Halal Japanese ramen in Birmingham? Thanks Yakinori

HALAL STATUS Halal food options (gyozo & white miso NOT Halal) • Alcohol served

UPDATE 15-01-2023: Yakinori informed us before this review was conducted, that the only food menu item not Halal was their chicken gyozo. Yesterday, we received a correspondence from @aanisahidriss alleging that “Yakinori are not halal, yet advertise themselves as being halal,” before sourcing the allegation that “their food contains alcohol (miso soup) and pork extract” to “their staff [who] would point out what is/isn’t halal on their menu”.

We immediately contacted Yakinori for a response to these allegations, who replied confirming that, since the time of our review, and owing to supplier issues, the white miso currently being sourced and used in their Seafood Ramen (reviewed below), as well as in their donburi and bento boxes, does contain alcohol. As for the Seafood Ramen, however, then Yakinori says that its miso-based stock can be substituted for Halal beef or chicken stock upon request.

But Yakinori has emphatically denied the accusation that its food has ever contained pork extract, stating: “We never had pork in any of our premises. We never had on our menu pork or pork products, full stop,” before further emphasising: “We never claimed we are 100% Halal.”

Those who enjoy their bowls of ramen will know of how difficult it is to come by Halal versions outside of the capital.

Londoners are certainly fortunate, with places like the impressive Ramo, whose restaurants we reviewed in Soho (rated 5/5) and Camden (rated 4.5/5), as well as Umami (rated 4/5) which recently reopened in Ealing.

So when we heard about Yakinori, who boast one in Birmingham’s Selly Oak, the other in Solihull, as well as one in Bristol, nothing was going to stop us from visiting save the vicissitudes of destiny.

And the one we decided upon was ideally located down the road from the University of Birmingham in Selly Oak, with 20 seats each both indoors and out, and a vibrant open kitchen therein.

Having first launched in 2008, Yakinori offers a varied menu that comprises of noodles, sushi, poke bowls, and of course half-a-dozen ramens.

RAMENS

Seafood – Miso ramen soup with grilled salmon, teppan grilled prawns, squid, pak choi, mushrooms, wakame seaweed, spring onion and pink ginger, £16.95

UPDATE 15-01-2023: While we were informed at the time that the Seafood miso-bsed ramen was Halal, Yakinori has since confirmed that their miso supplier has changed such that the current white miso being sourced contains alcohol. The miso-based broth in this ramen, however, can be substituted immediately for Halal beef or chicken stock upon request.

The selection of seafood in this bowl succeeded in imparting that lightly salted taste-of-the-sea to what was otherwise a miso-based broth (we’ve since been informed that their miso-based stock contains alcohol and is, therefore, no longer Halal), with the mellow hint of ginger heat gently lingering in the background.

And though the prawns were slightly over, and the few slithers of squid almost rubbery in texture, the salmon boasted a crispy grilled top that offered some textural contrast, was thick and juicy on account of having absorbed some of that broth, and had a distinct taste which added an additional flavour-profile.

Add to that the crunchy pak choi, tender chunks of earthy mushroom, sheets of seaweed, and plenty of diced spring onions, and this was a flavourous seafood ramen.

Yakinori Birmingham halal ramen bento noodle

Sirloin Steak – Chicken and beef soup stock with grilled pak choi, mushrooms, spring onion, nori seaweed, soy-stained egg, and pink ginger, £15.95

RECOMMENDED

This Sirloin Steak was perhaps the pick of the bunch for us, with the strips of beef managing to both retain some satisfying chewiness, as well as remaining relatively tender and succulent despite bathing in a hot broth.

And with soy-stained half-boiled eggs separating this from its seafood counterpart, the broth itself turned out to have some surprising depth of beefiness to it. Soothingly good.

Chilli Sirloin Steak – Chicken and beef soup stock with grilled pak choi, mushrooms, spring onion, nori seaweed, soy-stained egg, pink ginger, and a warming kick of chilli, £16.95

The Chilli Sirloin Steak was essentially the same as the above except that the menu drastically downplayed the level of spicy heat in this fiery version by describing it as “a warming kick of chilli”.

We can tell you now though that this was anything but warm. With slices of red chilli, the fierce heat quickly caught up with us in a hurry, before remaining throughout.

As for the pasta in general, then while being perfectly cooked, and having soaked up the broth to a certain extent, it was decent; but could have been better.

Otherwise, the beef again was beautifully cooked, with the eggs perhaps turning out more runnier than the above.