Ramen

So you want to try out some mouthwatering ramen, but where in Melbourne can you find these Japanese ramen?

The answer to your question lies in “Melbourne Ramen Guide”. GoGoMelbourne editors present to you ten restaurants, ranging from the recommended dishes in ramen stores to the “insider only” secret menus of Japanese Izakayas.

Let’s flip open the guide now!

※ The data disclosed here are collected as of 31st March 2011. Please note that the actual menu, prices and services may have changed depending on the circumstances.

Recommended Ramen!Paiku Ramen $11

Soft Spare Ribs on the Verge of Dissolving – Paiku Ramen

Originated in Kumamoto, Ajisen Ramen now operates over 500 stores around the globe. The specialty here in Melbourne is the Paiku Ramen(Tender Rib Ramen). Spare rib bones are stewed until the point of dissipating and then marinated in Ajisen’s secret sauce recipe. The rib bone is so soft, and its mellow taste spreads through one’s mouth. This authentic Kumamoto tonkotsu (pork bone) soup is rich in flavour, giving off a taste that will make one become addicted to it. The type of noodle used is of course the thin angel hair noodle, making it a dish of firm substance bonded with a luscious soup base. Head off to Ajisen first if you are yearning for Kumamoto tonkotsu!

Furthermore, the second and the third Melbourne stores have been opened in Hawthorn (367 Burwood Road) & Glen Waverley (82 Kingsway) this year in addition to the popular city store. The new stores are definitely worth a visit to for those who are close by.

soup white pork broth
address 130 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
contact Tel 03-9662-1100
access walk towards Exhibition St from the corner of Bourke St and Russell St
opening hours 12:00pm – 9:30pm
holidays none (open all the year round)
seats 76
web http://www.ajisenramenmelbourne.com.au/

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Recommended Ramen!Tonkatsu Ramen $12

Chikappa Delicious – Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet) Ramen

“You can see the city from Dontac but you can’t see Dontac from the city” is a catch phrase that best describes this eating/drinking spot located in South Melbourne.

“There will be different flavour as long as chefs are around, just like there will be love as long as people are around.” This ramen involves a good sized pork culet on top of a very simple soy sauce ramen. The meat is refrigerated to prevent it from becoming too tough because of freezing; the refrigerated meat is deep fried once an order comes through.

Apparently this ramen is based on a Tonkatsu ramen that the chef (from Hakata) had eaten at Captiol Hotel Tokyu in Japan. When the not so extravagant soup is combined with this spectacular pork cutlet, the two bring about an indescribable tastiness – this is Dontac! This house specialty is something that can’t be missed after drinking or during lunchtime.

You could order a Japanese styled ramen for $10 but if you pay another $2, you get a Tonkatsu ramen. What a bargain! Again, this provides another persuasive argument of why you should try out the chef’s signature dish.


※ Chikappa is a saying in Hakata dialect, meaning “with all one’s strength”, “with all one’s heart” and “very”.

soup Soy sauce base
address 526 City Road, South Melbourne VIC 3205
contact Tel 03-9696-6794
access 7 minute walk along City Road after getting off the tram route 96 at the stop 126
opening hours lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30am-2:30pm
dinner: Monday-Saturday 6:00pm-10:30pm
holidays Sunday
seats 20
web http://dontac.com/

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Recommended Ramen!Pork Dry Noodle
Large $16/Small $9

You Can Eat “Aburasoba” (Dry Noodle) in Melbourne! !

Surprise, surprise. As the result of a local customer’s request, saying “I want to eat noodle that doesn’t come with soup”, Aburasoba came to existence. I dare say the only place in Melbourne where you can find Aburasoba is at Duck Duck Goose.

The char siu (barbecued pork) is stewed until simmering in an original sauce made with five types of spices, honey, soy sauce and sugar. The sauce that the noodle is immersed in is also completely original + scorched garlic with duck oil; curry flavoured sesame oil is also added to bring out the taste. The key point to making the Aburasoba into something that’s more than just “a very oily dish” is the serving of bean sprouts, bok choy, salad and the exquisite tasting half-cooked egg along with the noodle. The Aburasoba is without doubt a dish beloved by many. Please try it out sometime!

※Please say “Pork Dry Noodle” when you order.

soup no soup, soy sauce base
address QV, 31-37 Artemis Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
contact Tel 03-9040-2000 / E-mail booking@au-ddg.com
access just near the corner of Elizabeth St and Lt. Bourke St
opening hours Monday-Saturday 12:00pm till late
holidays Sunday
seats 150
web http://www.au-ddg.com/

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Recommended Ramen!Ito Special Jumbo Ramen
Lunch time:$16.90 / Dinner Time $18.90

Tasting Two Types of Ramen at Once – Ito Special Jumbo Ramen

Although it’s a double sized ramen with all the ingredients, noodle and soup combined together, Ito’s Special Jumbo is more than just a large serving of ramen. It’s actually separated into two components – buttered corn with miso and spicy hot Tan Tan; you get to enjoy the two different types of ramen at the same time. The buttered corn with miso part is simpler and lighter, consisting of chopped vegetables such as bean sprouts and Chinese cabbage while the hot spicy Tan Tan part is filled with minced meat. You can eat it as the way it is or try mixing it with a little bit of the buttered corn so as to make a more mild flavour.

The char siu (barbecued pork) is soft and succulent after hours of stewing, and the noodle is imported directly from Hokkaido. The noodle is smooth and springy, tasting great even on its own.

Definitely have a go at the Jumbo, Ito Café’s specialty of the house. It’s very filling but you won’t get sick of it!

soup red miso base
address 122 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
contact Tel 03-9663-2788
access Take tram route 96 or 86 and get off on Bourke St. at stop 7
opening hours 12:00pm – 10:00pm
holidays none (open all the year round)
seats 100

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Recommended Ramen!Tsukemen $13

Japanese Izakaya’s Secret Menu – Tsukemen (Cold Noodle with Soup Dipping)

It’s usually very difficult to find genuine Tsukemen in Melbourne but we have found one at an Izakaya! The highlight to this is that it’s not just any standard Tsukemen. It’s a delicacy of tender egg noodles mixed in Hachibeh’s original spicy oil. You don’t even need to use the soup dipping in order to taste the noodle. Moreover, to add to the taste of Tsukemen, the Japanese styled soup contains an abundant amount of stewed mince meat with a hint of spiciness, making it a dish of perfect serving.

There is actually another way of eating this meat stew for those enthusiasts who think they have room for more. Make an order for a small bowl of rice; scoop the meat stew out onto it, and you’ve got yourself a miniature stewed meat don! This is also a bonus! Hachibeh’s original Tsukemen is an ever-changing dish that may be eaten as a main or as a finishing touch at the end

The cold noodle is not on the menu as this is a secret dish limited to dinner times only. Please tell the waiters “Tsukemen” when you order.

soup Japanese styled dashi base
address 143-145 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
contact Tel 03-9078-9909
access along Bourke St, in between Russell St and Exhibition St
opening hours lunch: Monday-Friday 12:00pm-2:00pm
dinner: Monday-Saturday 6:00pm-11:00pm
holidays Sunday and public holidays
seats 110
web www.gogomelbourne.com.au/hachibeh/

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Recommended Ramen!Tan Tan Ramen Noodle Soup $14

One Bowl with Two Times the Tastiness – Tan Tan Noodle

What will surprise you at the first glance is the size of this ramen! It’s just like the large servings in Japan. The amount of this serving is definitely for those on an empty stomach. The soup base made with white miso, the slightly spiced meat miso and the exquisitely soft eggs all match up into becoming this one delicacy.

1. Instead of mixing it with the meat miso, try adding noodle to the white miso based soup first, and tasting the simple miso ramen. Honestly speaking, this is already very delicious.

2. After tasting the more mild flavoured soup, try eating it with the meat miso. Finally the spicy taste of Tan Tan noodle is to be released!

You definitely have to try out this one bowl of ramen with two facets.

soup white miso base
address Shop G28, GPO Building, 350 Bourke Street,
Melbourne VIC 3000
contact Tel 03-9663-7767
access just near the corner of Elizabeth St and Lt. Bourke St
opening hours weekdays, Saturday and Sunday 11:30am-5:00pm
open for dinner on Thursday and Friday 6:00pm-9:00pm
holidays public holidays
seats 80

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Recommended Ramen!GyuTan Miso Ramen $9.80
Happy Hour(3pm-4:30pm) $6.80 *Available only Eat-In

An Abundant Amount of Soft Delectable Ox Tongue – GyuTan Miso Ramen

What will surprise you first is the opulent amount of ox tongue this ramen has. The five pieces of velvety ox tongue immersed in the soup is bound to make your mouth water. Chicken and pigs feet are used first to make the broth, which is in turn used to make the red miso based soup. It goes perfectly with ingredients like eggs, wood ear, bamboo shoot, and needless to say, the noodle itself. Fried garlic and sesame are sprinkled on top to add to the aroma, and the smell alone stimulates one’s appetite.

What’s great about this ramen is not just its taste. The ramen is usually $9.80 but it will cost you only $6.80 if you dine in during happy hours between 3pm – 4:30pm.

Meshiya has not only great “Meshi (=rice)” but also great Noodle! Stop hesitating and make your way to QV!

soup red miso base
address 200 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
contact Tel 03-9654-6242
access the corner of Lonsdale St and Swanston St, ground floor in QV
opening hours 12:00pm – 10:00pm
holidays none (open all the year round)
seats 60

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Recommended Ramen!Pork Kimchi Ramen $12

Filled with Kimchi and a Gradually Increasing Good Taste of Spiciness – Pork Kimchi Ramen

At the first glance, it’s a deep red coloured soup that looks very spicy. This colour actually didn’t come from just the kimchi inside the bowl. First of all, chicken bone and kimchi are brought to the boil to make the broth; then white miso is added to make the soup. In short, the stage of broth making was already filled with kimchi. Finally, the dish is completed by adding in noodle, spring onion, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, stir fried pork and more kimchi.

As it’s so full of pork and kimchi, it feels like you are having the kimchi pork and the ramen as two separate dishes. Maybe because it was filled with kimchi since the broth making stage, it’s also very compatible with the soup. It may feel a little bit hot at the start, and as you eat more, the spiciness gradually creeps in. Despite the spiciness, you’d want to drink all the soup, gulping it down with the noodles. This is definitely a dish that you’d want to have more and more of as the days start to get colder.

soup spicy miso kimchi base
address 64 Burwood Road, Hawthorn
contact Tel 03-9819-6928
access 1 minute walk from Hawthorn station along Burwood Road or if you take the tram route 75 its right in front of the stop 26
opening hours lunch: Tuesday-Friday 11:30am-2:30pm
dinner: Tuesday-Sunday 5:30pm-9:30pm
holidays Monday
seats 50
web http://www.ocha2go.com.au/

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Recommended Ramen!Tonkotsu Charsu Ramen $10
Happy Hours(3pm~5pm) $7
*Some Exceptions

Eureka! Soy Sauce Tonkotsu (Pork Bone) Ramen Along With a Refreshing Green Tea Milk Shake as the Finale.

What will strike you first is the soy sauce Tonkotsu soup. Ramen Ya’s original soy sauce Tonkotsu soup is strong in taste but you won’t get sick of it at all. The Tonkotsu soup is so genuine to the point that you’d want to gulp it down in one go.

The signature char siu (roasted pork fillet) is as soft as the ones found in Japan. Moreover, the pickle that Tonkotsu ramen can’t go without is also a Ramen Ya original item. Apart from that, there are other standard toppings such as eggs, fish paste cake, bamboo shoots, seaweed, ginger etc, making it a mega meal. In addition to this, you can choose between dumplings and salad if you order it as a set, (A set is $14).

The store also offers freshly made signature green tea milkshake ($5.50). The rich green tea flavor and the sweetness blend in together into a perfect balance, making it an ultimate delicacy. This is also a must try! Moreover, regular customers may enjoy the loyalty system in operation where you get a free ramen if enough points have been earned.

soup Soy sauce and pork broth base
address Shop 25G, GPO Building, 350 Bourke Street,
Melbourne VIC 3000
contact Tel 03-9654-5838
access just near the corner of Elizabeth St and Lt. Bourke St
opening hours Sunday-Tuesday 11:30am-5:00pm
Wednesday-Friday 11:30am-9:00pm
Saturday 11:30am-8:00pm
holidays public holidays
seats 80
web http://www.ramenya.com.au/

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Recommended Ramen!Tonkotsu Ramen set (comes with the crispy stir fried dumplings) $14.90

Lunchtime Only: Relish Yourself with the Three Days Stewed Tonkotsu (Pork Bone) Soup

You can have it in a set with dumplings and salad! Is there anything better than this in Melbourne?! No! There are five types of set menus – “Sashimi of the day”, “Fried tofu curd”, “Prawn tempura”, “Deep fried chicken”, “Stir fried dumplings” + entrée and ramen.

Maybe it’s because it has been carefully stewed for three days, the soup oozes of a sweet tender taste with no traces of meaty smell. It’s such a divine taste that even ladies will want to drink up and drain all of the soup! It goes really well with medium sized noodle. There is also a small plate of topping for those who want to sprinkle garlic on top.

Limited to those who dine in, you can make an additional order for a flavoured egg ($2.80). You can feel the egg’s softness as you use chopsticks to hold onto it.

This dish provides a perfect serving size when combined with the crispy stir fried dumplings. This ramen set guarantees a lunchtime satisfaction!

soup white pork broth
address 160 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
contact Tel 03-9654-3933
access just near the corner of Russell St and Lt. Bourke St
opening hours lunch: Tuesday-Sunday 12:00pm-3:00pm
dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5:00pm-10:00pm
Friday and Saturday 5:00pm-12:00am
holidays
seats 60
web http://www.shousumiyaki.com.au/

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