook with a welcoming, creative energy. If you love ramen or want to try making it at home, this is definitely worth checking out!

There are so many different ramen recipes-pork, chicken, beef, seafood, vegetable! I absolutely love ramen and these were easy to follow and read recipes. I did like how there were topping & side recipes, different variety ramens, and that they sectioned off nicely. Something I like is that the book doesn't just focus on pork based ramens. There are so many different kinds of ramens and they all have a unique flavor.

I do wish that there was pictures of the actual foods though to know what they should somewhat turn out like (most I know what they look like but for those who don't and like visuals of the food to determine if would want to make or not)- still a cute and fun recipe book though.

I love a good bowl of ramen and when I saw this book, I thought this was my opportunity to learn how to make it and enjoy at home.
What I learned with this book is that what looks so simple when placed in front of you in a restaurant is not so easy to achieve at home.
This book really takes the home cook through the basic steps of making ramen. First, of course all the soup bases and the noodles, then the toppings (eggs, bamboo shoots, seaweed, ginger etc), and then the assembled ramen bowls with pork, chicken, beef, seafood, and vegetable. There are also recipes for spicy ramen as well as cold ramen, and for a number of side dishes like fried tofu, rice, gyoza.
I like the clarity of the recipes and explanations, from the level of difficulty indicated with the recipes to the clarity of the list of ingredients and equipment needed, and the very methodical explanations of the recipes.
The book is attractive, with colourful graphics and a positive vibe to it. I also liked to read about the author's background and how she learned to make ramen, and where she went to find her teachers and get her practice. It is definitely a great read for those like me who love ramen but would not know how to get started.

I will so use this to make some cute and yummy ramen.
The layout of the cook book and really nice and easy to follow.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7180335785

Kawaii Café Ramen is probably the cutest cookbook I've ever had the pleasure of reading! The illustrations make me wildly happy and excited to get into the kitchen. I am not a cooking whiz so I appreciate books that start with easy rules to follow, in this case: how to build a bowl of ramen. There are soup bases, noodles, toppings, and sides, and you can build the bowl of your dreams. There are make in advance categories as well as prep before you begin categories so you can plan ahead. And the illustrations are beyond. Think cute cats, jammy eggs and soy sauce bottles with smiling faces, and pleasing color palettes.

I would recommend Kawaii Café Ramen to anyone wanting easy and cute ways to learn how to make warm meals for winter.

Very cute and fun little cook book! Not only will it 100% fit my aesthetic, but I can't wait to try it out.

You've given a lot of good information, not only about the history of ramen, but also about the different types of broth and noodles, and how they are traditionally made.

This book gives you everything you need to build your own ramen bowls. There is a lot of really good information, recipes, and beautiful illustrations throughout the whole book. I enjoyed reading it and can’t wait to try out some of the recipes once I get the ingredients. This book would make a great gift for a ramen loving foodie.

Thank you NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

This was a super fun and cute idea. I did like the illustrations and the instructions were easy to follow but for me personally, I just don't have the time to make these somewhat intricate recipes.

Incredibly cute, visually stunning, and unique recipes that make ramen more enjoyable. I didn't get a chance to make any of these recipes, but I think that I'd give them a shot because of how beautiful and stunning they look.
Thanks for the ARC Netgalley and the publisher!

Each recipe was accompanied by a cute illustration of the dish. The recipes had clearly stated prep times, ingredients list, components to prep beforehand (like noodles and soup broth), and recipe steps. The book featured a variety of recipes for traditional ramen, side dishes, toppings, and modern/fusion ramen. These aren't quick recipes, given that ramen soup bases take several hours, but after creating a batch of broth and noodles beforehand, assembling the meals would be relatively fast. I thought the recipes and illustrations were well presented; it's a book I would definitely use as a reference and inspiration for meals.

*Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!!*

I want every cook book I ever look at to look like this. Maybe an exaggeration, but this was seriously such a cute book and definitely captures the kawaii vibe. Going into this, I think I expected it to be more about how to put different kinds of ramen together but I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were recipes for the components of different ramens, like marinated soft-boiled eggs (which I LOVE) and Japanese omelet. Another thing that I really enjoyed about this cookbook was the fact that it leans more into the "cafe" theme than being solely about ramen. The last section of the book covers different sides and snacks like croquettes, potato salad, and even chicken wings.

While I loved the book, I didn't have time (because of my currently broken stove/oven) to try any of the recipes so I can't vouch for the flavor or amazingness (or lack thereof) of any of the recipes. For that reason, this cook gets 4 stars from me. If I ever find my way back around to this to try about the recipes, I'll update. And if you have tried these recipes, please let me know what you thought!

Cute as it should and with some nice recipes. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this book.

This is a really cute, or "kawaii" book of ramen recipes. Lots of cute images and some interesting ramen recipes to try out make a nice book.

I have bought a ramen bowl and utensils specifically to try these recipes and there are so many recipes that i am looking forward to trying out.

A really cute cookbook with a bunch of recipes and really cute illustrations that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was easy to understand and left me hungry as I went through it. Check it out if you like ramen and want to make it at home.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.