Tucked away on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair, New Jersey is Fujiya Ramen, a cozy lunch spot for anyone looking to enjoy a steaming bowl of hot noodles. This ramen restaurant opened in 2016 in the midst of the ramen craze, also being just a few doors down from its restaurant rival, Ani Ramen.
The restaurant is quaint and dimly lit with interior brick walls that make the space calm and inviting. On a brisk winter day, it’s the perfect place to grab a bowl of ramen to warm up.
There are a variety of appetizers to choose from, ranging from gyoza to tempura. It does not however provide many vegetarian options when it comes to appetizers. If you are looking for meatless choices, this restaurant may not be the best for you.
Vegetable Gyoza with sauce.
Alyssa Smolen | Montclarion Photo credit: Alyssa Smolen
My friend and I ordered the vegetable gyoza to start. Six gyoza was brought out on a plate with a light sauce on the side. It was the just the right amount to share with another person or have by yourself.
As a vegetarian myself, looking for a main course wasn’t difficult considering there was only one option on the menu. I ordered the vegetarian ramen which was served with miso, bamboo shoots, baby corn, mushrooms, seaweed and scallions.
My friend, a non-vegetarian, ordered the spicy miso ramen. Her spicy dish came with pork broth, sliced beef, corn, pork belly, bamboo and scallions.
Spicy miso ramen served with pork broth, sliced beef, corn, pork belly, bamboo and scallions.
Alyssa Smolen | The Montclarion Photo credit: Alyssa Smolen
We heard the chef ring a bell as our food was promptly brought out. The fast service we received was most likely a result of us dining on a weekday. Although the quiet atmosphere allowed my friend and I to catch up without having to shout over each other, there may be more wait and noise on a Friday or Saturday evening.
Fujiya Ramen serves their entrees in deceivingly deep bowls. When our food was placed in front of us, I was surprised. The portion seemed small and I was anticipating being hungry after.
It’s not a great feeling to order food at a restaurant and feel unsatisfied once finished. Upon putting my chopsticks in my bowl, however, it was filled with an abundant serving of noodles and vegetables.
Fujiya provides both a spoon and a pair of chopsticks to embark on the task of eating their big meals. It’s absolutely imperative to use both utensils to consume your food; otherwise, a bowl of steaming carbohydrates will sit back and glare at you. As a ramen novice myself, it took some practice to use the chopsticks and spoon at the same time.
There was a perfect broth to noodle ratio. Each bite was complete with veggies, noodles and broth. Even when I was nearing the end of my seemingly endless dish, there were still three equal components.
Vegetarian ramen served with miso, bamboo shoots, baby corn, mushrooms, seaweed and scallions.
Alyssa Smolen | The Montclarion Photo credit: Alyssa Smolen
From the start I anticipated the meal being light, but I was unable to make it to the end of my bowl. If I had decided to take the remainder of my food home, I would have had enough for lunch or dinner in subsequent days.
For the price that Fujiya charges for their dishes, customers certainly get more bang for their buck. My vegetarian ramen was $13 and the spicy miso ramen was $14. Vegetarian options tend to be slightly cheaper at most establishments, but either way both choices are equally as filling.
To spice up most their dishes, Fujiya has additional toppings you can add to any entree. They include corn, broccoli, a soft boiled egg, extra chicken or extra noodles.
Regardless of their limited vegetarian menu, I would recommend this ramen spot to anyone who likes a quick bite and something warm and tasty to treat their taste buds on a chilly winter day.
