The signature dish is the 'Ramentic' pork ramen.Jamila Toderas13/20
Japanese
It's not often you line up for a restaurant in Canberra. There were those days when hordes lined up at a little red caravan in a park for a burger. But otherwise,the nation's capital's restaurants have their booking systems down pat,or are pretty good at texting or calling when your table is ready for walk-ins.
But when a dedicated ramen bar opened in Braddon in June,people lined up. For the first few days,such was the demand,they kept having to close early,having run out of the broth. And could you really blame everyone? Ramen was a fairly rare inclusion on Canberra menus back then,and right in the depths of winter,a whole venue dedicated to warming bowls of noodle soup is just what the doctor ordered.
Things have calmed down now for Ramentic,which opened in place of former Italian cafe Imperioso on the ground floor of the Mode 3 building on Lonsdale Street. Before that,it was Farmers Daughter.
Ramentic owner and chef Seonmo Kang.Jamila ToderasThe space is small - very small. Inside is a serving area down the right side,plus a small kitchen hidden away in the back corner. The other side has high bench seating for around 10. It's a snug fit,and exactly what you would expect at a ramen bar in Japan.
There are also more tables with stools out the front on Lonsdale Street,and in the hallway it shares with Wok It Up.
The interior is very black - one wall is black tiles with the white grout showing through,the other is painted black wood panelling. The walls are lined with shelves showing off stacks of bowls and a range of ramen cookbooks.
The interior is very black - one wall is black tiles with the white grout showing through,the other is painted black wood panelling.Jamila Toderas It's these books that owner and chef Seonmo Kang studied once he decided to open a ramen restaurant. Kang previously worked in the kitchens at eightysix and Provini,and it was always his take on ramen that he made up for colleagues. While they encouraged him to open a ramen joint,Kang initially wanted to open a bakery - something he said he still may do one day. But the ramen won out. While he's originally from Korea,Kang said his ramen is more of a Japanese style.
The menu is simple - six'snack'starters,four ramens,and two rice dishes. Things are kept very casual - you order at the counter,find your own table and grab your own utensils and sauces from the front.
To start,the lotus chips ($7) are very moreish - all salty and crunched to perfection. Pork gyoza (five pieces for $7) are plump and served steamed,their tender wrappers holding a delicious ground pork filling. They also come with a vegetarian option,and I would come back just to eat these again.
The real hero of the menu though,unsurprisingly,is the ramen. This isn't your cheap and cheerful ramen - bowls are on the pricey side at $18-$19 each.
The signature pork ramen -'the Ramentic'($18) - comes with a smoky,fatty pork broth,noodles,wood ear mushrooms,pickled mustard leaf,manma (fermented bamboo shoots) and two big slices of pork belly. Noodles are firm to the bite,and the broth is full of flavour and hits all the right umami notes,without the use of MSG - Kang said it takes him 12 hours each day to get it just right. If you like a bit more spice,go for the spicy ramentic ($19).
For drinks,at the moment there are just soft drinks and a couple of Japanese sodas. It is BYO beer only for now ($3 each) with plans to expand the license.
Staff are friendly enough and service is prompt. One waiter tonight asks diners what they thought as he cleans up their bowls,paying a great deal of attention to the feedback.
The venue is casual and warm,and offers up a seriously decent bowl of ramen. They have done a good job turning a small,awkward space off a walkway into a cosy eatery with its own personality. And with a good pun for a name,can you really go wrong?