Yasaka Ramen

Last year when I would occasionally get a lift from uni to Town Hall, I would drive past this ramen place. I didn't even know it was a popular ramen joint in Sydney (I'm still 'under-educated' about Asian food in my home city). Got there on a Tuesday night at around 7pm and there was a line, but only about a 15-20min wait so not too long. I thought they only had downstairs bar seating, but turns out they have tables up stairs.

 

food spread

Yasaka ramen w/ tonkotsu shio base-$14.80

I normally go for the shio base as a baseline comparison for other ramen places. The broth is one of the thickest I've ever had. The first few sips are good, but if you try to drink it, it's way to thick, heavy and salty. 

Grilled kakuni ramen w/ tonkatsu miso base (signature ramen): delicious slow cooked soft pork bone flame grilled to give it a crispy texture on the outside while still soft and juicy in the inside-$19.80

Two large chunks of meat here which were so flavourful. The miso base was also tastier but more salty. I liked the bits of corn to give it some sweetness and relief from all the sodium.

ramen lift

The noodles are a bit harder and have more bite to them. I think I prefer a slightly less dense noodle, but really depends on personal preference. My favourite is still the Micheline star Tsuta from Tokyo. It's a lighter base and noodles were perfect for me. I guess different regions in Japan do slightly different ramen, so if you like thick broths, this is the place to go.