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Recommended Reviews - Little Ramen Bar
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This is your standard ramen fare, nothing extraordinary - the chashu tamago was warm and filling, with perfectly seasoned egg, meat, bamboo shoots, and a slightly too salty broth. A little disappointed that they were out of the pork gyoza (due to the upcoming holidays), but the vegetarian gyoza (with minced tofu) was surprisingly good.
Little Ramen Bar ain't so little in popularity, Melbournians would queue the street of Little Bourke for a taste of this Japanese favorite comfort food. At first sight, the interior is simple with nostalgic touch of an old Japanese bar with olden Japanese posters, exposed brick walls and bottles of Sapporo/ Asahi beers stacked underneath our seat. The space is ridiculously cramped, but somehow, it complete the nostalgic ambiance of eating in Japan itself, well... as long as you don't mind sharing tables and bumping elbows with strangers. Their menu was pretty straightforward, listing few choices of ramen as well as starters/ side dishes. For my noodle, I ordered the Chasu Tamago ($13.90), listed as the crowd's most popular! Our bowls came with a generous mound of noodles and toppings; soft boiled egg, seaweed, bamboo shoot, green onions and two thick slices of grilled chasu pork. The noodles were springy and firm; quite excellent, the grilled chasu topping, however, was extremely salty and the miso base soup was nothing to scream about. The best part of it all was the soya soft boiled egg, cooked to perfection, it was abso-friggin-loutely beautiful! For the side, I got the Pork Gyoza. I wasn't exactly impressed with this. The gyoza skin had a good consistency and the golden crispy color on the surface, but I must say it was salty to the max! *Sad* The service was nice and helpful, the waitresses would enthusiastically greet you (in Japanese) when you walk-in and walk-out, thought it was rather amusing. Based on my last visit to Little Ramen, I will not be rushing back, seeing as the restaurant is located in the notoriously busiest area in CBD. Not really worth the hassle or the hype.
How much do you love Ramen? Enough to order a Godzilla sized bowl that appears to have over a litre of broth and enough noodles to feed an entire kindergarten class? Little Ramen Bar opened last week and the name has nothing to do with the size of the portions. The "standard" sizes are generous but if you're feeling ambitious or are male, under the age of 25 and want to show off your manly skillz then it's a prerequisite that you order the Godzilla size and then spend the next 30 minutes attempting to defeat the monster before you. It's really quite amusing. It's early days, but I think we might be on to a winner with these guys. The gyoza are very good - be sure to give them a good dunking in the vinegar on the table to let them truly shine. But what about the Ramen? The broth in both styles I tried were solid. The Tonkatsu miso based broth richer and more flavoursome than the Tonkatsu shoyu base. The noodles were good, but I'm yet to be convinced they're the best in Melbourne. I'll happily keep returning though to see if they get there. I really like the small space and friendly service and think it's a terrific quick and reasonably priced dinner option in the city.
On Tuesday night, I went to the Little Ramen Bar for dinner because I felt like eating ramen. This the second time I've been to this place. The first time was in December 2013. The popularity at this restaurant is still the same. If you're walking pass, there's a good chance there's a line. Don't worry the line moves quickly, otherwise I wouldn't be waiting around. This is a place where customers eat and leave. I suggest you avoid going to this place on a Friday or Saturday night, which is when the line is longer and there's more pressure to move customers in and out. It's not the place to meet up for long conversations. The first time I was here, I had the Spicy Miso Ramen. The broth was average and tasted like 2 minute packet broth with an added load of spice. It was very spicy because I recall drinking a lot of water. I didn't mind the spicy part of the ramen. The gooey egg was included as part of this dish and it was delicious. They were quite stingy with the thin slice of pork. Since then, Little Ramen Bar have altered their menu which I noticed on Thursday night. The gooey egg is no longer included in any of the dishes on the menu. It's now an additional charge to add an egg. I ordered the Tan Tan Men which is a "Chinese-inspired dish featuring spicy minced pork in rich soup infused with chilli." It's available in mild, medium and hot. I ordered this dish in hot. There was a substantial amount of minced pork and you really can't go wrong with cooking minced pork infused with spices. The noodles itself was ok, and some parts of the noodles were stuck together. This is a big NO NO, just like this rule applies to pasta. My partner ordered the classic ramen. The broth was average and there was 1 thin slice of pork. In my experience, usually two slices of pork is included in the classic type of ramen in other places. They serve a substantial amount of noodles if that's your thing. Their broth is mediocre in terms of authentic Japanese broth. There's not many places in Melbourne that specialises in Japanese ramen, and even less great Japanese ramen places. I disagree with those who think Little Ramen Bar is the Japanese ramen in Melbourne because I've had better and closer to the authentic ramen in Japan. As for the Chinese spicy inspired noodles, I've also had better and closer to the ones in Hong Kong. The food isn't horrible, it just doesn't live up to the authentic and standard of Japanese ramen I've had in Japan and I've had better in Melbourne. That being said, it's a place worth checking out if you're craving for more than just a bowl of 2 minute noodles. Perhaps you want a taste of quick and good Japanese and Chinese inspired ramen soup noodles. Just don't walk in expecting you're in Little Tokyo. Oh...don't get the classic ramen because there's nothing classic about this.
Quite possibly, the best ramen I've had to date. This was the first meal I had after landing in Melbourne and boy was it a good choice! Wandered down the street on a Saturday evening, I walked into Little Ramen Bar right before closing. This place may be cosy, and appropriately named, but it's no secret to the locals. At 9:25pm, this place was packed! I ordered takeout and my food was ready in under 10 minutes, which I promptly whisked back to my hotel room. The Gyoza Dumplings, although tasty were a little on the burnt side.. maybe a tad too long in the pan. The Garlic Shio Ramen- packed full of flavour, and the eggs.. oh the eggs.. perfect! I'll definitely be coming back here! If you're in the area, or even if you're not, I'd drop in and get your ramen fix!
My quest for good ramen has finally been fulfilled, after a spout of bad luck over the last couple of months having tried overpriced cardboard posing as ramen. Little Ramen Bar is authentic first and foremost. I had the classic ramen and the broth was superb! Their menu states that it takes over 10 hours to extract the pork flavour and juices that make the tonkotsu soup base. You only need one taste to believe this is true. I arrived at 6pm on the dot on a weekday and managed to grab the last table, otherwise expect a queue. Is it worth the wait? Yes! They also accept visa/mastercard with no minimum purchase. Yay for cashless spending!
Cute little Ramen bar with lovely service and big steamy bowls of Ramen. There's a few different options to try and I would be keen to go back and try more. In this instance I went for the Miso Ramen with chilli. Tasty, although the noodles could have been better and there was room for more heat in the 'hot' version. Note - this place is cash only, so be sure to stop by an ATM before joining the queue. While you won't find the street line quite as long as the dumpling bar two doors down, this place still gets super busy during meal times.
I have been here a couple of times and I always ordered the same thing from the menu. Though, I have to comment on their service. The last time i was here i was not really impressed by their service. The food came and the waitress accidently spilled the ramen on me. I was wet all over from my bag and my pants. At first, i was just lucky to feel that i didn't experienced a hot burn on my skin. As i have experienced it before at home and it was terrible. Then the waiter apologized they brought tissues but then that it. I could have been mad and leave the place without paying but i was hoping they could give the ramen for free or a complimentary drinks or starters. But they did not, I just thought that was really very low of them. I guess they do not care about customer service but more on the money. The Food I always ordered the Chashu Ramen with shoyu base, the ramen itself is very good compared to other ramen places that i have tried such as Ajisen and Kokoro. Hands down this is the best. The broth is a bit thick and oily though but other than that is perfect. I have also tried their gyoza and it tasted good, it doesnt tasted like those frozen gyoza that you could buy from the grocery. Atmosphere The place is very small, they have outdoor seating and again as it is very famous, you will be expecting a line. Not a good idea if you are coming with a big group. Overall I will come back but i will be extra careful this time not get myself poured with the ramen by the waiter.
This is by far my favorite ramen bar in Melbourne. The place is almost always packed so expect a wait if you're coming at peak hours with a group of more than two. I always dined here solo on my way to work. The tan tan men is delicious, I always ordered it hot. Everything about the place is authentic. The staff is very kind and helpful, despite the language barrier. The gyoza complement the broths served perfectly. I only wish we had this place in the states!
This "Little Ramen Bar" is not little at all with both indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant opens at 11.30 am on weekdays and you can expect a queue if you are late. Clean, nice place, with well-dressed and friendly staff. This ramen bar is not competitive in terms of price and is quite expensive with price ranging from 10.90 to 15.90. Options for ramen mainly include pork with one option for chicken broth and only one vegetarian option. There are no tofu options. They have a beer menu and you can also order gyozas on the side. I got the extra hot spicy ramen which is originally pork, but I asked for the vegetarian option (I think this still means you get the pork broth but without the pork pieces - so not entirely vegetarian). The extra hot option was spicy but not 'EXTRA HOT'. In terms of vegetables, I got a few pieces of white cabbage and an egg. Quite disappointing. flavour was nice but nothing I will rave about. For 13.90, the portion size is decent but again overpriced. They should at least have a lunchtime deal like most places in the CBD. Quite disappointing.
The Japanese owners and staff don't mess around with quasi ramen This is the good stuff and it's done with care and pride just like the noodle hole in the walls in Shinjuku Now they open at 530pm on a Saturday and at 531pm it was packed so the local ramen fans understand that the early samurai gets the noodles The usual apps are on the menu but I was blown away by the noodles having the right chew and flavourful broth I opted for Chasu with extra egg and pork and it was exactly as I hoped.....excellento arigato It seats about 20 Samurai so plan accordingly if travelling in groups Special mention that they include real seaweed.....the Nori is for decorative purposes It's very double hot.....as asked for. ..whew!
Pretty decent ramen but in a tiny space. It really depends on what broth you favour as each ramen place seems to have their own speciality. Little Ramen Bar in my opinion is good for its Miso based broth and Hokkaido style ramen - combo of butter and corn as topping. However, if you're a big tonkotsu (pork bone) broth fan like myself, you won't find any of it here. read more
10 years ago
Love this ramen place, definitely one of my favorite ones! Noodle is Q and soup is tasty but not oily. The service is excellent too! read more
13 years ago
13 years ago
oops ... they forgot the chashu! but the tonkotsu soup was good, even if I prefer it more garlicky. read more
10 years ago
The egg, the yummy egg on the Raman !!! Oh this is so good, the Raman is just right , the egg is just right , everything is just right ! Great customer service ! Got approach and serve within 5 second. Food only take less than 10 mins! Amazing!!! read more
13 years ago
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10 years ago
Cool. Simple. Hipster. Friendly. Warm. Delicious ramen noodles. For quick and satisfying noodle bite, this place is a must. read more
13 years ago
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12 years ago
Really delicious ramen noodles. Plenty of variety as well and are fairly authentic for Australia. The gioza dumplings are also very good. Portion size for ramen is fairly large. The only downside is the proximity of tables to each other and the place is very small as the name suggests. read more
7 years ago
10 years ago
Still one of the best ramen joints around. Quick friendly service. Awesome 90s jap pop that gets you in the mood. The small space adds to the coziness. Delicious variety of soups and toppings so go with a couple of friends to taste test them all! The gyoza have a wonderful crispiness on the outside and juicy meaty filling. read more
12 years ago
Have to come back here after the first time. Very long Q all the time but it's worth the wait alway. Range of Ramen is good with choice of vegetarian and vegan. Very friendly staff. read more
11 years ago
13 years ago
A perfect treat to satisfy your ramen craving, nice service and friendly staff but prepare to que, not fast food by any definition read more
8 years ago
3 words Godzilla Chashu Tomago I found myself walking on Swanston Street on a rather brisk, wet afternoon right after my job interview. I didn't have time for lunch due to the interview so I was trying to decide what to eat, rather, what was available for lunch at around 2pm. I was hankering for some soup, particularly asian noodle soup, to warm myself. On a day like this in LA, I would find myself at Santouka Ramen found inside a Mitsuwa market in Culver City. However, with Santouka thousands of miles away I found myself here at the Little Ramen Bar. LRB was indeed small, not tiny. But their proportions were definitely NOT small. I sat at the window counter alongside a couple to my left playing Candy Crush as they waited for their order. I went ahead with the Gyoza and the Godzilla Chashu Tomago ramen with miso broth with a side of egg. I received the ramen first. At first glance, the egg was a bit overdone, since I yearned for a semi-yolky egg to dribble across the broth. On to the the broth. The miso base was excellent; nice and rich, not too salty, sorta of a light caramel complexion. The chashu had a nice meat to fat ratio. The fat melted within the broth to add to the texture. The noodles were cooked to al dente. Great bowl of ramen that would put most LA ramens to shame. Gyoza came up next, sitting in a row of 8 accompanied with soy sauce and vinegar. You could usually gauge how good the food by how much silence there is in the restaurant. Amongst the hustle and bustle, you heard that silence and only the sounds of slurping, broth sloshing about, and the mixing of chashu to noodle to broth. read more
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Good ramen. A little cozy place. Good texture of the noodle. The soup base is different from others, but has its own character. If u like ramen, come on and enjoy. read more
13 years ago
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More info about Little Ramen Bar
346 Little Bourke St
#5
Melbourne Victoria 3000
Australia
Melbourne
Directions
(03) 9670 5558
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http://www.littleramenbar.com.au
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