Ramen Raijin falls squarely into the category of casual and welcoming with food that's varied, fresh, and the ultimate in comfort.

Tucked between a collection of high-rises, Ramen Raijin isn't the easiest place to find. You'll have to ignore common sense, heading down back alleys, dodging the bustle of parking ramps and delivery trucks to find its front door.

Persevere, and you'll be met with the team's rousing greeting, which can feel as loud as the din produced by Raijin, the god of thunder, for who the restaurant is named.

"They say, 'Welcome to Ramen Raijin!,'" laughs owner Hiroshi Yoshida. It's just one way the restaurant aims to bring diners a true taste of Japan.

"This is very common in ramen restaurants in Japan," adds Yoshida. "The restaurant is very cheerful, casual. I want customers to feel Japan. That's why we have this style."

With its bounty of appetizers and curries, various styles of ramen and draught Sapporo ($7 for a pint), the menu also replicates the ones found in Japan's most popular ramen shops.

Originally from Sendai, in the Tohoku region of Japan, Yoshida brings years of experience to Ramen Raijin.

"I moved to Tokyo, and worked at a ramen restaurant for three years," he explains. "At that time I didn't think, 'I'm going to have a restaurant in Canada,'" he continues. "But after moving here, I decided I have the experience, and ramen is popular, so I decided to open a ramen restaurant in Vancouver."

From there, Yoshida settled in Toronto, first opening Ramen Raijin in another location. "I moved to this spot in 2017," he says. "This location used to be a Japanese restaurant. This place was a challenge for me. It's a hidden area, dark. I wanted to make this place more bright, nicer," he adds.

Now lively and bustling, the air scented with the deep umami balm of pork-fattened broth, Ramen Raijin is a lure for its neighbourhood.

Relatively small, at 34 seats, it's a spot that appeals to groups as well as solo diners, with counter seating and communal tables making it easy to pop in for a quick bite, even unaccompanied.

From a lengthy list of appetizers, modeled after the "izakaya style," according to Yoshida, standard Gyoza ($7.50) and tender Tako-Yaki ($8) take the edge off hunger.

Having said that, waiting for mains isn't exactly a challenge. Thanks to an efficient team and streamlined process, nothing at Ramen Raijin seems to take more than seven minutes to prepare.

Take a couple of sips of a vibrant Yuzu Soda ($3.80) and before you know it, you'll be staring down a veritable vat of sustenance.

Thick with chewy noodles, pork shoulder, corn and a flurry of crunchy, colourful veg, Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen ($17.50) holds an appealing lick of heat that doesn't dampen the dish's other flavours. Even without its wealth of add-ins, the collagen-charged broth would feel like a meal.

Lighter, spiked with yuzu peel and juice, so, as Yoshida says, "diners really get the citrus," Yuzu Shio Ramen ($15) is a warming bowl of slow-cooked chicken broth fortified with chicken cha-shu, bamboo, chili threads, white and green onion. If raw onion isn't your thing, consider asking for it on the side.

Redolent of fish and pork broths, Rich Gyokai Tonkotsu Tsuke-Men ($18.50) combines a bowl of thick noodles, served hot or cold, with a side bowl of soup filled with pork cha-shu, onion and sesame. Dip manageable mouthfuls into the savoury sidecar, and pepper the journey with bites of soft-boiled, marinated egg.

Ramen cravings still going strong? Besides tending to customers in the restaurant, the team sells frozen ramen for takeout and on its website. With eight quick-cook varieties on offer — from Umami Shoyu Ramen ($13) to Vegan Miso Ramen ($14.50) — freezer space will be the only thing to limit the number you purchase.

Handmade desserts include Kuromitsu Kinako Ice Cream ($5), or vanilla ice cream dressed with roasted soybean flour and black sugar syrup. Cooling and fresh, with nutty notes and a flavour reminiscent of molasses, it's a light way to chase down a river of ramen.

Ramen Raijin is located at 24 Wellesley Street, West Rear.