Ki No Spoon - Rockville

**Appetizers:** The Takoyaki (octopus balls) has been a staple in every order since our first visit—it’s simply delicious! Even after flying to Japan, we found we preferred Ki No’s version! The dish comes with five or six perfectly cooked octopus balls, topped with Takoyaki sauce and bonito flakes. It's a fierce competition for the last bite, so leave any disputes at home! The calamari is delicate and never rubbery, while the shrimp rolls are fresh and unique. We haven’t tried the sausage cup yet, but we plan to; I recommend you sample everything—you might find a new favorite! **Main Dishes:** Ramen reigns supreme here, and the team at Ki No does it exceptionally well. Locals know that Rockville is home to several ramen spots, each with its own style. Ki No offers four varieties: Shoyu, Miso, Volcano, and Tan Tan Men. While the Shoyu broth is tasty, it’s my least favorite. The Volcano ramen offers a nice spice without being overwhelming. My personal favorite is the Tan Tan Men—it’s rich with spice, visually unassuming, and the chewy noodles combined with bean sprouts create the perfect texture. Topped with two slices of braised pork, nitamago, and sweet corn, it’s a powerhouse of flavor! The curries are quite good, though they could use a bit less rice. In my opinion, they don’t quite match the ramen. **Drinks:** Ki No even serves complimentary water at checkout. Their Mango Sago is delightful—refreshingly sweet without being overly sugary, making it perfect for a hot day. All their teas are enjoyable, and the puddings/jellies appear to be made fresh daily. My wife and I particularly love their jasmine milk cap, which combines jasmine tea with milk and a touch of sea salt. **Service:** The owner and staff are simply fantastic. They provide excellent recommendations for newcomers and are patient with those unsure of their order. They don’t hover but ensure your experience is enjoyable. The owner even offered to add dishes to our order based on our suggestions. **Final Thoughts:** This isn’t a gourmet restaurant, nor is it traditional café fare, and it may not be Instagram-worthy. However, the flavors are among the best I’ve encountered in the area. If you haven’t visited yet, I highly recommend it for lunch (they have great lunch specials), date night, or just a casual meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Ki No Spoon is a friendly casual Taiwanese restaurant in Wintergreen Plaza. You see tons of these types of places in Taiwan and this is actually typical. We really are lucky to have so many Taiwanese restaurants in this area. Compared to the other two Taiwanese restaurants nearby (Jumbo Jumbo and Super Bowl), it concentrates on Japanese foods such as cattle donburi, chicken curry and a variety of ruts. They also have Japanese style deserts such as peeled milk ice cream, mango pancakes and teacakes, as well as bubble tea. What should I eat here? If you are hungry, the rams or rice bowls are quite full, but still leaves room for desert. If you only taste slightly, the fried Chinese bread with condensed milk or the mango pancake is pretty good. When it's hot, the shaved ice tried with maybe a topping you didn't try before. The seats are quite spacious here and you can stay as long as you want.

The food is delicious and definitely worth trying! The only ramen I've had that was better than this was from Hide Chan Ramen in New York City. The portions are generous and the quality is excellent for the price. I rated it 4 stars because when I arrived, there was only one staff member present who was busy cleaning the floor, and I didn’t receive any napkins. Perhaps he was a bit distracted with his cleaning duties. However, he was friendly and attentive during my visit.

I visited this restaurant twice, and both experiences were enjoyable. The staff was friendly and provided great recommendations. I tried the volcanic rays, which had just the right amount of spice, and the Ramenreis was also excellent!

Tried the jasmine milk cape and the green tea crepe cake. The drink was pretty darn delicious! Really liked the concept of adding that foamy, salty, milk cape on top of the tea beverage- makes drinking the boring drink more desirable. I will definitely order it again and again especially when I would get tired of ordering the usual bubble teas. The green tea crepe cake was pretty good though doubtfully as good as Lady M. It was a bit expensive at $8.