The Overview…
Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen is the perfect student/cheap eat, offering creative, affordable ramen with hand made noodles.
Meal:
Dinner
Food: Yuzu Tonkotsu, Spicy Tobanjan Tonkotsu, plus a range of dishes from the new menu
Ratings:
Food: 4/5
Atmosphere: 3.5/5
Service:4/5
Value: 4.5/5
The details…
Ikkoryu Fukuoka’s La Trobe Store offers a more budget friendly, casual eating environment that the Russell Street Store. Its location makes it an ideal cheap eat before a night out, for a quick lunch, or a student friendly hang out.
We were invited in to try some of their menu including their extensive range of new starters. What you can see from the new menu is that Ikkoryu Fukuoka are becoming more creative and more confident, moving away from their traditional ramen dishes to a wider variety of traditional Japanese food. Their new range of dishes include staples like spring rolls and gyoza, and more creative dishes including Octopus and Unagi.
The stand out dish for me was probably the Chicken Karage which had lots of flavour and a nice crispy coating. I liked the small vegetarian spring rolls which were perfect as a snack and the tempura veg also. With these newer dishes Ikkoryu are becoming more creative with the presentation and you can see they are growing more confident as a brand.
Their range of ramen is small with only 4 or 5 options, which you can customise with various toppings. The highlight of this ramen isn’t the quantity of flavours available however; what does set Ikkoryu Fukuoka apart from the competition is the fact that they make their own noodles in store – this means they are so light and you get such a generous portion – and they aren’t scared to be a bit creative with their flavours.
We had the spicy and the yuzu ramen. While the spicy is your fairly standard ramen, what is great is the option to adjust the heat (from 1-4) to get a spice level that suits you. The yuzu was such a surprising flavour. It’s a very fresh meal – you’re hit with the zesty citrus flavour initially and then there is a slight, sharp, spicy aftertaste which is hard to place but enjoyable. The noodles are excellent, and you come for these and the flavours. The rest of the ingredients are fairly average, but fine for the money. There’s also a black garlic flavour, an original flavour and a small range of main dishes such as Chicken Katsu, if you didn’t want to go for soup. The matcha ice cream for dessert is a must, starting at only $3. It’s a nice strong matcha flavour (topped with matcha powder for an extra kick) and there are various options alongside it. The mochi were my favourite.
The restaurant was very quiet while we were there. The seating is split into two smaller sections and this does make it feel even quieter, which is a bit of a shame. It’s a nice venue – clean and bright, and the “how to eat ramen” instructions on the wall are a great touch. We sat at one of the communal tables and it offered a good catch up for a slightly larger group and was particularly pleasing to see in a smaller venue where so often they are primarily geared towards tables of 2. Overall, it’s a good little find – servings are generous, ramen is filling and probably different from others you have tried. I like how they are keen to keep changing up the menu while trying to stick to traditional Japanese meals and ingredients. They’re not scared to take a risk and try something different, so they’ll surely have something new to offer you.
Everything else…
Website: http://www.ikkoryu.com.au/
Address: Lot 1R 321 La Trobe Street
Opening Times:
Mon 12pm to 9pm
Tue 12pm to 9pm
Wed 12pm to 9pm
Thu 12pm to 9pm
Fri 12pm to 9pm
Sat 12pm to 9pm
Sun 12pm to 9pm
Parking: There are plenty of carparks around La Trobe Street, although you’re probably negating the “cheap eats” vibe if you’re then going to pay like $1000 to park your car.
Getting here on PT: It’s an easy walk from both Flagstaff and Melbourne Central Stations. Trams 35, 38. 58. 19, 57, and 59 also stop nearby as well as endless buses which run nearby.
Disclaimer: We dined as guests of Ikkoryu Fukouoka Ramen. Reviews are honest and based on our own personal experiences. We cannot guarantee things at a restaurant won’t change (including, but not limited to, menu items and opening hours, so please confirm any details with the venue before visiting)