Directory
ICHI-BAN BOSHI
Cuisine: Japanese
The ramen at “Itchy” often makes the cut in food bloggers’ all-time ramen favourites, whether at this eatery at Bondi Junction or its other restaurant at Town Hall. We can see why. Tantanmen ramen $12, bulging up top with minced pork and a Cyclops of boiled egg, clears the mind with saltiness and the senses with spice. There are more than 15 varieties to choose from (bring a wingman to increase sharing options). Noodle and rice dishes are equally appealing: sukiyaki don, sweet slivers of beef over rice with a side of miso soup $11, or katsu curry, deep-fried pork cutlets drenched in lashings of curry gravy with a side salad $11.50, are intensely flavoured. The decor is contemporary and comfortable — that’s if you get a seat (peak hours are usually very busy).
KAM FOOK
Cuisine: Japanese,Chinese
By mid-morning, Kam Fook’s smart, modern dining room is frequently overloaded and latecomers will find themselves at the back of the queue, numbered ticket in hand. By day, the atmosphere is pleasantly rowdy, with a speedy and efficient army of trolleys delivering a vast array of steamed and fried yum cha treats. Dinner offers a more relaxed experience, providing upmarket Cantonese cuisine. Sizzling beef with garlic $26.80 arrives at the table still crackling and steaming, while stuffed king mushroom with abalone, $12 each, and deep-fried minced prawn and scallop $33.80 are pure luxury for seafood lovers. For traditionalists, there are roast duck and pork dishes and all the usual Cantonese classics.
RAMEN KAN
Cuisine: Japanese,Chinese,Japanese
Beloved by legions of noodle-slurping ramen fans, this is one of Sydney’s most famed Japanese ramen establishments. Despite its rather cramped quarters, Ramen Kan is a stylish little eatery with a sleek contemporary fitout and a tall communal bar. Start with chilli takoyaki $5.50 (golden fried octopus balls) and sublimely silken garlic miso tofu $7.50. Ramen options are seemingly endless, from lip-smackingly rich tonkotsu ramen $11.80 (thick, creamy slow-cooked pork bone broth) to a slightly weird but marvellously tasty curry cheese ramen $12.80 with nuggets of karaage fried chicken. The ramen bowls are enormously filling, so for a lighter meal try salmon don $10.50 (grilled salmon on rice with Japanese mayo and chilli), or softshell crab salad $8.90.
