Kinoya Izakaya stands out with its concave and convex walls. It is the closest thing to eat in a cave with rock climbing walls, except we just need to install hand holds.

Other than the intricate structure of the walls, Kinoya is fairly similar to other Izakayas in Montreal. Maybe their greeting is significantly less obnoxious and almost non-existent. If that is one of the experience you love about Izakaya, this one will disappoint.

The menu is divided by sections of raw, fried, noodle/rice. The dishes are nothing new. Like any tapa style restaurant, price per dish is in the pricier side and the quantity of food for some dishes is in the lower end. Most dishes were good, but not delicious.

When it comes to ramen, Kinoya can’t compete with what’s available in Montreal. The ramen noodle was on the harder side, missing a hint of elasticity. The chosen broth was pork bone, but it tasted more like chicken. The broth made me incredibly thirsty for the rest of the night even billions of cups of water did not help. The BBQ pork was good, tender – although not the melting kind.  The ramen is fine, but I would not go to Kinoya simply for their ramen.

Kinoya is a great place for groups sharing conversation and food.  If it purely for food, I would go somewhere else.

Zuuchini