Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen
27 Russell Street, Melbourne
03 9650 3708
Japanese
$$
Food
- Fried Wonton Skins With Wasabi Mayo
- Edamame
- Gyoza
- Spicy Chicken Ribs
- Yuzu Tonkotsu Ramen
- Strawberry Mochi & Green Tea Mochi
- Green Tea
The Good
All the entrees were rather delicious. Staring off with Fried Wonton Skins with Wasabi Mayo and the Edamame, they were very appetising nibbles. The Wonton Skins are crunchy and taste of a hint of salt, which are given an extra kick by the light wasabi mayo. The Edamame are warm and had just the right amount of flavour coated on the outside.
The Gyoza are great but would benefit from less salt and finer ginger to reduce the punch of biting into pieces of ginger. The Karaage Chicken is perfectly fried and has a strong karaage flavour. The skin is crunchy and the insides tender with tasty juices squirting out with each bite. The highlight of the entrees is the Pork Croquette. The insides are filled with a perfectly balanced mixture of sweet potato and pork. These had a unique, magical flavour especially since pork is rarely featured in a croquette.
The Green Tea is brought out in a teapot with a bag of tea leaves. The matcha flavours are good since it is not made from a matcha powder.
The Strawberry Mochi and Green Tea Mochi are spectacular. Both flavours are sweet but not overbearing – a great finale to the meal.
The Mediocre
The Spicy Chicken Ribs are fried perfectly, although they were drizzled with a sauce that is a tad too spicy and sweet for my tastes.
The Yuzu Tonkotsu Ramen is a speciality of the shop. Yuzu is a strong spice reminiscent of lemongrass. The yuzu gave the broth a green appearance and a distinctly strong spicy taste that unfortunately overpowered the tonkotsu pork flavours. This penguin would prefer less yuzu, since slurping the broth by itself reveals the underlying flavoursome porky goodness. This particular bowl is ordered with extra toppings of seaweed, bamboo, egg and pork belly. The seaweed is a great addition to the ramen; the squares of dried seaweed are fresh, giving them a crunch even after being soaked in the soup for a while. The eggs are a let-down for me since they are overbearingly salty to this salt-sensitive penguin. They could also benefit from being cooked less to give it a runny yolk. The pork belly should have been a highlight to the ramen, but unfortunately, are a tad dry, provoking a chewy texture in each stringy thread.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen is definitely a welcome and fantastic addition to Melbourne’s growing ramen scene. They serve a mean ramen that closely resembles what you’ll find in Japan.
Although the yuzu in the ramen is disproportionate to my tastes, the tonkotsu broth hidden beneath is rich and creamy, and would be excellent in the regular tonkotsu ramen.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
That’s a resounding “yes”. This was definitely one of the best ramen I've had in Melbourne.
We'd like to thank Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen to sample their delicious authentic noodles.