Ikkyu Ramen

Ikkyu Ramen by chef Haru Inukai, former owner-chef of fine dining Blancharu, has opened at Sussex Center food court in Chinatown last month. I dropped by last week when they have special menu of Pork Rib and Hokkaido ramen which I chose as a change since normally, if not always, I picked tonkotsu ramen. 

The hokkaido ramen comprises slices of salmon, half boiled egg, bean sprout, served in a tasty miso based broth and topped with spring onion and corn kernels. It was my first time having ramen with salmon, but it's not bad at all even I still prefer chasu slices in a tonkotsu broth better. The miso broth itself is perfect but the noodle's chewiness could be better, at least to my liking. 

Would love to go back for their Pork ribs ramen .. 

(free kaedama on the menu)

(touch pad for ordering)

(Hokkaido miso ramen)

Mappen Bondi

We happened to walk around Bondi last month and stumble upon this new Mappen outlet which basically offers same service, food, and vintage atmosphere as their original outlet in CBD, but this Bondi outlet serves more options from ramen to donburi which is not available in their CBD outlet. 

We tried their beef steak with curry and tonkotsu ramen. The beef steak comes in generous portion, their beef is quite tender and served with tasty curry. The tonkotsu ramen is not bad but frankly it's not a recommended one. The good thing from Mappen is that their price is very affordable.

Their traditional vintage style decoration is very amusing with old posters on the wall, an old bike on the corner and old Japanese songs on the speakers.

 (Beef steak with curry)

(sweet potato and vegie tempura)

 

(tonkotsu ramen)

SMASH Cosplay 2013

The SMASH 2013 is over, it was on yesterday at Sydney Convention Centre, Darling harbour.

I didn't really plan to go to the event since there were urgent things to do but didn't really want to miss this out either so went there to have a quick look and ended up taking some pictures. 

Could'n give any comment since I didn't enter the hall, just wanted to share some shots of amazing cosplayers..

Yebisu Sydney

As I mentioned on my last two posts, there are three Japanese eateries on the renowned Regent Place on George street and Yebisu was the last one I visited last month. You call it 'Little Tokyo' or 'Little Japan', I reckoned everyone will agree, those three have made this little corner packed with Japanese food lovers. 

Yebisu is not just an izakaya even the concept may looks like it, the traditional details with neon signs will make you feel like wandering around Namba in Osaka or old Kyoto, blended with modern touch of their iPads on each table for ordering system, it's definitely a must try whether you are a Sydneysider or just a visitor looking for a great taste of Japanese food in Sydney.  

(lunch set menu)

(sashimi)

(salmon teriyaki set)

(grilled onigiri)

(aburi salmon sushi)

  

(chicken yakitori)

(okonomiyaki)

(seafood fried rice)

 

(salmon skin nigiri)

If you are there for lunch, teriyaki salmon set is my favourite, always love salmon ...

For dinner, I would recommend their yakitori, the wagyu beef yakitori is superb, love salmon too..? then you should try their aburi salmon and the crispy salmon skin nigiri. The grilled onigiri is quite unique and the fried rice topped with bountiful seafood is another favourite of mine. 

Booking is highly recommended but I think they take reservation only for 4 people or more.

Photo update on August 15th:

(cirashi sushi)

Chanoma Cafe Sydney

The Japanese Matcha Master .. Chanoma Cafe 

Agreed that they serve the best matcha in town, from beverage to sweets, all has the green tea touch, not the mention the matcha soft ice cream.

We dropped by to try their Matcha anmitsu, Matcha float and the Creamy shrimp croquette dog from their Japa-dog menu. I am not a fan of hotdog anyway, but the real taste of matcha with a smooth matcha ice cream is enough to prove their tag line. 

Located at Regent Place, on the ground floor just the opposite of Tenko Mori, in a place I would call 'Little Tokyo' with three Japanese eateries one next to each other, they are all packed with crowd during busy hours,  new favourites in town..

(Matcha Anmitsu, matcha ice cream served with jelly and red bean)

(hot matcha)

(Japa dog, hotdog with brutwurst sausage and cheese)

Updated on August 15th, 2013

Tenko Mori

I have been away for a while.. and now that I am back in Sydney, couldn't wait to get to this new ramen shop inside Regent Place down George street in the city. 

After Mappen, Oiden.. and now Tenko Mori, another popular Japanese resto from Menya group, during busy hours you will encounter a long queue.

 Same self-serve ordering system as Mappen and Oiden, pick your ramen and soup base, grab your toppings (you can choose from fried tofu, tempura, kakuni, seaweed, tamago or potato salad), go to the cashier, find the seat and start enjoy your ramen, also don't forget to return your empty tray. 

I love their pork kakuni, it melts on your tongue and the taste is just soo... yummy, the broth is considered light tonkotsu yet satisfies my craving for tonkotsu soup and I just enjoy the perfectly cooked noodle slurp by slurp...

(Pork Kakuni in tonkotsu soup)

(Vegetable ramen in tonkotsu soup)

Also, love their milk tea... just tastes like my favorite KIRIN milk tea..

 If you go there, you'd notice another Japanese restaurant and cafe on the other corners, it's just became one of my favourite spots for Japanese eateries.