By Ms. Taste
I’m a real fiend when it comes to ramen. I love the stuff – so much in fact, I spent a large chunk of my time seeking out new noodle bars when I was last in Tokyo. It didn’t matter whether it was a small shop tucked away in a quiet street or a larger chain store affair, I loved them all.
But trying to find quality ramen in Sydney can be a matter of ‘hit-and-miss’. The worst was at a “sushi bar” in Parramatta which served me glorified two-minute noodles. Actually no, they were just two-minute noodles. Glorified is a bit of an overstatement.
I do think I am one of the lucky ones though. I grew up in Hornsby and spent my high school and uni years within easy reach of Tokyo Ramen. Weekly lunches here were a great way for me to catch up with friends and satisfy an empty stomach. But even having moved away from the area, I still make the effort to travel to Hornsby for a hearty bowl of noodley goodness (and to visit my parents of course!).
This cosy noodle bar reminds me of the noodle joints nestled in Shinjuku
Tokyo Ramen is hidden in the lower ground floor of Hornsby’s Westfield shopping centre, just metres away from the Coles supermarket. It serves up a fantastic selection of ramen, soba, udon, tempura and don dishes around $15 or less. There is also a Tokyo Sushi stall just outside, which has fresh sushi for hungry passers by.
A word of warning, if you like your ramen noodles swirling in a velvety tonkotsu broth – like you would expect at Ryo’s or Zenya – Tokyo Ramen is not the place for you. The noodles here are made ‘Tokyo’ style with a soy-flavoured chicken broth and a ‘dash’ of dashi.
Negimiso Ramen
My absolute favourite dish here is the Negimiso Ramen, which has a miso based soup, topped with a spicy combination of leeks, shallots, chasu pork and chilli. The flavours are reminiscent of Sichuan cooking – sans the tongue numbing peppercorns! The soup can be quite heavy at times but when done right, the noodles are pure magic.
My other ramen of choice here is the Beef Ramen, which offers a tasty chicken broth topped with a beef veggie stir fry. You won’t find it anywhere else!
Miso Ramen with Butter and Corn
I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve never tried anything else on Tokyo Ramen’s menu besides the ramen, but my dining company over the years tell me that the Don dishes are quite good too.
I’ve always hoped that Tokyo Ramen would open up more stores around the city. But unfortunately, their one attempt at expanding to Parramatta collapsed due to poor business. It is a shame because an eatery smack bang in Chinatown in the city would do absolute wonders.
Tokyo Ramen
Shop 1042
Westfield Shopping Centre
236 Pacific Highway
Hornsby NSW 2077
# 02 9987 2688
www.tokyoramen.com.au
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