The search of the best tonkotsu ramen in Melbourne

A call to all Melbournians –

Where is your favourite ramen ya?

I am not sure when Mister started his craze for Ramen, in particular, Tonkotsu. I thought long and hard and it seems that Menya Noodle Bar in Sydney is the culprit. Mister discovered this place while on a short visit up in Sydney. The next time we were up there, he insisted that we had to pay homage to this place.

Before I carry on with my rambles, let me briefly explain what tonkotsu is. It is a cloudy pork soup base. It’s cloudiness  comes from being cooked with crushed pork bones for hours. Hence, its porky aroma and heavy pork tastes in its broth.

A photo in Menya

Mister’s review – The broth is rich with flavour. The chasu is tender and the ramen was still quite al dente! This place had definitely set the standards and so when we returned to Melbourne, Mister continued his hunt for some wholesome tonkotsu ramen. And just to add in my 2cts, my bowl of ramen was a little over-cooked and I thought it had MSG. I was feeling quite thirsty afterwards.

Menya tonkotsu ramen

After watching the movie, Chef of the South Pole, Mister and I had been on and off in search of good ramen in Melbourne. Actually, the next day, we fought the traffic and drove to Momotaro Rahmen in Richmond. The ramen served here is made in house by Chef Reiji. This place is also well known also for the portion. The ramen is served in very big bowls and it is usually a struggle to finish it.

Momotaro Rahmen

The broth here is also packed with flavour but it seems to lack the punch as the bowl of tonkotsu that we had in Sydney. It is still a hearty meal and I just wished that it was nearer to us! By the way, the eggs has a soft egg yolk, the way I like it

Momotaro Rahmen

There was a call on twitterverse to try out Ramen Ya after Mister got cheekily slammed on by saying that he enjoyed the ramen at Ajisen, we were definitely up for it. We were expecting a big turnout but the heaven opened and the numbers halved.

The tonkotsu broth should be gelatinous with a ‘porky’ smell. This is how the tonkotsu at Ramen Ya looked and smelt. It was served with thinly sliced chasu and some nori at the side. The noodles was still quite firm although I preferred the egg to have a softer yolk. Mister and I are big chasu fans and so we ordered extra to share. The chasu falls apart as I lift it but I feel that they are a little too fatty in ratio to the meat.

Tonkotsu Ramen

So what makes a good bowl of tonkotsu ramen? The broth has to be freshly made served with hand knead ramen. The chasu has to be melt in the mouth tender. The egg cannot be over cooked. Hard on the outside and soft on the inside.

Our search continues and I have recruited a few Melbourne food bloggers and their partners to go on a ramen journey with us.  So stay tune for more details. Ramen shops, date and rating criteria will be revealed in the next couple of weeks. And please commenet below if you have a place that you think we should try

Which food or dish are you most obsessive with?