Manpuku

Another day, another ramen. Sydney's ramen game is strong, to say the least. The signature dish at this ramen joint has the longest name of any dish I have ever reviewed (or came across).

Behold, that Kono Deaini Kenshashite Aijou to Jonetsu Komete Isshoukenmei Tsukutta Uchirano Icchan Sukina Manpuku Shiawase Ramen.

Mapuku signature ramen, $14.90

Available nowhere else in Australia (except, I presume, Manpuku's Kingsford location), Manpuku's signature dish is a blend of chicken and pork broth base, combined with medium straight noodles. It also comes with special seaweed imprinted with the Manpuku brand, which is pretty exciting. The signature broth is rich, deep, and hugely satisfying. Not as thick as the soup at Gumshara, Manuku's soup is more drinkable, though it does not cling to the noodles the same way the Gumshara soup does.

The pork and bamboo shoot, as well as the half soft boiled egg are all very good, and the addition of sprouts will no doubt add freshness and attraction for those who enjoy sprouts (I, however, hate it with a passion - but nonetheless I appreciate what it does to flavour and texture of a dish). I must say, however, that the egg, in particular, is not as good as the one at Gumshara, which is actually oozy, and therefore much more delicate.

Up next, the Gyokai Black.

Gyokai Black, $15.90

In my view, this is the second most interesting sounding item on the menu. It is a soy-based pork broth with a hint of fish flavour, and black garlic oil which gives the dish a rich, smokey flavour. The noodle type is different to those used in the signature ramen: in this case, we have a premium dry noodle, which is slightly chewier (for completeness sake, the last noodle option at Manpuku is the wavy noodle which reminds me of two-minute noodles in aesthetics but I cannot comment as to its taste and texture).

In addition to the noodles, a couple of the snacks / sides also caught our eye, and we choose the Okonomi Stick.

Okonomi Stick, $5.90

Coming in twin serving, you have the option of having the original okonomi or the spicy okonomi, or a combination of the two. I, of course, had to test out both options. The original Okonomi sticks are a vegetable and seafood pancake on a stick with powered seaweed, bonito flakes BBQ sauce and mayonnaise. It appears that the spicy version is just a plain okonomi with an additional drizzle of sirracha, so the heat level is still not great, but it does add a great kick and makes the already-delicious flavours even more complex, so I would highly recommend the spicy option.

Score: 4.5 / 5 
The second best ramen in Sydney according to me, being narrowly beaten by Gumshara and narrowly beating Menya.
Cost: cheap eats
Address: 226 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood or 482 Anzac Parade, Kingsford
Website: https://www.ramenmanpuku.com/