ryo's, crows nest

It's date time with Irene again!

We've actually both been wanting to try Ryo's for the longest time but since we're both Westies, venturing to the North and over the bridge is something we seldom do. On this particular occasion, however, it was Irene's birthday and we all know how much she loves ramen so we had to go!

It's a bit of a walk from either North Sydney or St Leonards station but there's no way you can miss it because it's the bright orange building with a long line of people queuing for ramen! We arrived just as they opened and it was already packed inside. When we left, the line had extended past the drive way!

Once you open the orange doors, ducked under the noren curtains, you'll feel as if you're in Japan! The yellow walls are plastered with an unquantifiable number banners written in Japanese. And as you can imagine, there's a limited number of spacing so you might be expected to share a table with strangers. But you know, they don't have to be strangers - we're all brothers brought together because we all share the same love for ramen.

Anyway, after taking forever to decide, I finally went with a tonkotsu broth because pork bone soup can never disappoint you.

Ramen in Miso Flavoured Soup ($14.00):
With egg, roast pork, shallots and bamboo shoots. 

This is a miso based pork soup topped with super tender roast pork, a perfectly cooked egg, plenty of bamboo shoots and a generous amount of shallots. The miso flavour was definitely there. The soup was creamy, a tad bit oily and no where near as thick as Gumshara's. It's a nice feeling when you finish a hearty bowl of ramen and it doesn't leave your lips feeling all sticky.

Tokyo Ramen ($13.50):
Ramen in Tokyo style soy sauce soup with roast pork, egg, bamboo shoots and nori. 

The Tokyo ramen is a chicken and soy based broth loaded with bamboo shoots, shallots, fish cakes, half a squidgy egg, tender fatty roast pork and a sheet of nori. The broth is flavoursome, noticeably clearer and tasted much lighter! For those who dislike collagen rich soups, this is perfect for you.

Oh, and the noodles were fabulous and perfect in every way possible! They were crinkly, springy and enjoyable on its own. They're probably the best ramen noodles I've ever had.

If you're a big eater, you can order a second serving of these noodles for another $3.50. Otherwise you can get one of their great sides!

Fried Chicken ($8.00):

These tender chicken pieces deep fried till golden and crunchy, served with kewpie mayonnaise. What is there not to love?

The food here lives up to its name and is now probably ranked second behind Manpuku in terms of favourite ramen joints in Sydney. If I'm ever in the area, I'll definitely be back!

Ryo's 
125 Falcon St
Crows Nest, NSW 2065
t: (02) 9955 0225