Ramen was on the uptick in Toronto thanks to the booming successes of Kinton Ramen, Momofuku, Sansotei, amongst others. Still, prior to my departure from my hometown, Ippudo had yet to grace our mediocre metropolis with their fine Japanese ramen. Having missed Ippudo in my last visit to NYC, the discovery of its presence in Sydney was a welcome surprise. Located on the 5th floor of the Westfield Sydney, this upbeat ramen shop buzzes with activity. The line of hungry customers in front of the restaurant is a long-standing fixture.
Many menus were bestowed upon me after being seated; There's a lunch menu, a specials card, and a drink menu for lunchtime alcoholics. Inside the lunch menu is a healthy selection of ramens and sides, typical for most ramen shops of its calibre.
Lunch for today was as follows (as seen from their menu):
Shiromaru Motoaji ($15 AUD)
IPPUDO original tonkotsu broth served with thin noodles, pork loin, bean sprouts, black mushroom & shallots
From what I've gathered, there are two essential components to ramen: the noodles and the broth. Ippudo's offering would likely score highly for both. While I generally prefer the thicker noodles for their chewy texture, the thin noodles were prepared well (without being overcooked) and had a nice springiness to them. The broth, while flavorful, was not overly salty. I didn't pony up the extra cash for chashu, so the pork loin in my bowl wasn't particularly noteworthy.
Ippudo Karaage Chicken ($4 AUD / 3 pcs)
Deep fried soy marinated chicken
This isn't your typical fast food popcorn chicken. There's something about the way Karaage chicken is prepared that makes it special. Maybe its the tasty, aromatic batter? Or maybe it's the fact that the meat remains moist even after deep-frying. In any case, Ippudo makes some decent Karaage chicken. There are some places which make exceptional Karaage but Ippudo isn't one of them. I find that the pieces look a tad scrappy and a bit small.
Kae-dama! ($2 AUD)
Extra noodles for the extra hungry
Did I mention how much I enjoyed the noodles? For a measly $2, I topped up my bowl and resumed slurping 'em up. It's not a bad option for those who could use a bit more sustenance.
I regret not being able to try Ippudo's famous pork buns. Coincidentally, Ippudo Sydney was not serving buns the day I visited. On the bright side, I was given a voucher for 1 free Ippudo bun for a subsequent visit!
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