Ippudo, Sydney

There’s nothing quite like slurping a bowl of piping hot noodle soup on a chilly, gloomy day. Located in Westfield Sydney, Ippudo is perfect for those days when you’re hungry mid-shop but you don’t want to venture outside in the torrential rain. It’s very popular with shoppers and those who just want to try some of Ippudo’s famous ramen or compare it to the original.

Ippudo does Hakata-style ramen which means super rich and porky tonkotsu broth. The shiromaru tamago ($17) is a classic with the addition of a sweet and salty egg that has been marinated in soy sauce and mirin. When describing the broth, the words ‘milky’ and ‘smooth’ come to mind. While it’s fatty from the long-boiled bones, it doesn’t taste so. The bowl is filled with thin and straight noodles, pork loin, bean sprouts, black fungus, and spring onions.

The karaka-men ($17) is a bolder ramen and solid cold-weather treat with a mound of spicy miso. There’s a few slices of pork belly and a helping of roasted cashews on top for texture. Like the shiromaru, it uses the classic creamy broth but with wavy noodles to catch cashew bits. I would definitely choose this if I needed to warm up.

As you may have picked up already, I am a fan of drinking with my meals and my favorite is a yuzu sake soda ($8) – something refreshing and a little tart to combat the rich tonkotsu broth. You can even have an apple sake on the rocks ($9).

Despite being open for a few years at this point, there’s still lines upon lines to get a table at Ippudo. If it’s a short wait, I don’t mind. If the line has snaked at least three times, I’d just go elsewhere. The ramen is good, but not worth a forty-five-minute wait.

Ippudo
Shop 5021, Level 5, Westfield Sydney
Sydney NSW 2000
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