A short walk from Melbourne Central, Mr Ramen San is a small and cosy store serving Hakata style ramen out of Melbourne Chinatown's Midcity Arcade. The Hakata style ramen they are known for comes from the Japanese prefecture of Fukuoka, which is known for both their pork dishes and as the home of the rich tonkotsu ramen.
Chinatown's Midcity arcade
Cosy atmosphere
The first things you notice when you walk in are the greeting of "irasshaimase" from the staff and the great atmosphere of the area. There are some funky posters of Japanese pop culture and timeless anime classics such as My Neighbour Totoro and Akira contrasting against the traditional Japanese restaurant decor.
Teriyaki charsu ramen, miso base $14.90
It was a very cold night out so I decided to order the teriyaki charsu ramen with a miso soup base. The pork was tender and flavoured well, the ajitsuke tamago had the perfect consistency and the bean sprouts on top added a good texture. However, being used to the strong flavours of the Hokkaido style miso ramen, the light soup base was quite different from my expectations. The soup was not bad by any means, however there was barely any of the miso taste I expected and it left me wondering if I had actually placed the wrong order.
Although the bowl of ramen may seem small for the price, they offer extra noodles at no extra charge so the value is definitely there. The good food, the atmosphere along with the friendly and attentive staff make for a great restaurant and a must try for any ramen lover.
Food Rating 8/10
Overall Rating 8.5/10