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| Vegetarian Ramen (left) Shoyu Ramen (right) |
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| Kimchi Ramen |
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| Caramel Shake |
Ramen, Bun & Pie? Milkshake too?! Wut.
Shop Ramen is possibly a fusion of everything. Positioned in the heart of Smith Street, the hipster interior did not come as a surprise. We arrived somewhere between 7:30pm-8pm and waited 10 minutes for 4 people, which was pretty good considering the size of the shop wasn't meant to cater too many people at once. Next to the cashier, a ramen machine (might actually be a pasta machine. Fusion.) sit proudly at the counter-top where customers can see the noodles take form.
Interior: Simple interior with hints of rustic touches, where there is a big bench table with a few smaller tables next to it and soft lighting. The shop opted for a large eye-catching neon light as their sign where all neon light addicts (ie. Kindon) could not miss.
Food: We ordered a bowl of Ramen each and three of us shared 2 milkshakes while Kindon had his own share of Ramen and Milkshare (Note: he has a slight saliva-phobia = no sharing). The three of us were so full after the meal, walking became an intense physical activity. For Kindon.. well lets just say he craved ice-cream not long after.
The ramens we ordered was the Shoyu ($14), Korean Miso Ramen ($14) and the Vegetarian Ramen ($13.5). The broth of the Shoyu was a dark, clear soup that wasn't over-the-top salty and paired well with the garnish of spring onions, corriander, seaweed, slices of pork belly and half a perfect medium soft boiled egg. For the Korean Miso Ramen, the broth was both rich and thick, topped with grilled beef brisket. The beef brisket was light in taste harmonising the full flavoured broth. However, what made Shop Ramen unforgettable was the noodles. It was perfectly cooked, soft and chewy at the same time. You could taste the freshness of it and definitely the spotlight of the dish.
Shop Ramen represented Melbourne's food culture where creativity is very much emphasised. Milkshake meets Ramen, East meets West. Sold.
