Ippudo (QV)
QV Centre, 31/37 Artemis Lane, Melbourne
03 9654 9057
Japanese
$$
Food
- Shiromaru Tamago
- Akamaru Tamago
- Karaage Chicken
The Good
The Shiromaru Tamago was pleasant though didn’t surprise. The broth was flavoursome and carried an enjoyable though not overly fragrant pork sensation. The broth itself could’ve been a tad creamier and richer which would’ve coated the noodles better to offer fuller flavour.
We also enjoyed the Akamaru Tamago. The garlic oil and miso paste definitely added an extra depth in flavour. The miso flavour was bold and tasty, while the garlic was fragrant and
The noodles were generally well made. Opting for “hard”, they offered a slight chewiness while being silky smooth.
The Mediocre
Our Soft Boiled Egg wasn’t quite as soft boiled as we’d like. The inner yolk was no longer runny and was still cold despite being in the soup for a good 10 minutes.
The Karaage Chicken also failed to impress. The batter tasted rather odd with an unconventional seasoning. Most importantly, the outer was neither flakey nor crisp like a good Japanese fried chicken should. Disappointing.
The Bad
The biggest shortfall were definitely the slices of Pork Loin. The two small slices of pork fell apart way too easily. The slow cook process was definitely overdone as the texture was tough and a tad dry despite crumbling away at the mercy of our chopsticks.
It’s also evident that the staff needs to tune up their conversational English. You know you’ve got a problem when you spend a good five minutes trying to explain you ordered two eggs instead of one.
The Verdict
Was it what we expected from a $20 bowl of ramen? Not really.
Was it worth the 45minute wait? Most definitely not.
Authentic Japanese ramen this was not, and it was a thoroughly middling, unimpressive meal. Thank god for the $1 extra noodles though otherwise we would’ve left hungry too!
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Not unless Hakata is an option.