Ippudo Sydney is a well-established Japanese ramen chain. It’s originally from Japan and this is their Sydney location. Is it the same as other chains?
I’ve been to the New York location. New York location is tasty but a bit trendy and expensive; however, it’s expected when in New York. I found Totto Ramen better than Ippudo NY. Ippudo was on my list of things to eat in Japan; but, I opted for Ichiran in Shinjuku. I’m glad I did. Ichiran turned out to be my favorite ramen in the world.
I stopped by Ippudo for my last meal in Sydney. I was on an eating binge with having devoured Mr. Wong‘s dim sum and Din Tai Fung in a matter of a few hours. I know. I don’t know how I consumed so much food while eating dim sum and DTF within a few hours.. Ippudo wasn’t as packed as the New York location, but I arrived during off-peak times.
The large restaurant’s service was fast. I was seated within 5 minutes. The staff didn’t take longer than 5 minutes to take my order. My food came out in 10 minutes. The promptness was greatly appreciated since I had a flight to catch.
Ippudo’s consistency was a bit off from the New York location. Here are my thoughts:
- Spicy Miso Tonkotsu – Spicy Miso is my favorite ramen style. It’s something I always order if it’s available. In my opinion, a solid bowl of ramen contains the right amount of richness, oil, spiciness and comes out piping hot. There are only a handful of ramen houses that get those components perfect. However, Ippudo Sydney lacked a few components. The broth was lukewarm and the richness was lackluster. It was still a decent bowl of ramen, but the lukewarm broth was a disappointment.
Spicy Miso Tonkotsu - Shrimp Bun – The deep fried shrimp bun was lukewarm too. The bun was cold and it was draped with Ippudo’s secret sauce. The plump shrimp tasted like it’s been sitting under a heat lamp then reheated and then served. It was a lackluster bun when compared to their famous pork buns.
Shrimp Bun
Lastly, I definitely recommend Ippudo if there aren’t any other ramen houses in the area. However, the lukewarm broth and uninspiring shrimp bun was a major disappointment. It could have been an off day for them. In my opinion, there are better ramen bowls in the world like Santouka’s famous spicy ramen or Ichiran‘s rich and oily broth.
- Service - 7/107/10
- Presentation - 6.5/106.5/10
- Flavors - 6.5/106.5/10
- Decor - 6/106/10
- Ambiance - 6/106/10
Summary
Ippudo is a well-established Japanese ramen chain. It’s originally from Japan and this is their Sydney location. The lukewarm broth and uninspiring shrimp bun was a major disappointment. It could have been an off day for them.
