Maki & Ramen
There are only a few things in life that bring me pure happiness and joy…ramen and sushi are two of those things, especially when it’s from Maki & Ramen.
Maki & Ramen have come a long way since opening up their first restaurant in 2015. Sushi chef Teddy Lee, the man behind Maki & Ramen, studied in a sushi academy in Tokyo and then decided that the Edinburgh food scene was in need of some good sushi and ramen…lucky us!
It’s no secret that they’ve now established themselves as one of the top dogs in Edinburgh for Japanese food. After dining there plenty of times, here’s a breakdown of my recent visit to their St James Quarter branch.
For those of you who don’t know (assuming this will be 99% of people who come across this blog post), as well as being a self-proclaimed foodie I’m also massively into design. With that comes an interest in interior design. I could do a whole post on each restaurant’s interior design if I had the time (and another blog) but I really wanted to touch upon what Maki and Ramen have done inside because I think it’s just wonderful.
Upon entry, the restaurant looks like many other quirky spots you may have come across with the addition of some cherry blossom decorations and large format screens with incredible visuals on a loop. Those are great but what really stands out to me is the post-it notes which your eyes will no doubt be drawn to straight away. What makes it special is that each post-it has been written by a customer with a pen and blog of post-its dotted around on each table. Now I know this doesn’t affect the food but it really adds to the experience, which I’m always here for.
Onto the food, there are so many fantastic options to choose from on the menu but I like to choose a ramen dish and then share some sides and sushi. This time around I opted for the black garlic tonkotsu ramen. The depth of flavour in the broth is just out of this world — they spend around 8 hours making it so that explains why. This, the standard tonkotsu and the tantan are my three favourite flavours and I highly suggest trying all three (I don’t recommend trying them all on the same visit) if you ever get the opportunity.
For sides, it’s not a trip to Maki & Ramen if you don’t order some gyoza and takoyaki. They serve some of the best Takoyaki I’ve tried in Scotland…for those of you who are yet to find out what takoyaki is, they’re basically deep-fried puffy balls filled with pieces of octopus inside. They’re then topped with some delicious sauces and a handful of dancing bonito flakes which is always a joy to watch.
It’s not uncommon for me to be seen over-ordering and I definitely was guilty on this occasion because I just couldn’t help but order the dragon set to share. This comes with a green dragon roll, two pieces of prawn tempura and two grilled prawn nigiri. The presentation of sushi served here is immaculate and the flavours without doubt match the visuals. All I can say is that the sushi is 10/10.
Lastly, a quick shoutout to the cocktails available. On one of my first visits to Maki & Ramen the lovely waiter recommended me the Lychee and Coconut tini. Served with a cute edible flower garnish, this is hands down one of the best cocktails I’ve tried and I’m yet to find a lychee cocktail elsewhere which tops this one. So if you love yourself some lychee, order this on your next visit and thank me later!
I’m so happy to have a place like Maki & Ramen so close to home and I hope to see them expand even more over the coming years.
- Maki & Ramen
- St James Square, Quarter, Edinburgh EH1 3AD
- 0131 560 2823
- www.makiramen.com
- Reservation or walk-in
- £50-£30pp+
Disclaimer: This was a PR Invite but all views are my own
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