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.

Book Review: Kawaii Café Ramen: Classic, Fun, and Delicious Ramen Meals to Make at Home by Amy Kimoto-Kahn

Rating: 5 Stars

When I first laid eyes on Kawaii Café Ramen by Amy Kimoto-Kahn, the cover instantly drew me in with its adorable, anime-inspired design. As someone who appreciates both a good bowl of ramen and charming artwork, this cookbook seemed like the perfect blend. From the moment I flipped through its pages, I was hooked.

This book is a ramen lover's dream come true! It offers over 60 recipes that are as diverse as they are delicious, all beautifully illustrated in an engaging anime style. The instructions are well-organized and easy to follow, making the entire cooking experience a breeze—even for those of us who may not be seasoned chefs. Each recipe comes with difficulty ratings, serving sizes, and prep times, which are incredibly handy for planning meals.

The variety within this cookbook is truly impressive. Whether you're in the mood for classic pork ramen or something a bit more adventurous like Indonesian Pork Ramen with Coconut Curry Soup, this book has you covered. I even found myself intrigued by the California Ramen with Crabmeat, Avocado, and Cucumber, which brings a refreshing twist to traditional ramen bowls.

What I particularly love about Kawaii Café Ramen is its attention to detail. It covers everything you need to know—from soup bases and noodles to sides and toppings—using both traditional and non-traditional ingredients. The illustrations bring each recipe to life, making it fun to explore new flavors and combinations. Plus, there's something truly satisfying about creating a homemade ramen bowl that's on par with what you'd find in a top-notch restaurant, yet affordable and personalized to your taste.

This cookbook would make the perfect gift for any ramen enthusiast. Its delightful design and practical content ensure that it's not just a pretty book to sit on the shelf but a functional guide that encourages culinary creativity. In short, Kawaii Café Ramen has earned a permanent spot in my kitchen and a solid five-star rating from me!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

I was so happy to get a DRC version of this book. My youngest loves to try new Ramen recipes they find on TikTok or YouTube. So I thought this would be a fun thing to do with them. The recipes were easy to follow and make. She absolutely loved the Anime look and thought the kawaii-style illustrations made the whole thing more interesting. She didn't even care that it wasn't a video. :) We had a lot of doing this, and if we can make it, so can you. There are difficulty ratings that help to narrow down what to try first. Everything sounds fantastic, and it turned out great as well. I highly recommend this for ANYONE who loves Ramen, cooking, Kawaii Stuff, or just trying new things. I plan to buy the Hardcover when it comes out.

Thank You to NetGalley, Amy Kimoto-Kahn, and Quarto Publishing Group - Rock Point for the ARC of this cookbook in exchange for an Honest review.

Recipes from a popular Japanese cafe...

Where anime meets ramen. Yup. The recipes are solid and illustrated in a cute anime style.
Recommend.

Love this Cookbook it's like a warm.hug from a friend! Gorgeous illustrations and i cant wait to try some of the recipes out! I'll definitely be buying a physical copy when I can!

The absolute book for Ramen lovers. This book is super detailed with colourful illustrations, I was amazed to find so many varieties of ramen with side dishes and so much more. A great gift to present and obtain.

This cookbook was broken down well and easy to read. It had very cute graphics throughout and very informative. We tried one of the advertised recipes Spicy Tofu Ramen to test how easy it was to go through the recipe and again easy to follow and quite delicious! Definitely recommend this cookbook to add to your collection :)


Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC.

The book, Kawaii Cafe Ramen by Amy Kimoto-Kahn was difficult to read due to the recipes being complex. Perhaps this book would be better suited for advanced home cooks but for home cooks that are just learning how to make ramen this book might not be a best fit for them. The illustrations featured in the book are stunning.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.