Where to get your ramen fix in Sydney

WITH soup season around the corner, it’s time to start planning where you’re going to get your ramen. Here are some of the best options to noodle over.

The tonkotsu shoyu ramen at Manpuku in Randwick. Picture: Bob Barker

WITH soup season around the corner, it’s time to start planning where you’re going to get your ramen.

Whether you take yours shoyu, shio or miso, here are seven of the best bowls in Sydney.

The kogashi “burnt” ramen at Gogyo, Surry Hills.

Gogyo

Owned by the Ippudo group, Gogyo brings its famous ‘burnt’ kogashi ramen to the streets of Surry Hills. The supremely instaworthy dish is made by cooking pork lard at explosive temperatures, allowing it to catch fire and form sweet, charcoal flecks. Toppings are kept simple with chashu (rolled pork belly), umami egg, roasted seaweed and narutomaki (the white and pink-spiralled Japanese fish cake). Don’t worry about making a big black mess, patrons are given special bibs to cover their clothes.

Details: 52-54 Albion St, Surry Hills, 9212 0003

The tonkotsu ramen noodle at Gumshara in Chinatown.

Gumshara

Located in Chinatown’s Eating World food court, Gumshara is a cult favourite for thick, milky ramen. The recipe is simple, just pork bones and water and the resulting broth tastes seductively of blended pig. The menu includes a classic pork tonkotsu as well as a garlic, fish and tomato variety, plus loved-up couples can share a ramen-tic bowl of the Super Mega Ramen Noodles for two. If you don’t care about putting on a little extra padding this winter, you can also add some blubbery back fat to your bowl.

Details: Eating World Food Court, Dixon St, Haymarket

The Akamaru Shinaji ramen at Ippudo.

Ippudo

This Tokyo-based ramen chain has spilled across the country with outposts located in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Ippudo are cherished for their wide variety of noodles, which include thin, medium, thick, straight and wavy — all of which are cooked to a chewy consistency. Their ramen menu is short and sweet with a creamy pork tonkotsu ramen, a spicy pork miso version, chicken ramen and uniquely, a vegetarian ramen, so no one misses out.

Details: Westfield Shopping Centre, Sydney; Central Park, Chippendale; Macquarie Shopping Centre, North Ryde and The District, Chatswood.

Ramen noodles in pork and fish stock at Ryo's Noodles. Picture: John Appleyard

Ryo’s Noodles

This longstanding noodle hot spot is credited with producing some of the best ramen in town. Yes, you may have to queue for it — but you definitely won’t regret it. Ryo’s menu includes a pork, chicken and fish version with spicy, salty and sour variations. Toppings are traditional and include chashu, bamboo shoots, seaweed, egg and narutomaki. Sizes are well served — if you finish a bowl to yourself, a food coma may follow.

Details: 125 Falcon Street, Crows Nest and 106 Ebley Street Bondi Junction

The pork back fat soy ramen at Chaco Bar, Darlinghurst.

Chaco Bar

Popular yakitori restaurant Chaco Bar has waded into the murky waters of ramen, with the joint now offering noodle soup at lunchtimes and Monday nights. The menu boasts four creative options — a pork back fat soy ramen, a prawn and John Dory wonton ramen, a yuzu and scallop ramen and a chicken and coriander ramen. They may not be traditional but the rich, tasty flavours make this a ramen worth havin’.

Details: 238 Crown St, Darlinghurst

Manpuku

The tonkotsu shoyu ramen at Manpuku in Kensington. Picture: Bob Barker

Manpuku is renowned for its slow-simmered soup, handmade noodles and custom-printed nori sheets. The menu includes a traditional tonkotsu pork ramen, chicken ramen and a combined pork and chicken ramen. As for toppings, there’s a soy sauce-boiled nitamago egg, softened pork rib and kikurage mushroom alongside the usual accoutrements. You can also order a half-sized ramen portion if you decide you want to load up on gyoza, karaage and takoyaki as well.

The spicy ramen at Yasaka Ramen.

Yasaka

This friendly slurp-and-dash ramen joint makes its own ramen noodles fresh each day. Alongside the usual tonkotsu pork bone broth, there’s also a fish ramen, a spicy capsicum ramen and a squid ink-spiked black garlic ramen. If you’re struggling to make a choice, we strongly recommend the kakuni ramen, which comes with a Flintstone-sized slow-simmered pork bone and plenty of meltingly tender meat.

Details: 126 Liverpool Street, Sydney and 1, 161—163 Military Road, Neutral Bay

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