Ramen Ikkyu - Chinatown

Ramen Ikkyu

Ahhhhh... Who doesn't like a bowl of fresh, steaming hot noodles in the middle of winter to really warm up your soul. Ramen Ikkyu is located in the corner most area of Sussex Centre Food Court, Chinatown and is known for their delicious (and famous) ramen.  The place is tiny and you might even miss it but don't get fooled by its looks and try their food! 

Their menu is pretty basic with your ramen and your choice of broth including salt, soy and miso. The original choices of ramen comes with cha-shu meat, seaweed, sugarcane, bean sprouts, green onion and an egg. Prices are a tad higher than the neighboring stores but quality makes up for it and if you aren't satisfied then you can get an extra serving of noodles for no cost at all! You order from an iPad at then pay at the register. Once you receive your fresh, steaming hot noodles you can add toppings such as minced garlic, chilli and soy sauce.     

Tokyo Soy Ramen $11.50

My bowl of ramen arrives and boy does it smell nice. My first impression was, wow...this is presented really well for such a tiny place. I take a sip of the broth and it is delicious but just a tad salty for me. The noodles are presumably hand made and the best noodles I have ever tasted. They are firm but not too chewy and unlike many other noodles, do not taste too starchy.  

The cha-shu meat is very tender but also very fatty. About half of the meat is fat and although it is delicious, you shouldn't be having it every day. The egg is cooked to perfection and goes so well with the dish. I thought it would be served hot but instead it was cold. Nonetheless it was a good egg and I wish there was more. 

Finally the sugarcane. At first I thought it was a weird addition to a savory dish but it worked really well as the slight sweetness of the sugarcane contrasted the overall soup and noodles. I sugarcane was a bit hard and I would have preferred if it was softer and easier to chew.

Ramen Ikkyu is a great place to eat if you're looking for some ramen in the winter. It can get crowded at times so make sure you come during the less busy, quieter hours. 

Their food is delicious but beware, the soup is quite rich so don't visit too often or your pants will be sorry!