Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen (La Trobe Street)
321 La Trobe Street, Melbourne
03 9912 6341
Japanese
$$
Food
- Gyoza
- Gyutan Don
- Original Tonkotsu Ramen
- Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen
- Mochi and Ice Cream set
- Cheesecake and Ice Cream set
The Good
The highlight of our meal must be the Gyutan Don. Generously topped with ox tongue that was lightly seasoned with chilli and exceptionally aromatic, this huge rice bowl certainly did not disappoint. The grilling ensured plenty of flavour and variation of texture thanks to the crispy charred bits throughout, while the thinly sliced protein was delectably soft and succulent. Served alongside some fresh salad leaves and a healthy helping of beautifully round and fragrant Japanese Jasmine rice, the only thing this was missing would be some kind of sauce, or a raw egg, to hold all the components together.
We also enjoyed both the Original Tonkotsu and the Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen. Served piping hot, the thin ramen noodles were cooked just so, at just the right texture and consistency, with a slight chewiness without being overly soft and gooey. The broth itself was fragrant, though we definitely could’ve done with bolder and more forward flavours that we’ve been so accustomed to. This especially holds true with the Black Garlic variant, which is usually characterised by extremely strong flavours and a very rich broth.
Served alongside was a still-runny soft-boiled egg that offered up a rich and creamy experience, as well as slices of aptly fatty pork belly that was tender and full of flavour. The weakest bit though of our ramen would be the Chashu – roast pork, which was disappointingly tough and chewy on this occasion.
We rounded off our meal with two sets of desserts, namely the Mochi and Ice Cream set, as well as the Cheesecake and Ice Cream set.
The mochi was simply brilliant, thin and delicate skin that wraps a soft and almost-gooey inner filled with red bean and matcha paste. With a subtle sweetness that was perfectly accompanied by the pleasant green tea flavour of the matcha soft serve,
The cheesecake itself was incredibly rich and creamy, it’s green appearance was matched by a hint of matcha flavour throughout and made more intense thanks to the matcha powder scattered on top.
The Mediocre
Our Gyoza unfortunately failed to impress. The skin of the dumplings were rather sticky and doughy, and as a result each dumpling was stuck to another. Without being fried all the way through, we found the dumplings lacking in crispness, and the innards could definitely be more succulent and juicy.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
While we had a brilliant experience at their first Melbourne venue on Russel Street, our visit at Ikkoryu’s newest opening on La Trobe Street didn’t quite hit the sky-high standards we have come to expect from this famous Ramen joint.
Despite this though, we found both the ramen enjoyable, and those desserts were definitely the cherry on top that made it a rather memorable Japanese meal.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Sure. The Gyutan Don is a must try, and their desserts certainly won’t disappoint!
Penguineats would like to thank Ikkoryu for inviting us.