TORONTO — Nothing symbolizes the end of the summer in Toronto quite like the Canadian National Exhibition. When the CNE comes around, so does it’s crazy concoction of trendy food experiments. From the Krispy Kreme burger, to deep fried Mars Bars, there is always a new, deep-fried or artery-clogging food craze that seems like it won’t work, yet just does.The ramen burger, which replaces hamburger buns with fried ramen noodles, is one of the newest food crazes to join the Canadian National Exhibition’s line-up of crazy food fare. Photo credit: Kelly Fleck.
This year, the CNE welcomed Yatai Japanese Street Food to its food building, a concoction of Japanese-inspired midway grub. Yatai Japanese Street Food brought it’s menu of “J-pop chicken”, “Godzilla fries”, “durty fries”, gyoza and most bizarre, the ramen burger. While the food items are not at all authentically Japanese, they each take a Japanese spin on typically Western fair food.
Japanese Street Food is an offshoot of Toronto restaurant Kanpai, which serves Hakka Taiwanese food with inspirations from Japanese and Mainland Chinese cuisine. “Kanpai” translates from Japanese to “bottoms up” a phrase often said before taking a drink. Kanpai serves fun and experimental fusion food, in a modern, old-school hip-hop-loving way. Menu items include: “rice rice baby”, “edamame said knock you out” and “Wu Tang beef”.
Kanpai, which was looking to expand, decided to try opening a stand at the CNE, Kanpai’s Trevor Liu tells Now Magazine. The long line of hungry and curious customers can certainly attest to its success.
Try out the ramen burger and see what you think. The CNE continues through Labour Day weekend to Sept. 5. In the meantime, resist licking the screen as you take a look through the slideshow of mouth-watering Japanese-inspired grub at the CNE: