I love cookbooks. I enjoyed the illustrations and the descriptions were easy to follow. I recommend getting this book.

Kawaii Café Ramen by Amy Kimoto-Kahn is a delightful reimagining of her earlier work, Simply Ramen. With over 60 ramen recipes beautifully illustrated in an anime style, this cookbook is a visual feast and a practical guide for ramen enthusiasts. If you love ramen and are looking for a creative, fun approach to making it at home, this book is worth exploring. However, it’s important to know that this is a reprint of Simply Ramen with completely revamped imagery. Unless you’re drawn to the charming illustrations, you might not need both books in your collection.

Full Review will be posted on my blog on pub date 1/14/2025

thank you netgalley for this arc!

honestly learnt a lot about ramen from this, i really need to start making more instead of using packet ramen, and this could just be my inspiration! such cute little illustrations too

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to read this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Amazon.

Perfect student cookbook

Thank you Rock Point and Netgalley for the ARC of Kawaii Cafe Ramen in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Kawaii Cafe Ramen and could definitely see myself buying this book! The overall colorfulness and adorable pictures drew me in but the simplicity of the recipes for any level of chef makes this such a fun book. I cannot wait for summer to try the spinach and miso cold ramen!

I loved the authors note in the back about how to rameducate oneself and a small back story how this book came to be about. Those little tidbits are so cool to see and have added a few new things to look into!

This is perfect! We're always looking for new ways to make ramen! I love the scales for level, makes, and cook time. Super useful for when we want to do something quick. This has so many great recipes all in one book! I also love all the illustrations. It's super cute

Got me craving for ramen! 🤤

I had fun casually flipping through this and salivating over all the droolworthy illustrations. I also enjoyed reading about the author's background and connection with ramen. The recipes were way too wordy with too much text squeezed onto each page and felt like a lot of work (to both read and make) though.

Nevertheless, this is a yummy ode to the art that is ramen.

"Kawaii Cafe Ramen" is an illustrated ramen cookbook by Amy Kimoto-Kahn. The illustrations are colorful and cozy and definitely Kawaii. The recipes are laid out in an easy to follow and simple format. I found the instructions easy to understand. I also enjoyed the author's information in the beginning of the book about how she learned everything she now knows about ramen. There is also a helpful index in the back. A recommended purchase where illustrated cookbooks are popular.

What a precious book this is! Everything is broken down and explained so well that you couldn't possibly make something that didn't taste phenomenal. I can't wait to give several of these recipes a shot.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC.

3 out of 5 star

It's was fine. Just your average cook book but about Ramen 🍜🍜🍜. Could have probably used a different format for the e-arc so it was easier to read.

Kawaii Café Ramen is a cute cookbook illustrated with kawaii characters. It offers great and varied ramen recipes.

Absolutely adorable and would make a fantastic gift for ramen lovers and cooks alike. That said, this book is not for someone new to ramen or Japanese cooking as many terms are not explained. I will also say that while this book is adorably illustrated (I love that) it is hard to read in an e-reader at least at its current edited stage as some of the pages turn 90 degrees inexplicably and I couldn't get them to turn back. Hopefully that is something the editors/formatting folks figure out.

The art in this book alone makes reading this cookbook worth it.
I loved the art so much it brought a lot of joy when sifting through the recipes and seeing what components to make.
I highly appreciated the scale of cooking level that an item made. This made it easier to recognize what to start with.
The author does a fantastic job of explaining the details of each recipe as well as explaining how to make different components of ramen and why you may want to put them in your ramen.

Book Review: Kawaii Café Ramen by Amy Kimoto-Kahn
Amy Kimoto-Kahn delivers a feast for the senses with Kawaii Café Ramen, a charming cookbook that combines the art of ramen-making with the whimsical allure of anime-style illustrations. Whether you’re a ramen enthusiast or a kitchen novice, this book invites you to explore the world of ramen with ease, creativity, and plenty of flavor.

What Makes This Book Stand Out?
Anime-Style Aesthetic
The beautifully illustrated, anime-inspired visuals add a unique, playful charm to the cookbook. Each page feels like a vibrant journey into the world of kawaii culture, appealing to fans of anime and Japanese cuisine alike.

Approachable Recipes
With over 60 recipes, the book caters to a wide range of skill levels. From basic broth-making to more intricate combinations like Teriyaki Beef–Wrapped Asparagus Ramen, Kimoto-Kahn breaks down each recipe into simple, achievable steps.

Variety of Flavors
The cookbook celebrates ramen's versatility, offering everything from traditional Japanese bowls to creative spins like California Ramen and Breakfast Ramen. It also provides options for different dietary preferences, including vegetarian and seafood variations.

Informative Yet Fun
Alongside the recipes, Kimoto-Kahn includes practical tips on ramen essentials, such as creating homemade noodles, selecting ingredients, and achieving the perfect broth. Her down-to-earth writing ensures even first-timers feel confident in tackling these dishes.

Highlighted Recipes
Indonesian Pork Ramen with Coconut Curry Soup: A Southeast Asian twist on classic ramen, blending rich, aromatic flavors.
California Ramen: A sushi-inspired dish featuring crabmeat, avocado, and cucumber for a fresh, light alternative.
Spicy Tofu Ramen: A satisfying, plant-based option with bold, fiery notes.
Crispy Greens Ramen: A nourishing bowl packed with Swiss chard, kale, and Brussels sprouts, perfect for veggie lovers.
Strengths
Affordability and Accessibility
By offering recipes with both homemade and store-bought ingredients, the book ensures readers can adapt their ramen-making journey to their budget and time constraints.

Creative Range
From traditional pork and chicken broths to adventurous options like cold ramen and breakfast-inspired bowls, there’s something for every palate.

Visual Appeal
The anime-style artwork isn’t just decorative—it enhances the reading experience and makes the recipes feel even more inviting.

Potential Drawbacks
Limited Advanced Techniques
While perfect for beginners and intermediate cooks, seasoned ramen enthusiasts might find the techniques and recipes less challenging than expected.

Focus on Fusion
Purists seeking strictly traditional Japanese ramen might find the fusion recipes too unconventional. However, the book's charm lies in its creative take on the beloved dish.

Who Is This Book For?
Kawaii Café Ramen is ideal for:

Home cooks looking to recreate delicious ramen without the intimidation of advanced culinary techniques.
Anime and manga fans who appreciate a visual treat alongside their recipes.
Anyone seeking an approachable, fun guide to ramen that celebrates both tradition and creativity.
Final Thoughts
Kawaii Café Ramen is more than just a cookbook—it’s an invitation to embrace the joy of cooking, anime-style! Amy Kimoto-Kahn combines practicality with whimsy, making it a must-have for ramen lovers and food enthusiasts alike.

Rating: 4.5/5
Delightful, creative, and full of heart—this book will have you slurping in no time!

So cute!!!
And amazing recipes!
I live the it goes into bases, topping, and full recipes separately, so you can mix and match a bit.
I was surprised to see how long some of the bases took to make, so you'll definitely need to have a full day to prepare them.

Really loved this cookbook! I found it to be a very modern and in-depth compared to other cookbooks that focus on ramen dishes, the illustrations were a cute added bonus.
The recipes had a lot of detail, easy to personalise, while also being easy to understand. I loved the cooking difficulty levels, which help make dinner time less daunting for beginners to ramen.
It was clear while reading that the author has done research and enjoys cooking themselves, due to their knowledge about ingredients. Which is great to see and also makes me trust the book more and believe that making the recipe is going to be well worth the effort!
The only thing I wished I could have seen is some pictures of the real finished dishes, while the illustrations were lovely, I sometimes like to see what I need to be aiming for my finished dish to look like. These could be cute with some added kawaii doodles around them.

3.5*

This is a super cute cookbook and I particularly loved the illustrations. They really fitted the vibe of the book - I just wish there were more! Particularly more to go with the actual recipes as the actual recipe pages were very text heavy. The pastel colours were lovely, but I think some more illustrations would had elevated the recipes further.

I really loved the introduction and the introductions to each recipe, especially as the author was able to convey a sense of her personality and I felt like I was being given recipes by a friend.

My main issue with this cookbook is that I just don't think it was written for me. I love ramen, but as a vegan, there were basically no recipes for me. This isn't a huge issue as the book isn't intending to be a vegetarian cookbook, however it would have be nice to include a couple of recipes as even the vegetable ramen chapter didn't have a vegetarian option! I want to emphasise though that because I loved the personality of the author and the rest of the cookbook, it's not that I feel the cookbook has failed in any way, it's more that I don't want to miss out on what I'm sure are amazing recipes! I would definitely recommend this cookbook to my ramen loving friends.

This is the absolute cutest cookbook I have ever seen!
Not only is it super kawaii, it's also very informative and helps you figure out what the level of the recipe and also educates you
on different types of ramens and their origin.
I highly recommend it, even if you are just a ramen eater and not cooking them yourself!

amazing art!

I 100% want to buy this cookbook for my husband when it is released. He is a lover of ramen!

This book is full of recipes from soup bases, noodles, sides, toppings with traditional and non-traditional ingredients all shown with adorable anime-style illustrations. There are difficulty ratings, serving sizes and prep times that are perfect for planning your meal. California Ramen and Crispy Soft-Shell Crab Ramen are two we want to try first!

I want to thank NetGalley, Amy Kimoto-Kahn and Quarto Publishing Group – Rock Point for the e-ARC of this cookbook. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

This book is very cute as is fitting for the title. However, I was disappointed that not even the vegetable section gave recipes that were vegetarian. I know that Japanese ramen dishes aren't traditionally plant-based but it would have been nice to have an option. I did like the sections on how to build ramen dishes from ingredients that you have made in advances, including the noodles.