Review Maruten Ramen - Auckland Central

Cute lil ramen place with a big selection of food! Came here for dinner & ordered the tonkotsu shoyu ramen. Ramen was flavourful and pork was tender. Broth was a tad salty but fixed it with some chilli oil. Great service, great prices!

Visited on 26 November 2023, reviewed on 6 December 2023) Probably my most favourite ramen restaurant in Auckland. So many more choices of ramen than other ramen restaurants I have visited in the city, and more importantly, hospitable service as the staff gave every customer free ice cream before closing time, just as we were about to leave after finishing. Definitely should come here again!

My partner and I came a few weeks back and I actually liked this place a lot. Their ramen is a fairly big portion with a lot of noodles, definitely fills you up. Ramen is a bit of the salty side but definitely good. Would definitely come back!

If you looking for Ramen in Auckland, please come to try this shop. The homemade noodles is super delicious. Food was great. Shop was clean and busy in evening. the prices was not bad. However, I think the service quite slow. But staffs were good.

They offer a nice variety of options and their service is friendly and welcoming. The flavorful broth and perfectly cooked noodles make for a delicious bowl of ramen. Don't forget to try their tasty side dishes as well.

Fab little gem and the vibe is amazing. Staff were fantastic as we didn't have a booking but fit us in. The karaage chicken was delicious, and the ramen was probably one of the best we have had so far, will definitely be back

Some of the best ramen is the most understated. Definitely one of Auckland's top ramen spots and I've been to most of them. House made noodles are on point! Some of the best I've had. I had the small, would definitely go large if you are really hungry.

The staff was lovely and friendly for service. We had the ramen, which was ok but a little salty, and we were so thirsty after getting back home. The table was a little sticky and oily even after the staff wiped. The chopsticks were he Chinese style, which are long and thick, so hard to grab the noodles. Overall, ok place for the ramen.

A good place to enjoy Japanese ramen with different characters, tonkotsu (pork bone) with a bonito flavour and sweet thick miso. I don't like miso because it is too sweet, but I loved the tonkotsu one. The homemade noodles are strong and match the seasoning.

Highly recommend!!! The best ramen I had so far. Tonkotsu broth is rich, the taste is not salty, there is no MSG, I don’t feel thirsty after eating. Free dessert after meals. (I thought it's free when you spend over $30, but I asked the guy he said it's not. )

I found hidden gem place in Auckland !! also for sure best ramen in Auckland too. I ordered Tonkosu Soyu Chashu ramen, i love that flavour mmnm the noodle also really good, chashu ofc yummy 🥰 i just want to recommend this place! All staff was friendly no costumer when we are there they said thank you for visiting today so sweet. please this place is hidden gem!!!! I definitely will visit again x

Their homemade noodles are amazing! Ordered Tsukemen. Their fish base soup was great. They offered thick noodles which can hold the fish soup a bit better. The noodles were bouncy and not too soft. Highly recommended!

So far, the best Ramen and portion that I have eaten in Auckland. Very nice staff as well.

My belly was very happy after this meal :) The Japanese pancake was simple but tasty. The tonkotsu ramen is one of the best I’ve had. Nice and balanced broth that was not too salty or oily. Noodles had the perfect texture and the pork was well done! Pictured is the small bowl but it was far from small for me. Very affordable and good service.

Great and attentive customer service, they really put efforts into it. But the pork bone ramen tastes average(the texture of the noodles were nice though).

Really amazing ramen and food in general. The flavours are quite nice and very tasty. Their soup base is really good and flavoursome but is slightly on the salty side. Tried the omelette rice on my latest visit and it was really nice with the slightly sweet and sour sauce.

Cool little ramen spot, came in for my birthday lunch. Had no idea the selection was so big! I'll be back in the new year for sure!

Only found out about this place a year ago but been going any chance I get. Their noodles are always cooked to perfection with a firm bite. Tonkotsu is always full of flavour and love the spicy versions too. Sad that this place will be torn down soon.

Our favourite place for ramen! It’s a small stall in the mercury plaza food court so don’t expect fancy dining. The portion is always big, we think it’s worth the money comparing to many other ramen places we have tried! Ask for the egg and spicy chilli powder if you like spicy!

Don't go to Mercury Plaza expecting a flash food court. It was grubby the last time I went about 10 years ago and hasn't aged well. But the queue in front of this ramen stall suggested it would be good. I ordered tsukymen, cold noodles that you dip in a strong tasty broth. They were delicious and I would definitely go back

One of the best place for ramen in Auckland. The taste is really authentic. Portion is big compared to what you are asked to pay. Only thing is it is not open till late likr Ichiban. Apart from that, it can always be your choice whenevr you crave for a real bowl of Japanese ramen in Auckland :)

A cool little ramen place in the Merucry plaza food court.  Very friendly service and love the portion sizes. It'd be great to get a little bit more meat in the ramen.

Located inside Mercury plaza is this noodle gem. The food court itself looks really tired and hygiene could be questioned but if you look aside past that, you would be fine. Price reasonable for ramen $16ish, eggs and chilli topping costs extra. The karaage standard, croquet and gyoza also ok. Go for their ramen, it’s their speciality.

This little outlet is reliably and consistently among the best ramen available in Auckland.<br/>The owner clearly takes pride in his work and the food he and his crew turn out is functional art.

3.5/5 Taste<br/>3.5/5 Display <br/>5/5 Quantity <br/>4/5 Customer Service<br/><br/>Great Japanese Ramen place in food court near K Rd.<br/><br/>Great taste and probably the best portion for a Japanese Ramen Restaurant I have ever seen. <br/><br/>Really worth going to.<br/><br/>

This place is like a hidden gem on K rd!<br/>Nice food and staff! <br/>Tantan men & red dragon were so tasty and the staff lady was so kind!<br/>Recommend this place for the person who needs some decent ramens on K rd.

Friendly servers and great food. Decent portions. Have tried their ramen and their broth was awesome. Fried rice was great too. My to go place when I am near the area.

Synonyms for Maruten Ramen:<br/><br/>appetizing<br/>delectable<br/>delightful<br/>distinctive<br/>enjoyable<br/>enticing<br/>exquisite<br/>heavenly<br/>luscious<br/>piquant<br/>pleasant<br/>rich<br/>savory<br/>spicy<br/>sweet<br/>tasty<br/>tempting<br/>yummy<br/>choice<br/>dainty<br/>darling<br/>divine<br/>good<br/>lush<br/>nice<br/>adorable<br/>ambrosial<br/>delish<br/>fit for king<br/>gratifying<br/>mellow<br/>mouthwatering<br/>nectarous<br/>palatable<br/>rare<br/>sapid<br/>scrumptious<br/>tasteful<br/>titillating<br/>toothsome<br/>well-prepared<br/>well-seasoned

Surprisingly good ramen place recommended by a friend. Location is a bit out of my comfort zone in town but easy parking and friendly staff made the food enjoyable.

At first glance you would not think this place to be much of anything being in a bit of a dingy food court but by gosh is it by far some of the best ramen I’ve had in Auckland, so flavourful, comforting, great price and a great amount of content sitting in the broth.

Japanese Ramen<br/><br/>THE FOODOLOGIST RATING:-<br/><br/> FOOD:-5/5 (Very well flavored broth, Fresh Noodles ,Well cooked)<br/><br/>SERVICE:- 4.5/5 (Fast, Efficient , Great Suggestions, Personal Touch)<br/><br/>AMBIANCE:- 2/5 (Food Court, pick your seat , School Tray Lunches)<br/><br/>CLEANLINESS:- 4/5 (Very Clean, For the food Court , Food Court Is Run Down)<br/><br/>VALUE FOR MONEY :- 5/5(reasonably priced)<br/><br/>FOOD POCKET DAMAGE:-*****/*****(Cost For Two :- $30)<br/><br/>THE FOODOLOGIST REVIEW:-<br/><br/>Another hidden gem in the Mercury plaza , but this place is really good and i have a feeling that they will lead up to a bigger place in the future and will be a famous one . Really I do not know much about ramen ,but I have started it eating it a lot more and have been reading upon it to understand why it is a specialty but I now understand the difference between the taste and the flavors. The ambiance is not that good due to the run down Mercury mall,but the hygiene standard of this place is good as you can peep behind the stall. The staff who takes the order is also one of the chefs very friendly and is more than willing to help and give suggestions. So you get a choice between thin or thick noodles i went for the thin noodles .I decided to go for the Shoyu Butter Ramen . . They take a little time to prepare your order but I do not mind waiting if its worth the wait and even ordered the pork dumplings . The pork dumpling and the Ramen arrived together the Ramen was nice and hot the lady brought it to the table . The soup was pipping out i mixed everything together the noodles definitely were a treat and were so fresh . the butter just melted in the broth it was a soy flavored broth there was good amount off greens and seaweed and bamboo shoots . The pork was tender and cooked well . The proportions sizes were all good and equal and made it a well balanced meal .The dumpling were a gyoza pan fried which were pretty good by itself but dont think they were freshly prepared .Really great place and will come back for more hope it re locates soon as with the ambiance it would be a 5/5.

We went to Maruten for the first time, and ordered Tonkotsu ramen and pork dumpling for Saturday night dinner. Got selection of thick and thin noodle and we chose 1/2-1/2.<br/>Service was friendly and attentive, very helpful to suggest what to order, we were also given delicious mochi to end our dinner. Yum!<br/>We thought the ramen flavour are very authentic, remind us of our Japan trip. Pork can be more juicy, maybe next time we will order the chasu and also try tonkotsu shoyu. If only we can give 4.5/5 rating. We will definitely be back! Thank you Maruten.

The ramen menu here is widely varied and you can have the option of thin or thick noodles. The portions of a regular is quite big with a generous amount of soup and noodles.<br/><br/>The soup has a strong pork broth flavour. Although the soups have a little more oil and pork fat floating on top, you can easily spoon it away but the oil help makes the noodles more smoother. The chashu pork was relatively lean with a little bit of fat.<br/><br/>Although not shown on their menu, you can ask if Takoyaki is available on the day, with the minimum amount being 5 takoyaki balls. The Takoyaki seemed a bit bigger than most places and most impprtantly they were FRESHLY MADE and extremely CRUNCHY!<br/><br/>Service of the shop is very friendly and accomodating. When served, the server will ensure that the soup is not too salty for your taste and if it is, she is happy to re-adjust the salt taste for you.<br/><br/>Even though the interior of Mercury Plaza is quite old and worn out, the environment overall is very clean. Staff are constantly and promptly taking away used dishes and quickly cleaning the tables.

100% authentic Japanese ramen. Simply THE BEST in New Zealand. Incredible noodle made by the owner, broth is just amazing. Keep up the good work!<br/>

Big portions of great tasting noodles in great broth, the fried chicken is also a fav of mine , friendly owner who remembered me from my early visits when it first opened , pity the setting is a bit grim but thats part of the charm, quick service

This place has one of the richest soups I have ever tasted in a ramen. It wasn't overpowering nor was it too salty, and it filled me up without making me feel nauseous. I ordered the tonkotsu shoyu ramen with the thick noodles. They were very chewy and soaked up the flavour of the soup. One thing I especially liked about the ramen was that it did not turn soggy after a while. Although I'd say that this is one of the tastiest ramen that I've had in a while, their cut of pork should had a little less fat that I'd like it to be, and their egg yolk was slightly overcooked. Other than that, this bowl of ramen would be near perfect. 4.5/5

Big portion, very tasty noodle. very polite staff and attentive service. It's beyond my expectation. Good Value for money. The only disappointment is the environment itself which is quite run down.

Hands down best tsukemen in Auckland in my books. Consistent, amazing rich flavor which you expect from tsukemen with great staff and awesome service. You just can not beat the consistency of the rich flavor of the stock which makes it my favorite place to go when wanting something delicious to eat its not just the tsukemen all other ramen dishes are also very delicious Happy to eat somewhere where the chef cares about each dish he serves and always consistent and modest. If you love ramen you should definitely give maruten a chance.

Best ramen in Auckland and really lovely staff! Would recommend the shoyu tonkotsu ramen and the daifuku too! Definitely worth it for the price.

Authentic ramen just like from Nagasaki to Tokyo, defs recommend if you want good ramen. Customer service was good and they actually speak Japanese too<br/>Mecury plaza adds to the good vibes to the feels.

Perfectly boiled marinated egg, chewy noodles, tasty broth in high temperature, what more can one ask for?<br/><br/>Please keep up the good work team!

Pretty much my favourite place in Auckland. Always choose this for my cheat meals and I’m never disappointed. Everything on the menu is great, especially the gyoza. The staff are always really friendly and the prices are a bonus! Nothing negative to say at all.

Really nice service with fast ramen. The noodles did seem a bit tough but the broth was very flavoursome and good. It was quite salty at first but they offer you a bowl of normal broth to add and dilute the flavour to your liking. They don’t have the sign of the restaurant at the top of place in the food court. So it maybe hard to find at first but it’s on the bottom foodcourt area. I also liked that they give some fruit at the end of the meal so you have the sweetness of the fruit to balance the saltiness from the ramen.

Surprised! Mercury Lane is a run down little shopping area and they’ve done nothing to make it look better. It is not where you think you can find some awesome food – but you can. I used to hang out there a bit and the Thai food is always my favourite. Just how it should taste like.<br/><br/>I walked around and have decided to try something new – Maruten Ramen. I was debating whether to eat something I love and know is quite authentic, or should I eat ramen, which you can get in many places. Finding good ramen place in Auckland isn’t easy so I wasn’t sure what to expect. So I ordered their speciality – the Red Dragon. It has Tonkotsu (pork bones) base, chilli (and you get to choose the spicy-ness!) pork, bamboo shoot, bok-choy, bean sprouts.<br/><br/>What a surprise! The soup is thick and creamy, easy and lovely to drink. I’ve opted for something a little less spicy partly because I wasn’t feeling well, but this was a great way to taste how awesome the soup base was. The noodles were amazing – super chewy – what you would get only if it was fresh and handmade. The ingredients were fresh and a real surprise to get a little bit of fruits at the end of the meal as desserts!<br/><br/>If Maruten has their own shop I would definitely go. I would definitely come back here again when I crave for more ramen!

IT'S THE PLACE WHERE U CAN ENJOY REAL JAPANESE RAMEN!!!!<br/>My friend recommended this place but to be honest, I didn't expect so much for this shop. I love Ramen so I've been to some famous Japanese Ramen shop in the city but none of them is even close to Ramen which I've eaten in Japan. It made me disappointed so I kinda gave up getting Ramen of Japanese quality in Auckland.<br/>BUT Maruten Ramen made me really satisfied of their taste n hospitality!<br/>The stuff are always so friendly and try to make Ramen that suits on each person's tastes.<br/>My friend ordered Miso Ramen with thick noodles. I loved the soup also their homemade thick noodle was outstanding!!it's chewing so stick well with strong taste's soup.<br/>I ordered Tonkotsu Syoyu Ramen added an egg with thin noodles(also homemade) which is the most popular, and that was honestly amazing, I think both we got are even better than lots of Ramen shops in Japan. I love their Tonkotsu Syoyu soup so much which I can taste not only fatty but also <br/>depth taste from lots of ingredients!<br/>I'm regret that my English skill is not enough to explain their taste like...<br/>I'll definitely go back again and try another soup with thick noodles!!!!<br/>If u are RAMEN LOVER, you MUST try them!!!!<br/>Highly Highly Highly recommend!<br/>(The only reason why I didn't put 5.0 for the place of it... if they weren't in an old foodcourt but in their own restaurant, it's gonna b MORE than 5.0!!!!!)

I've never been to Japan so could not tell if this place is authentic or not. But it is obvious that the broth of Maruten Ramen is very different from other ramen places. It is very thick and our Donkotsu Ramen had some meat mince and fat floating in the soup. My partner loved it in this way but for me it was too fatty. <br/>But the noodle was very enjoyable. They offer thick and thin noodles to choose. I personally prefer thin noodles which could obsorb the broth and make it more flavorful. <br/>Their chicken Katsu was nice too. <br/>Maybe the pork soup base is fatty. They also have chicken base and dry ramens so I would definitely go back to try some other flavor.

The moyashi ramen is good but you can't go wrong with the tonkotsu shoyu ramen. It's simple and delicious, especially with a boiled egg added on the top.

Initially I had ramen here which, although super popular, is not a scratch on places which create amazing broth like, well almost any other ramen place in Auckland tastes better to me. This one tasted more like it was made with powdered stock rather than many hours of bone boiling. One great thing was that they are very generous with chashu pork servings - many places give you one tiny slice as standard, these guys gave something like 6! Good chashu effort. I also had the soup tofu which was tasty and great texture - a lot like agedashi. I initially rated this place less but then I went back to try the "special Hamburg" which I had been eyeing up, and it was huge and delicious. Juicy, tender Hamburg steak X2 (fat hamburger patty) on a big omelet on top of rice (wish it was the classic tomato-sauce-fried omu rice but plain rice was good too). There was also a weirdly large amount of steamed veges on the side. My only recommendation would be to pour more demiglace sauce on the whole thing as they do in Japan. Still delicious though. If you want authentic ramen this is not your place. If you want Hamburg however, highly recommend.

This was my first time eating here. I ordered tonkotsu shoyu ramen and was very good. The only problem was the seating was a little unclean, however it was a food court.I would definitely recommend this place for very authentic Japanese soul food.

If i think about Ramen for any reason (i.e seeing a picture or in an anime or something) I inevitably think of Maruten and then there's a really good chance that I will be going there the following weekend.

My ultimate favourite, no one makes Kaarage even close this standard, most superior fried chicken if ever there was. Price and service is excellent, very friendly. I highly recommend a visit.

Consistently some of the best Japanese I have had outside of Japan. Authentic, nostalgic, homely and really great value, this place is located in that hole in the wall place behind k road. Such a great find!

So far i am impressed. I have been going to Mercury Plaza for years frequently visiting the Chinese place, recently i have been enjoying Ramen ALOT mainly because i am a Naruto fan and i love noodle soups. I am familiar with the surroundings of this food court which many regard as run down, but it this all adds on the feel of these hidden gems. It was busy when we arrived with only one staff member doing her best to do what she needed to do. The wait was not long at all having ordered a recommended dish by the staff member, needless to say i was not disappointing. The broth had a deep and flavorful taste noodles were home made and cooked to the perfect bite with the topping generously and beautiful presented. Really great Ramen! My advise, look past the shabbiness of the decor and enjoy being among a mired of people there to enjoy great food.

On point to say the least. Actual Japanese people running the show and that is a massive bonus!Their ramen is very authentic, the best in Auckland for its price and authenticity in my opinion.Very friendly staff and a smile on all the time.Lots of options too choose from their menu.

Hands down the best ramen ya in Auckland 👏🏻<br/>I am a big big fan of ramen 🍜 I even went to Japan by myself to try their authentic ramen <br/>I am blaming myself about having found this place so late. I had their tonkatsu shoyu ramen with extra corn and egg. Their soup is sooooooooo nice. It taste just like that authentic soup from Japan. It is rich and full of flavour even though I ordered it to be less salty. <br/>Noodles are chewy and fresh. Egg is just on point. Portion is more generous than other ramen places in Auckland. Price is reasonable rather quite cheap for its taste. They gave me a small dish of fruits too! <br/>Honestly, I have tried every ramen places in Auckland and this place is the best of the best. Its my first time ever to finish the whole bowl of ramen. <br/>Looking forward to my next visit. No doubt it will be my most favourite place to have a meal.

You just found the best Ramen place in NZ.  This is it. I was born in Japan and lived there over 20 years and this is my 10th year in NZ. I would put Maruten Ramen shop in my TOP 5 Ramen place of my whole life.  Super recommend!! Try it now.

One of my favourite ramen place in Auckland! I swear i was not expecting this awesome ramen place from a food court! <br/><br/>Mercury plaza food court has been around for years. it's not the fanciest place, and if you are looking for the ambiance, this is not the right place for you. But if you are looking for an amazing authentic Japanese ramen with very tasty broth, then maruten is where you want to be!<br/><br/>I normally go for tonkotsu ramen with extra chashu and without bamboo... and I normally let the chef choose whether I get thick or thin ramen. Sometimes if I feel like something spicy I would go for tantan men. And they never disappoint!<br/><br/>The price are quite reasonable, big portion... And I love the cold tea they provide for customers. After meal they always give you a little plate of fruits which is adorable!

I was referred to come here by my Japanese hairdresser - and no regrets at all! <br/>It's a shame this place is not on the "top ramen restaurants in Auckland" lists because it beats ant other ramen place I've tried! <br/>Having just returned home from a trip to Japan, I have been craving real Japanese ramen - and this definitely hit the spot. <br/>I had the tonkotsu ramen with an egg for $12, Kenny Doria got the tonkotsu chasyu ramen (extra pork) for $14 I think. <br/><br/>The nice lady who served us enquired whether we wanted less salty or original soup broth. I got mine less salty and Kenny got original soup. If you prefer milder soup broths, definitely get less salty! No comprise on flavour at all! <br/><br/>All in all, we will definitely be coming back when the ramen craving resurfaces! So glad that we found this gem, the chef cooks this Japanese ramen for Japanese people not the much more common (and disappointing) Chinese style ramen.

Hidden gem behind the k road! My partner and I go there often and their ramen is just so good. Stock is yum and rich by the noodle is average. Definitely recommend if you are looking for a cheap quick delicious meal! The friendly front staff brings us a small plate of seasonal fruit as well :)

Located in the Mercury Plaza food court, you wouldn't expect to find this gem here. The ramen is just amazing. The soup base is full of flavour and just very tasty. There is plenty of noodles and fillings. it it also quite cheap. It just has all that you would want in a ramen.

Staff is very friendly and food is awesome!<br/>I've probably tried almost all the ramens in the menu and they are all great!<br/><br/>And the price is very affordable.

One of the best experience in a food Alley. The food was amazing and I definitely agree to the few review below me! <br/><br/>Amazing food at a very reasonable price. They even offer Japanese tea at no additional cost! While having dinner..the guy came over and provide us with fruit slice to finish off our meal. How brilliant is that?!<br/><br/>I definitely recommend this place to everyone! If you want service, good food and great price then this is your stop. 👍<br/><br/>

Always great service. I liked I can choose thin or thick noodle, and how cool.( hard to soft) you should learn which noodle matches what type of soup. I had chasgu men. My friend had miso ramen, I liked his. It's rich and tasty.

Great food and great staff. Mari is really friendly. Had teryaki ramen, definitely going back to eat again. Totally worth it. Thankssss

This place rocks. Japanese food actually made by Japanese people with passion. I ordered karaage (fried chicken with lemon and jap mayo) the chocked tasted like it has been marinating in soy. Boy I tell you the best. Half way through my food the chef brings out a little treat for me, half an orange and a small piece of kiwi fruit. Best food best service and I can't wait to go back to try more of the menu.

Maruten ramen is definitely one of the nicest ramen eateries in Auckland City. It's got the nicest broth that doesn't make people as if it was MSG or sodium overdose. Had the tonkotsu ramen and it was still giving the creamy flavour with less salt!!! Absolutely in love!!!<br/><br/>The reason for this score for now is just because I'm yet to try the remaining items on the menu!!! Apart from that, I'm loving the consistency in service that they had given me today... Which deserves a solid 5/5 because they had asked me back n forth if I liked the food :)<br/><br/>Update 27/7 : thought I would give it a try with the omurice.... Loved the Chicken Katsu!!! But really glad the that the waitress came over and ask me how I feel on that dish. Since I prefer omurice to be fried rice with tomato sauce seasoning, I was rather disappointed that it came with simple egg and white rice variety. Especially at $14.8, it's not that price friendly with that quality. However having said that, I'm glad that they have asked me because their service is what I would be coming back for.

Consistently beautiful ramen at a reasonable price. Surpisingly, place does not get mentioned in best ramen places in Auckland when in fact, i think they are better than the posh ones in Ponsonby. Downside is that it's in Mercury Lane which is a grungy but goodey food court.

Probably this is the BEST Ramen in Auckland!<br/>One thing for certain, this is the most affordable place for Ramen.<br/><br/>Maruten is located inside the food court of Mercury Plaza. There's two Japanese shops there. Maruten is the one at the lower side and the big signboard above their store is called Japanese Kitchen.<br/><br/>Their Ramen is to die for! We had the Tonkutsu Shoyu Ramen and the Tonkutsu Ramen.<br/><br/>Authenticity: 5/5<br/>Taste + Flavour: 5/5<br/>Value: 5/5<br/>Service: 5/5 (I mean seriously, where can you find a waitress at a food court who comes up to you after you're done with your meal and ask if your meal is OK, then bring some fruits to you? And yes, it was during lunch time when the place was packed with people)<br/><br/>WE WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK! :)<br/><br/>Updates: we're back after three weeks, and brought three new extra people with us.<br/><br/>TanTan mien- delicious! But could probably have more of the chopped meat and maybe add some veggie. I've requested for medium spiciness, and very thoughtful of them to give me a small bowl of plain soup just in case I can't handle the spiciness.<br/><br/>Kaarage fried chicken - we read one of the reviewers commented and recommended this so we gave it a try. Hmmm... To us, it was alright only. Nothing to shout about on this .. Sorry. Maybe this is something they can improve on. <br/>

Maruten is hands down my favorite Japanese eatery in Auckland and well worth the short drive up on KRoad. Nestled inside the Mercury Plaza, Maruten gives a very authentic Japanese dining experience. You forget that you're in a food court; fostering a cozy feeling of being in a small restaurant instead. The store owner, Takeshi, remembers us from our previous visit and definitely develops a great relationship with customers. Quality is never lax. The portions are very generous and affordable. I ordered the chashu ramen with handmade thick noodles, which is one of the store's main sellers. It was the best comfort food to have during the freezing winter in Auckland. Because I like tofu, I mentioned agedashi tofu which wasn't on the menu by mistake; and to my surprise, out comes agedashi tofu cooked two ways covered in grilled mochi and special sauce given to us as samples. The texture of the mochi was crisp yet still very much stretchy. I've never had the dish in other restaurants the same way Takeshi makes them and I can definitely say they are my favorite to date. He also mentioned that he can try to make even any Japanese food that are not on the menu if he is able too. And to finish off the dinner, we were given slices of small citrus on the house. That really help cut through the richness of the main meal and just shows their genuine care for customers. The service staff were so wonderful to converse with in both English and Japanese. We've never been treated as well anywhere else as we have been at Maruten! I always look forward to coming back when I'm in the area.

A perfect way to cure a cold winter night - Tonkotsu Ramen. I've never set a high quality expectation when dining at any foodcourt and be fair they are 'value' driven business except for this food stall! <br/><br/>Surprisingly, this place serves proper homemade Japanese ramen in one of the most humble foodcourt! Blew my mind, very friendly service to a point the staff came to our table anf asked if I'm happy with the ramen (the rest of my table got a bit jealous they didn't get the same service from other food stalls)! <br/><br/>I've definitely got the value, service and will definitely recommend anyone who's wanting a a warming meal over winter! The best $10 ramen I've ever spent in NZ! A super well done.<br/><br/><br/><br/>The soup base had a well balanced rich flavour but not overly greasy; I didn't crave for water straight after the meal, that is definitely good news.<br/><br/>

Was recommended here by my Japanese friends who raved on about "real" Japanese ramen. The place is set in a tired looking food court off K road which may put some people off from coming in but that is not a problem for me as I am Asian and quite familiar with these kind of joints. <br/>On arrival, the Japanese owner and chef was quick to greet me and offered me advice on the menu. He acknowledged the fact that I was pregnant and offered to make me a special lunch box just for pregnant women-containing all the nutrients I should need for the price of just $10.<br/>I accepted his advice and was served non-caffeinated tea while waiting for the food.<br/><br/>10mins later, a tray of food was served in front of me and my oh my, the chef definitely paid close attention to details.<br/>The lunch box contained a perfect sized mixed Japanese greens salad with 2 choices of dressing-Japanese vinaigrette and the other being toasted sesame. <br/>There were two pieces of freshly battered fish fillets with a slice of lemon to squeeze over. <br/>The highlight of this lunchbox for me though was the sweet potato croquettes containing mashed up carrots and corn. It reminded me of my late Japanese father who would make them for me after school in my younger years. <br/>It doesn't stop there- another bowl contained Japanese soft tofu which was made to perfection and also a bowl of miso and rice.<br/>There was also a tiny little plate of pickled gherkins to satisfy my pregnancy cravings.<br/><br/>While digging into all of this, I had already forgotten that I am still in an old food court! I thought I was actually in a real Japanese restaurant in the middle of Tokyo. I was awaken from this atmosphere when the chef approached the table again with a complimentary serving of watermelon slices.<br/>5/5 for details, presentation and taste! I definitely got all my vitamins and nutrients just for $10!<br/><br/>All this while I had forgotten that I originally came for the ramen so my partner and I went back the next day to try them- needless to say, the ramen lived up to their good reviews.<br/><br/>Thumbs up for this amazing 5star experience in a food court! Will be our new ramen joint from now on.<br/>

Their Tonkotsu Ramen, which is my favorite kind of Japanese Ramen noodle with pork flavour, was really amazing with thick soup, smooth thin noodle, and tasty roast pork. On eating it, I remembered a genuine Tonkotsu Ramen I'd often had in Japan. Thick noodle which you can also choose is chewy and lovely as well, and I heard the noodles are all handmade, which impressed me. The restaurant also serves other kinds of authentic Japanese dishes such as fried pork, deep fried chicken, sweet and sour omelette rice, and Pork Gyoza dumplings etc. I found the meals were quite cheap, though they were very good and rather filling. Not only Kiwi who are interested in Japanese food, but also Japanese who miss the real Japanese taste can surely be content with their dishes.

Nothing beats hand made ramen in hot soup on a cold day. Japanese Kitchen is my go eatery when I'm feeling like a hot bowl of noodles. Their chicken ramen and Charsyu ramen are full of flavour and come with a perfectly boiled soy egg.<br/><br/>My ultimate favourite is their Tantanmen -your choice of thin or thick noodles in a thick sauce and a generous scoop of mince topping. Delicious!

My long journey to authentic Japanese Ramen noodles ended finally and satisfactorily at Maruten Ramen<br/><br/>The chatty owner from Tokyo told me that he had an extensive cooking experience from Ramen  to European style dishes. <br/>The place itself is in the middle of a tired-looking Asian food court near notorious K road, and clean freaks may be hesitant to get into the premise. However, it is well-worth to venture into. <br/><br/>Tonkotsu ramen, or pork ramen seems to be delicately made to let my taste buds thoroughly enjoy with its strong pork flavour. The noodles are homemade egg noodles and dumplings (less than 5 dollars) , also homemade are a bliss.