After my delicious meal at Sokyo at The Star, I was keen to try out head chef Chase Kojima's Sokyo Ramen pop-up. With a neon sign and posters of Japanese culture covering up the wall, it was hard to miss.
There are four styles of ramen on offer, including a cold version for the hot summer weather. We opted to start with the Umami tonkotsu 2.0 Ramen. I liked the use of the pork cheek chashu rather than the pork belly commonly found in other bowls of ramen. The cheek was very tender and juicy, and the soft boiled egg added an extra creaminess to the dish.
The Yuzu Shio Ramen was unlike any bowls of ramen I had eaten before. It was incredibly light and refreshing - the broth was very easy to drink and had an element of zestiness that you don't usually find with ramen. It smelt wonderfully fragrant too!
We were here for the ramen but couldn't resist a serving of Fried Chicken. And a wise decision that was - the fried chicken were a crispy golden colour with just the right amount of crispy batter and tender meat. It was accompanied by a spicy mayo and a fresh salad with yuzu dressing - well worth the $9.
If you are a fan of ramen, get down to Sokyo Ramen before the pop up is no longer! As the hashtag on the seaweed says, #noramennolife.
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All things green tea flavoured are celebrated at One Tea Lounge on York Street in the city. Owner David Yip is responsible for bringing the ramen burger to Sydney a couple of years ago and here, he has opened an Asian fusion restaurant with a hint of the theatrics.
My friend and I started with the Tea smoked octopus with avocado. It came to our table with a cloche over the top, surrounded by a mysterious white fog. Once it dissipated, we dug into the dish and it was one of my favourites of the night with a great intensity of flavours. The creaminess of the avocado went really well with the smokey, tender cubes of octopus.
The popcorn curry chicken had a good crispy coating and were the perfect snacks to go with our drinks. The curry powder was not spicy at all, more like a Japanese style which I enjoy.
The Salmon Tartare came in a glass served on a bed of dry ice which kept the dish very cool. The fish was very fresh and went well with the avocado, cucumber and tobiko.
With the sliders, we had the option to mix and match the bun and filling. We had the Ramen Burger with the wagyu beef - the patty was juicy and the ramen burger was crunchy enough. The Rice Burger lacked flavour and the use of Matcha Boager, whilst tasty, didn't really wow me. I still prefer a good quality brioche bun any day.
Onto baorgers of a different kind - Ice Cream Baogers! We opted for the Green Tea and Black Sesame varieties (sadly they were out of the lychee flavour). Both the ice creams had excellent rich flavours and the boagers reminded me of having a deep fried ice cream. Sadly, I was a little too full to fully appreciate it.
One Tea Lounge is definitely worth a visit. The way they incorporate matcha is quite creative and I love the theatre of some of the dishes as well. Be sure to try their cocktails too, which also heavily features green tea!
On my search for the best lobster rolls in Sydney, I ventured to Waterman's Lobster Co in Potts Point. My friend and I were seated on one of the outside tables, nabbing one of the last remaining tables on a busy Satusrday afternoon.
We started with the New England Clam Chowder which was packed full of flavours from the sea. The chowder was creamy and rich and I particularly enjoyed the meaty clams and the crunchy, buttery croutons.
The White anchovies with shaved beetroot looked spectacular on the plate. The crispy slices of differently coloured beetroot were artfully arranged, interspersed with the cured anchovies which had a great intensity of flavour.
And onto the lobster rolls! The 'Connecticut' style lobster roll came on a buttery toasted brioche roll, which was heavenly - crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. The lobster meat has a subtle sweetness and there was a decent serving (knowing how expensive this is in Australia, it can't compare to the much bigger portions you get in America).
The 'Maine' lobster roll came with tangy Mayo and celery, which still allowed the lobster to shine. I found it hard to pick my preferred version, but in the end, I think the buttery roll of the 'Connecticut' style won me over. You can choose to add a side of crunchy fries (sprinkled with paprika) or pickles to the dish, both of which are great additions.
Good atmosphere and friendly service, I will no doubt be back to get my lobster fix.
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