Seven Stops in Sydney: Ramen-rama!
A definitive list of ramen hotspots in Sydney
It’s impossible not to get a little sloppy when slurping your ramen. In its simplest form, ramen is comprised of three components. A hearty broth, springy noodles all topped off with a colourful selection of garnishes. Yet this humble noodle dish has whipped the Japanese into a frenzy, inspiring popular manga titles, films and video games with even a specialist museum built in its honour.
A typical trip to the ramen shop in Tokyo begins at the end of a seemingly endless queue. For the locally renowned ramen hotspots, you can expect to stand for hours. The wait is even more arduous near the doorway as the smells of saliva-inducing broth nearly always escape from the slits of the Japanese fabric dividers (noren). Once inside, you feel like you’re stepping into a snapshot of Japan from the 50s — the decade when ramen first exploded around the nation. The interior looks like the size of a large closet, you sit on a low stool and you’re touching the shoulders of strangers.
But all these feelings of discomfort evaporate once the piping hot ramen is placed under your nose. You can let your hunger overpower your traditional table manners as there’s simply no elegant way of eating ramen. It’s best to mimic the regulars: slurp the noodles, loudly sip the soup and tear through the fleshy pork slices. Surprisingly, chefs actually encourage this rather uncouth way of eating as many treat the sounds as gastronomic seals of satisfaction.
“there’s simply no elegant way of eating ramen”
This is the authentic ramen experience. It’s cramped, fast, noisy and crowded but the whole meal leaves you with a full belly and a feeling of contentment. Forget classy décor or those fancy eight-course degustation platters, that state of pure gustatory fulfillment is achieved from the simple pleasures of eating good, tasty food.
“leaves you with a full belly and a feeling of contentment”
Though it’s hard to get to Japan and back on your lunch break, the next best thing is taking a visit to the authentic stores in Sydney. Here’s a list of the 7 finest ramen restaurants right near you.
1. Ryo’s Noodles
This one’s known for its endless queues and savoury broth. You can expect waits of up to an hour at peak hour, especially if dining groups exceed more than two. But in return for your patience, you will be rewarded with huge deep bowls of steaming hot ramen. The crowd favourite is aptly titled no. 1 — soy sauce flavoured tonkotsu with roast pork, nori, egg and shallots ($13.50). The broth is comparatively lighter than other ramen establishments but the strong umami profile makes up for its lack of collagen. The joint evokes traditional ramen-ya in Japan so expect to share a table with strangers and respect its quick come-and-go type eating arrangement. If Crows Nest is too far for you, the cult favourite is opening in Bondi Junction in October.
2. Gumshara
Part of Eating World Food Court in Chinatown, Gumshara is an unassuming ramen stall located alongside the usual Chinese and Thai take-away fare. Catapulted into popularity by social media, this establishment is known to sell the stickiest and thickest of pork broths. Its famed tonkotsu ramen noodle ($10.50) packs a punch, with the broth in itself a filling and hearty meal. Owner Mori Higashida creates this irresistible soup by slowly simmering 120 kg of pork bones everyday — breaking down the bones into a rich liquid packed with skin-boosting collagen, minerals and digestible protein. Bring an empty stomach as the slippery noodles, assorted toppings and rich broth combine together to create a meal fit for an emperor.
3. Ramen Ikkyu
Ramen Ikkyu is another one of those treasures found in the most unexpected of places. Housed at Sussex Food Court in Chinatown, this ramen powerhouse churns out hundreds of bowls a day. What differentiates it from its competitors is in its treatment of the meat toppings. Traditionally, three slices of fatty pork slices (chashu) float precariously atop the broth but Ramen Ikkyu dunks chunks of meat in the opaque soup. The Ikkyu ramen ($10.50) introduces thickly cut pork chops to the dish with a crispy char to give it that smokey taste and texture. This month, Chef Haru has introduced an exclusive item to the menu — the chicken confit with chicken soup ramen, yuzu and coriander ($13.50) so try this style if you feel like a Western-inspired variation of the popular classic.
4. Tenkomori Ramen House
If you’re time-poor or just poor in general, Tenkomori is the perfect ramen stop for you. The ramen kiosk is styled like a self-service cafeteria — patrons order, pay then proceed down the chain to collect their meal. Along the way, you can help yourself to a variety of golden fried sides like spring rolls ($1.00), karaage chicken ($2.20) or gyoza dumplings ($4.90 for 3 pc). All ramen dishes are under $11.00, the cheapest offered as low as $4.90. The Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen ($6.50) is featured as the most popular and understandably so. It comes out with garlic oil drawing small pools atop the broth. The balsamic vinegar in the unctuous concoction is not too overpowering so the garlic still retains its aroma and distinctive taste. Though cooked at super-speed, taste is not compromised as the pork slices are succulent and noodles cooked el-dente (katama) to give it that elastic texture. Best to top this dish off with a side of soft-boiled egg as its gooey centre brings interesting texture and depth to the milky broth.
5. Ippudo Sydney
Ippudo is the most well-known ramen restaurant in the world, opening its doors to Sydneysiders back in 2013. Its claim to fame is its tonkotsu-based ramen, made from pork bones and simmered for many hours. Founded in 1985 in Japan’s ramen capital of Hakata, the first quick service store was opened by internationally renowned Shigemi “Ramen King” Kawahara. With a spacious interior and modern decor, this restaurant is the perfect illustration of ramen’s evolution into the mainstream food scene of the Western market. It offers three choices of ramen, but most visitors find the Shiromaru Motoaji ($15.00) to be the most delicious. The signature bowl is made with a tonkotsu broth, straight noodles then is topped off with pork loin, bean sprouts, wood-ear wild mushrooms and shallots. Ippudo does not have a distinctive umami or gelatinous broth, but instead falls somewhere in between. It is, therefore, perfect for first-timers who have yet to try the full-blown brute of authentic ramen.
6. Ramen Zundo
Ramen Zundo is one the few restaurants in Sydney that offers an interesting variant of ramen — tsukemen. Tsukemen Original ($13.90) is more commonly known as “Japanese dipping noodles” and typically arrives at the table in two separate bowls. One contains the simmering pork broth, boiled down to create a thick viscous sauce. The other is filled with curly, dry noodles decorated with a slice of fresh lemon. Don’t make the fatal mistake of pouring the broth into the noodles, but instead take a few strands of noodle and dip them lightly into the soup bowl. The results are surprising, but guaranteed delicious!
7. One Tea Lounge & Grill
Tea Lounge & Grill is a recent player in Sydney’s ramen scene, but has built itself a reputation as the leading restaurant for the infamous “ramen burger”. First revealed at Good Food’s Night Noodle Markets, this American-Japanese hybrid has generated sensational hype for its novelty factor and messy deliciousness. The Ramen Burger with Braised Pork Rib filling ($13.80) is the most popular burger from the menu and comes highly recommended by Chef David Yip. Two crunchy ramen chunks sandwich the ribs, with a finger-licking marinade that complements the green tea infused mayonnaise sauce well. Chef Yip also allows some much-needed concessions to nutritional balance with a side salad and watermelon to freshen the palette.
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