The Good: :: delicious ramen! :: delicious appetizers! try the cucumber with sesame oil drizzled on top, or the gyoza, or the pork buns :: service is mostly reliable and steady :: they have a ramen only available in Sydney called the Tori Shoyu. very very tasty and lighter in broth than the pork-based broth in their original :: fun, trendy interior and ambiance :: fairly priced! you can walk away full for about $25 AUD including a main and an appetizer The Bad: :: it can get crowded here during dinner :: service can be spotty at times. just flag someone down with your hands, don't be shy! The Ugly: :: none Would I go back? Most definitely will! It's a great reliable meal any day of the week. This place is IN. read more

It's all about the broth Familiar with Ippudo from NYC and in need of a ramen fix I decided to drop into Westfield Ippudo for lunch. I had the Karaka-Men which was its usual delicious self and a tasty Yuzu highball and some water to go with. It took a while to get someone to take my order but once that happened everything moved along. The decor is kind of industrial modern Asian if that makes any sense. One note for those visiting is that you pay by going back up to the entrance when you are done - the wait staff doesn't give you a bill. read more

I can't quite tell if this place is expensive because it's Ippudo or because it's located in Westfield. Probably a mixture of both. $15 for a basic bowl of ramen ($2 for an egg? are you kidding me?!) and $4 for a pork bun I could probably eat in one mouthful if I tried means this wouldn't be a place I'd frequent that often. For a place famous for it's ramen the pork bun is actually the stand out. I had wonderful soft fluffy bun memories from ippudo in New York years ago. Whilst the Sydney pork buns were really nice for some reason it still fell short of how I remembered it. But that might be due to the mind making you remember the things you like in an even more awesome way than it actually was. The atmosphere inside was great. Really liked how a lot of the waitstaff were Japanese as well. Gives an authenticity to this 25+ year global establishment. read more

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Ippudo in New York typically has an hour long wait. The one here in Sydney only had a 5 minute wait. I got in at 5:30 pm though, which is pretty early. I ordered some ramen and a shrimp Bao. The ramen was tasty, nothing out of the ordinary. The Bao bun was fluffy and the shrimp cake was freshly fried. read more

Ippudo Sydney - Ramen Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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Classy. Gorgeous. Delicious. and FUN! Ok, on the night that I had the privilege of visiting IPPUDO, Sydney, every new customer coming in was announced and the whole staff erupted into a Japanese stream of cheers and welcomes while they kept working! It was soooo cool :D And definitely put me in a good mood before I even started enjoying the food! My mate and I may have slightly overeaten, but the food babies were definitely all worth it! Starting with the pork bun and goma Q first! The braised pork according to my friend, was marinated perfectly and the bread looked almost rubbery, though was warm and soft! As for the goma Q, rarely have I eaten slightly spicy, fresh cucumbers dripping in sesame dressing. Much love for it, it makes you wonder why we eat regular salad! Loved the tempura as well, the asparagus was especially delicious! My friend opted for the waygu beef and honestly, you fuse Japanese and Australian flavours, you just know the food baby is going to be absolutely deliciously succulent! Now of course, onto the ramen. Eaten with hard noodles, it was not watery at all, rather closer to rich and stew like, generously loaded with vegetables, pork slices and of course, seaweed. We also ordered the vegetarian noodles, which almost reminded me of a breakfast dish considering it came with delicious mixed nuts, dried fruit, yoghurt, mandarin and cornflakes on the side! The cold noodles (I think Soba?) were delicious, and salty, so they went well with the greens salad to the side, drizzled with sesame dressing. Much love for IPPUDO, I can't wait to go back :) read more

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Having opened a second store in Sydney, I felt obligated as a massive fan of Ippudo while I lived in Kyoto, to come and give this store a try. Excited by the inclusion of their new lunch set menu, I could put it off no longer. Before going any further I should clarify that I am being totally unfair comparing Ippudo in Sydney with the one I frequented in Kyoto, but I can't help it (consider yourself warned). One of the things I love about both Ippudo stores in Sydney is the authentic energy and high level of service they present. Totally gives you a sense of a real Japanese ramen shop. The food however was another matter. Ordering the akamaru ramen, I expected the same well balanced, full bodied, roasted garlic soup that I enjoyed both at the city store and in Japan, but it seems that either the recipe has changed or some of that balance was lost. It was still enjoyable, but no where near the drool worthy soups that I've had before. The men (noodles) at this new store where however much better than the ones I had at the city store (your win some, your lose some), much less like instant ramen and more like the kind of high quality noodles that you'd expect. Overall the ramen was not bad, though it could have looked more attractive and tasted a little better. The gyoza however was all kinds of awesome. While the pan fried side could have been a bit crispier, inside they were so juicy and delicious, I could have had seconds. The yuzu sauce was also very fresh. The salad was, a salad... nothing special, but tying it all together as a part of the lunch set, I certainly felt that I got about the $19 of value out of the meal that I paid for. Still shocks me how much we pay for ramen in Sydney, but thems the brakes. All up, the experience was nice, and while I am a little notstalgic for the original taste of the ramen soup, I find it easy to recommend that people give this place a try. read more

Ippudo Sydney - Akamaru lunch set - Ramen Near Me - Sydney, NSW

I had to check out what all the hype was about. I heard a lot about Ippudo back in the States since there was one in NYC. I was able to grab a bowl during their soft opening and I have to say...I was a bit disappointed. It wasn't till my 2nd visit where I understood what all the hoopla was about. I went again with some experienced ramen eaters and what a difference! I ordered the same ramen as before, but after it was served to us we added several different things like freshly pressed garlic. It really brought out the flavor of the soup and made the ramen taste completely different. The pork bun itself was tasty even though small. Compared to other ramen establishments the portions were smaller and the prices higher. Though being in Westfield it's understandable that there is a slight price spike. If you're a fan of ramen then check out Ippudo. Don't let the long queue scare you off, because it's well worth the wait. read more

Ippudo Sydney - Ramen Near Me - Sydney, NSW

It's been a year since I've been here and it is as awesome as I remember. I think I gave it a 4 star rating last time, but their Ramen was just so so delicious this time around, I just had to go 5 stars. There realy nothing to not like about Ippudo. The restaurant just has a really warm feel. Its clean, contemporary, and tastefully decorated. The staff are all super friendly. And the ramen, ooooo the Ramen. Just so delicious! I'm not a ramen expert by any means, but this is some of the best I've ever had. I had the Ippudo "kuro" which was a special. I ordered with medium spice, which was the perfect to me, and I like spicy foods. I highly suggest you try this if you have the opportunity when at Ippudo. read more

Located in Westfield, I always see people reviewing Ippudo but never noticed it before or seen the sign. It was just there the whole time, I found it not thanks to the Japanese sign. Get there before 6pm without a booking or book just to make sure, the queue just gets longer throughout the night. The dinning area has a good vibe. The layout is open plan with shared central tables with booth-style seating on the edges which give more privacy. Once inside, you will be assaulted with ultra-enthusiastic waiters. IPPUDO PORK BUN Delicious soft bun with roast pork with its fat rendered and tiny piece of crackling for the crunch. The waitress actually recommended it to us and I'm glad we did try it. IPPUDO GYOZA Dumpling skins were more delicate and refined that other places. Thinner and lightly pan-fried on the bottom. Pretty yum! IPPUDO CHASHU GOHAN Waitress had warned us that it was a very small portion. It was very bland, the most tasteless fried rice I have eaten in a while. Pork bits were tough too. I guess this dish was just a stomach-filler. HAKTA TSUKEMEN I was originally feeling for some ramen, but then I saw this special. Looked really intriguing, sort of a deconstructed ramen. Waiters were really diligent at explaining the proper way of eating it. Noodles were really good, in fact every element was good and that concentrated dipping broth was full of flavour. The ingredients were cold, it just meant that they had to be dipped it in the hot broth for longer. That contrast of temperature was interesting too. If you wish to drink the broth at the end of the meal, they offered to bring hot water. Conclusion Legendary service, solid execution except for the fried rice and offering new specials like Tsukemen differentiate them from other Japanese and ensure that this place is worth a revisit. @thesydneynoob read more

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My husband and I ate here on our final night in Sydney and I left feeling sick and underwhelmed. I believe they use a lot of MSG because shortly after I began eating I started to feel hot and my stomach was extremely bloated / full. Hours after eating (tonight) I am still feeling sick, almost on the verge of throwing up. I wish I had asked if they use MSG because I know that I get adverse reactions when I eat MSG. I got the chicken ramen, which was so over salted. We also ordered the gyoza and baos. The gyoza didn't arrive until well into eating our ramen bowls and the baos were mediocre. My husband got the shrimp bao and it barely had any shrimp. It was mostly sauce (picture attached). His soup, the pork special was decent and he felt fine after eating, however he isn't affected by MSG like I am. He thought his soup had good flavor and was well seasoned (not too salty). Two stars due to my soup being overly salted, gyoza not arriving on time and the bao filling being mostly sauce. I would not return here but my husband would. read more

Ippudo Sydney - Shrimp bao with barely any shrimp. Much different from the picture on the menu. - Ramen Near Me - Sydney, NSW

I had time to check out the Central Park building and was surprised to stumble upon another Ippudo location. This one catering to university students, if you show your id you can get a bowl of ramen and a bun for $12! For everyone else $14. First impressions: much louder and livelier than pit street with excellorated yelling. It's a smaller footprint but you've got the additional outdoor seating. I cosy up with a seat in direct view of the kitchen to witness the noodle mastery. I didn't enjoy the pork bun as much as the CBD location, which had a much crispier texture. But you can't really go wrong with ramen. Silky, salty, umami perfection!! I got the shiromaru bowl but am looking forward to their tonkutsu very soon. I also want to add that I just love their extra thick napkins/serviettes read more

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Ippudo is known for ramen but surprise surprise, the other dishes in their menu are pretty good too. We came on a Friday night on a whim... there wasn't a queue so my husband thought it was such a good opportunity to pass up. It was a warm night and I didn't really feel like having noodles in hot soup but the thought of having all the pork buns I could stuff my face with drew me in. Sadly, the moment we sat down we were told that they had run out of buns. Some issue with deliveries, the lady said. So I had to make do with a selection of their entrees instead. I ordered the camembert tempura (it was just ok, nothing to write home about and maybe a tad bit overpriced for what it is), the crab karage (one of their monthly specials), and the pork ribs with teriyaki sauce and orange glaze. The crabs were quite addicting. They're a great accompaniment for their happy hour drinks. The orange glaze made the ribs another standout, it was a good combination with the sweet teriyaki sauce which heavily coated the ribs. I think the ribs were a bit overcooked though, I asked for it to be medium so maybe it'd have been better medium rare. I found it odd that they asked me how I wanted the ribs to be cooked because I've never been asked that at any other restaurant I've eaten ribs at. For an entree consisting of three pieces of pork ribs, it felt more like a main to me because there was a good amount of meat in each piece. We had the Blue Mountains for dessert, which was a parfait made up of the creamiest green tea ice cream I've ever had, red bean, mandarins, jelly and cereal. You'd think the three small scoops of ice cream will just be enough for one person but because it was so creamy, it was quite filling for two people to share. I normally don't like red bean but theirs was smooth and tasty and sweet (not the grainy and earthy kind that most other Asian dessert shops have) and I wish there could've been more. read more

Ippudo Sydney - Ramen Near Me - Sydney, NSW

You can't get away from the enthusiastic chorus of 'Irrashaimase' from all service staff welcoming you as you're ushered to your table. We were lucky to be seated straight away, 10 minutes later I can see a long queue started to form. I ordered the seasonal ramen, Hakata Black Curry Ramen. The menu said this dish was the winning entry of Ippudo Ramen Competition 2014. Hmmm interesting! It is a special noodle with braised pork and flavoured egg in a black soup, a mix of Ippudo signature pork broth with a blend of miso and numerous curry spices and squid ink. It comes with rice which I thought was unnecessary, but hey some people might want to make squid ink curry rice with that! The soup was definitely tasty and the chunky piece of pork was braised to perfection, tender and melt in your mouth, amazing! I also had the popular Ippudo Pork Bun. Tasty as always with tender braised pork, iceberg lettuce and Japanese mayo on a soft steamed bun. My friend had the Gyoza and Karaka Men. Karaka Men is a Ramen with tonkatsu broth with special spicy miso and ground pork. The broth was spicy and deliciously balanced. And as with most Ippudo Ramen, you can choose how hard you want your noodles. The staff were friendly and helpful. Even though the price is more expensive than your average Ramen, but the taste of the broth still lingers way after the chorus of 'Arigatou gozaimasu' from the staff subsides, I will definitely come back for more! read more

Ippudo Sydney - Hakata Black (Squid Ink) Curry Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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Another great franchise of that famous Japanese ramen & modern Japanese food. Obviously the star of their repertoire is the ramen. If a bit peckish we start off with some starters, like the pork buns & there is always the seasonal specials on the menu. It can busy at times & the queue could be 15 to 30 minutes wait. We always turn up on or before 6:00pm to get a table. The service is great most times with the obligatory greetings before & after. They don't seem to rush you when deciding to order or won't ask you if you want the cheque, just the subtle hint of clearing your table - they do ask if they can take them. But be sure to answer quickly before they take your ramen bowl before polishing it off till the last drop of soup! The dishes are always great & very consistent. Desserts are not their big forte as most Japanese restaurants, but a simple green ice cream etc. to share can finish a great meal. Cocktails & other drinks looks great but haven't tried them, except for the occasional ginger beer & green tea. Can be busy at times, but if you crave for one of the best ramens in the Sydney CBD go here. read more

Ippudo Sydney - Kraage crab - Ramen Near Me - Sydney, NSW

I love Ippudo NYC so it was exciting to see this place in the Westfield food court. We went at about 7pm on a Friday night and it was packed. Although the line was quite long, it moved along quickly. It was fun to sit in front of the kitchen and watch the chefs speedily put together the steaming bowls of goodness. I tried the spicy tonkotsu ramen and boy was it spicy! The noodles were al dente and the broth was delicious. read more

This may be the best ramen I have had in Australia. Hands down, they know what they are doing. My dinner companion and I started with the pork bun, because, you just have to. It was flavourful and succulent, and the little sandwich disappeared quickly. While I nibbled on edamame with an interesting garlic salt that was not too overwhelming, my friend ate 5 perfect size gyoza. She insisted I try them but I just couldn't bring myself to eat more, knowing what lay ahead... Akamaru Special! Whilst I wasn't crazy hungry, I couldn't resist getting their flavourful broth with all the fixings. It proved to be a wise choice as I shared the side plate of goodies, although the extra pork slices were too much. Each topping was well worth the extra $$. What I valued most about Ippudo is they get the most important things right: broth and noodles. Making their own noodles each day proves to be a secret to their success. Just the right firmness, allowing the flavour of the broth to shine through. And the broth! I could have had another bowl just to slurp in pure bliss. With a hip hop atmosphere, fun vibe and the most authentic and delicious ramen you will find in any city, Ippudo proves it can hold its own from NY to Sydney. read more

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We were running late for the theatre, but needed to eat. After explaining this to staff we were served immediately. The Ramen was tasty, with so much flavour. Will definitely return. read more

You might think $16 - $20 for ramen is pricey, and you're probably right but you are paying for serious quality here. Not to mention the service is excellent particularly when its not busy (i.e. Not Thursday/Friday/Saturday evenings). Recommended that you also try the pork buns for an entree, as they do go down well. I've heard mixed things about the gyoza, but I haven't tried it yet, but will save that for another review. This place also has full EFTPOS facilities too so don't let the price discourage you too much. read more

Ippudo Sydney - Ramen Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Deathly afraid of lines like in New York, we came here around 2:30pm and was seated right away. We had the spicy miso, with egg. Fantastic, just as I expected from the ones I been to in New York and Japan. The pork belly buns were a disappointment though. They just didnt have the bursting flavor that the ones in NY have, AND they didn't have the shisito peppers!!! Blasphemous. read more

Ippudo Sydney - Spicy miso! With egg - Ramen Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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Excellent ramen -- love the vibe of the place! The pork belly buns are a must as are the tofu salad and Japanese cucumber salad. read more

Ippudo Sydney - Ramen Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Usually love this place food is great atmosphere is top shelf The ramen is outstanding I am in love read more

I'm from So Cal, and I have my fav ramen place in Little Tokyo; this place is amazing, and now I'll forever measure any other ramen against this place. Probably the best ramen I've ever had. read more

Food: Ramen soup is delicious. Steak is well-cooked. Price is $$. falling into the medium range. not that cheap. Space: this place is too noisy. The staff keeps yelling in the kitchen. If possible, I'd recommend to sit at the bar. Don't sit inside. read more

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In the mall, this restaurant looks definitely fancier and more gorgeous. There are plenty of seats but people still have to make a long line to be seated. You can feel how popular this restaurant is among people in Sydney. I used to work at a Ramen Restaurant in Japan for many months and I know what the genuine ramen is like. I highly recommend this restaurant. The staffers make very lively atmosphere that you can see many of restaurant in Japan. I'd say the taste of Ramen here cannot be more close to original Japanese ramen. I loved the very thick and deep texture of soup. Also, what I liked the most was the options for noodle thickness. I tried the thinnest noodle, which can be seen in Hakata region, and it was very good. I don't know if this store is one of chain of IPPUDO franchise, world-wide famous brand. Assuming so, this restaurant does not harm their reputation, I'd say. read more

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After hearing and reading so many good reviews about Ippudo I decided to visit for myself, which I recently did at a lunchtime sitting. Unfortunately, what I experienced was nothing as to what I was expecting via the reviews. The service was rushed and robotic, the food was nothing special and the tables were so close together that customers had to share their personal space whether they actually wanted to or not - in this case I actually didn't, but had no choice. Despite the queues of people waiting to get in, who obviously think that the food is of excellent standard, I am afraid to say that I won't be joining them again. I will be finding other places to eat in future. read more

I hadn't had a good ramen since I left America so I was really excited to try Ippudo's ramen since everyone was talking about it! When we arrived at Ippudo, there was a line. We put our name down and stood in line for about 15-20 minutes. It wasn't too bad as I wasn't starving anyway, so I was happy to wait. Once it was our turn, we walked into the restaurant and we got a boisterous entrance as all the staff yelled out. It was a nice welcome into the restaurant. We sat down at the first table, we sat next to each other on a shared table. I ordered the Akamaru Tamago ($18) and my partner got the Shiromaru Tamago ($17). This is more than the regular ramen as it has the flavoured egg. We weren't too hungry so we didnt order anything else, but my friends told me next time I should order the pork buns! Dammit we missed out.. The waitress asked us how we liked our noodles (hard, soft, regular). I just went for regular. The food came out after 10 minutes or so and it was amazinggggg.. Just thinking about the ramen is making my mouth water.. The Akmaru is ippudo's original tonkotsu broth enhanced with special blended miso paste and fragrant garlic oil. Served with thin noodles, pork belly, black mushroom and shallots. The soup is salty, VERY SALTY but it tastes great with the soft, thin noodles. The piece of pork belly melts in youir mouth (wish there was more) and the egg is grey from the flavouring, cooked to perfection. When you break the egg with your chop sticks, the yolk is perfectly cooked, soft, but not running, and just oozes out a little. It was divine. We didn't hang around too much afterwarsds, once we ate our ramen, our bowls were taken away quickly and we left. Paid with credit card, no problem at all. I would definitely go back.. My mouth is watering right now.. I can't wait to go back! read more

As much as a lot of people complain about the waiting times, difficult location and changed menu, my first experience here was really positive. Finding it wasn't difficult at all, it's clearly at one end of Westfield's 5th Floor. It was just after 2:30pm, mind you, but we were warmly welcomed and shown to a comfortable table for two right away. Admittedly the menu had less ramen dishes than expected, but at least there is a vegetarian broth option, which is severely lacking among ramen places. Service was smooth and didn't require any prompting. The chilli-cheese fries special was a delight, aside from the ramen selected. The soup broth came out very hot, which is always a great sign. The only downside is that for the serving sizes given, they are more on the expensive side. If next time is a similar experience, though, I'll be far from complaining. read more

I'm a huge fan of Ippudo New York. I once rushed to Ippudo NY before an impending storm thinking it would be much less packed then (there's usually a 2-hour wait for dinner at Ippudo NY). I was really surprised when we could walk right in today. The noodles didn't seem to have the same texture and taste as those I had in NY, and the Karaka Men broth, while good, was just slightly above average. It's not as flavorful as the Karaka Miso ramen I love so much in NY. The pork slices were too fatty and the ramen didn't have much of any other ingredient to offer. Someone in our party ordered the vegetarian-based ramen, which was served with whole wheat noodles. It looked very plain. There was nothing but noodles and broth, and a vegetable kaki age (deep fried pancake stuff) on the side. The kaki age contains eggs and I wish they had noted this on the menu or told us before. It was still a lovely lunch and we left feeling full, but there are probably cheaper options that are just as good. read more

Having had Ippudo in NYC and now Sydney, I can say that Ippudo has the best ramen I've ever had. Everything from the broth to the noodles to the toppings all compliments each other in the best way possible. My go to ramen is tonkatsu for its rich broth with garlic oil. This location, in particular, is very idyllic. It's a perfect addition to the trendy and famous Central Park. read more

Not everyone reading this review will know this, but I am sort of obsessed with hakata ramen (i.e., tonkotsu broth ramen with straight white noodles originating from Kyushu, that is the genre served at Ippudo). I had been to Ippudo in NYC once, but this was before eating many-a-bowl of hakata ramen in Japan as well as LA (Shinsengumi and Yamadaya wassssupppp!). So I definitely had high standards walking into the relatively new Ippudo location in the Westfield Sydney's posh food court. My verdict? All in all, this is hakata ramen the way it should be. Yes it is a bit pricier than what you'd pay at other ramen-ya, but if you're familiar with the glam-ram Japanese chain and its high-end marketing strategies, that should be expected. One thing I questioned was the random cabbage they throw into the ramen here--that's, um, different from Ippudo NYC and hakata in general, but it doesn't really add or take away from the ramen in any case, so whatevs? Other than that, service is great, choice of hardness of noodle comes out pretty spot-on, extra noodles for those superhungry folks is in full effect (kaedama onegaishimasu!), and the takeout option/reserved seating for takeout orders (right outside the restaurant proper, so it's basically among the rest of the food court) is a nice touch. I recommend the pork buns, selecting superhard noodles ("barikata," and don't worry it's not like sticks or anything, it's just very al dente and suits the soup very well), and getting anything with that stewed and deliciously soft-boiled EGG. read more

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So, on my recent vacation to Australia, I really wanted to introduce my friend to REAL ramen for the first time. As a result, I decided to pick what I thought was a "safe" choice-- a branch of the NYC restaurant where I had amazing ramen a few months back. I could NOT have been more wrong! While the pork buns were fantastic as usual, I could barely stomach the ramen. They wouldn't make it spicy for me, and the broth "as is" was thin and runny. The toppings were minimal, and the noodles just unmemorable. All and all, I was EMBARRASSED to have selected this for my friends first ramen. DEFINITELY SKIP THIS PLACE and go to Yasaka! read more

**Solid 4 stars for the food: highly recommend the shrimp bun!** This Ippudo location is located at the Westfield Sydney mall on Pitt Street. I'm docking 1 star for the odd service. At the to go line, they told me their machine was down so they weren't able to accept cards and I had to go to an ATM machine to get cash. but I highly doubt that this was true since they had a LONG ass line in the normal dine-in line. I highly, highly doubt those people ALL had cash. They really couldn't explain further, and I did not see anyone from the restaurant coming out and telling people only cash was being accepted. Anyway... - Karakamen - $17 supposed to be the spicy option but really wasn't. The broth wasn't hot, which was a bit disappointing. - Multiple add on options. The egg was $2 - Shrimp bun - $5 read more

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I absolutely love ramen and even as a vegetarian, I go out of my way to try it in every country I go to. Ippudo was where I chose to try out on my 8 hour layover in Sydney. First off, bit of confusing for a foreigner to find - it's on the 5th floor of the Westfield shopping center off Market near the Sydney Eye if you're lost! The place itself was bustling with wait staff shouting out customary restaurant greetings in Japanese and luckily I made it before the lunch rush. However, this same thicket of action led to some inefficiency as my friend and I were seated at our fun, low chabudai-like table for quite some time before being served. When we finally did get our waiter's attention, I ordered the vegetarian ramen with an added poached egg. The broth here is really why this spot gets 3 stars - a clear dashi mushroom broth that really lacked depth or substance. I expected more of a restaurant this close to Japan, but it might be that there is less inspiration to dish out good veg recipes outside of the US. I had to add chili oil and mix the egg in real well to add flavor and thickness to my ramen. Otherwise, the noodles were nice and firm in texture, the mushrooms well sauteed, and the egg perfectly poached. The redeeming factors here were a fun Japanese and local Sydney beer list and the beautiful decor. I'm a huge proponent of ramen wherever you go, so if Ippudo is nearby, give it a try! read more

Took the family out for dinner during the school holidays. Both kids are learning Japanese at school so ramen was the request. Ippudo came up in the search and away we went. Given its location in a westfield food court, we really weren't expecting much but don't let its inauspicious location put you off. This is not food court fodder. This is the real deal. Right from the traditional Japanese greeting the staff shout when you enter. The food. Ahhh, the food. Best. Ramen. Ever. I had the spicy (karaka men special) and it was great. I tried some of everyone elses - tori shoyu ramen made with chicken rather than pork and the akamaru shinaji with fragrent miso paste and garlic oil. All fantastic. And pork buns for starters. So, so good. Small but absolutely beautiful flavour. It was only early when we got there and we got a table within about 10 minutes but a few minutes later, a long queue had started to form. Turns out this is an international chain, renowned world wide for its superb ramen. I had no idea. Apparently the queues are legendary. You can wait for hours for a table so get there early. read more

Ippudo, the ramen restaurant created by Shigemi Kawahara aka 'The Ramen King' in Japan has been slowly taking the world by storm, opening its first restaurant outside Japan in New York. They live by their catch phrase 'spreading the ramen culture'. True to their word, Ippudo has just opened their very first Australian restaurant, up on level 5 of the Westfield Sydney food-court. So, one lunch time, Mr J and I popped along to sample this world famous ramen for ourselves. But, for the uninitiated, just what exactly is ramen? Ramen has been eaten in Japan for over 400 years. To put it simply, ramen is basically a noodle soup. But to many, it is much more than just that. So, what makes Ippudo ramen so special? Well, it's all in the broth. Ippudo serve a tonkotsu broth (pork broth), which is the richest style of this noodle soup. Their flagship soup is shiromaru, but for the adventurous, you may like to try the akamaru ramen. But, it's not just the broth. The noodles play a big part, and at Ippudo you can have yours soft, normal or hard. When you enter Ippudo, you will be greeted by a chorus of 'Irrashamase', which means 'welcome'. Expect to get very used to this saying during your meal - you will hear it many times! The slick, modern restaurant features warm woods with flashes of reds and a unique curved roof line. There's no mistaking the orderly Japanese feel and you would be hard placed not to notice the quiet, efficient wait staff. The Japanese have seamless service down pat! The menu is complimented by photographs to make your choices easier, should you not be accustomed to this style of eating. We peruse the menu and decide to order: * Ippudo Gyoza * Ippudo Pork Bun * Shiromaru Motoaji (a classic Hakata style ramen) * Shiromaru cashu (with pork belly) The food is delicious and we are quickly converted to Ippudo ramen fans. One word of warning, be careful as you eat your noodles or you will end up wearing them, as Mr J did! So, why not try this world famous ramen for yourself! read more

The best ramen ever tasted!!!!!! Above all, i really loveee the broth!!! The broth is very flavourful but light at the same time. Customer service is excellent Couldnt have asked more read more

This place really lives up to the expectation. Loooove the unagi dish. The omelette is so smooth, grilled eel was very fresh and the soup is a great addition to it. The wagyu beef entree was awesome and the Yam chips? Omg. Addictive and what a sauce!! I just wish it wasn't so crazy & line up all the time. Location was great to be in the city, but may be open another branch in Potts Point with a larger space??? read more

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I come here every few months and always go for the seasonal ramen. For May 2014, they were serving up bonito tonkotsu. It's the original tonkotsu broth blended with bonito fish stock, giving it a darker colour and stronger umami taste. I went for the one with cha shu (pork belly) and asked for my ramen to be cooked hard. Meaning they only blanch the noodles for a few seconds. I find that the noodles naturally softens as I get halfway through a bowl giving me two styles of ramen haha. My bowl came first and I looked at my lunch buddy and said "Ramen doesn't wait for you, you wait for the ramen" a sign that I was going start first without waiting for him. I enjoyed the first spoon of soup, taking in the flavoursome broth before I pulled a small amount of noodles up, dunking it back in the broth to soak up the juices, then bringing the noodles back to my mouth to slurp it in quickly...and repeat. That's how I eat it LIKE A JAPANESE BOSS. Oh I nearly forgot, we also ordered two pork buns. Just order them and your eyes will light up. Ill review that another day. read more

Had a lonely dinner after work and wow this place did not disappoint. Service was fast and on point and food was delicious. I had a salmon sashimi rice bowl which was pretty good, only thing I did not enjoy that much was the little egg pieces. If you're not into egg pieces like me, maybe try getting it without them. However, PORK BUN!!!! Probably the best bun I've eaten in my whole entire life. No doubt. read more

Oh. My. God. Becky. This place is located in the most overwhelming food court you've ever seen. There are so many options, it can actually get stressful to decide. Go after 2:30, when the lunch masses dissipate. We happened to walk by and Mr. Boyfriend was psyched to see no line. Last time, he couldn't eat here because the line was so insane. He loves bao, and I've never really liked it. But I loved this one! The dough was light and fluffy, the fillings fresh and well proportioned, and I had to actively refuse another bite because I wanted to save room (I'd already had an appetizer and wine at another spot in this food court.). I have never had fucking ramen so tasty. Yes, we've eaten at yummy ramen places at home. It's different - not like the kind of flavored broths I've had at home (not to say those weren't tasty). It's earthy and consistently cloudy. I'm not saying other ramen is salty, but I didn't get a taste of salt - just flavor, goddamned flaaaaavor. They don't give you any sort of condiments etc. because you don't need it. In general, I've found that, if they know their stuff, you should just do what the chef intended. We had their house special, which involved fermented fungus and thin, strong noodles. We also ordered hot sake. Again, I've never had more delicious sake, and we ordered the cheapest one! It had that nice ocean flavor, but it tasted warmer (if that makes sense) and deeper than what we have at home. I had an appetizer for my meal: little fried whole crabs! It was cute the way they were presented, like monkeys in a barrel holding onto each other. These were fantastic. I've never had the opportunity to try these anywhere in the US. I'll bet they're perfect with beer. Overall, this was one of those head-shaking culinary experiences, and it was essentially fast food. We sat at the bar. The service was lovely, you can see the entire restaurant and open kitchen from there, and it's pretty. How do you manage intimacy in a busy mall with the bar right outside the restaurant, with bustling businesses right behind you? I don't know, but they did it. If I wanted pho or ramen or Japanese bar food in Sydney, I would go STRAIGHT HERE. read more

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