Ryo's Noodles

Sure Ryo’s Noodles is in a obscure location but it’s one of those places where the effort to trek out to Crows Nest doesn’t outweigh the satisfaction of chowing down on a bowl of their ramen. The interior is what I would describe as ‘Japanese kitsch’ but it works in this restaurant. Pieces of paper detailing the menu adorns every wall and is matched up with various brightly coloured fans against the vibrant yellow walls. There’s even a ‘wall of fame’ for the record number of bowls of ramen eaten in one sitting! To me it’s exactly how I envision a small ramen joint in Japan would be.

The one thing about Ryo’s is that the interior is quite small and at best can only cater for 20-30 diners at a time. Make sure you arrive early, or it will be a long wait at the door looking in at other people filling their stomachs while you watch on. Unfortunately for us, this was exactly what we had to endure on a busy Saturday night. By the time we got out seats all the chicken based soup (no Tokyo ramen for me!) and onigiri (rice balls) were sold out. Despite this, two bowls of tonkotsu based ramens later, we were two happy campers.

Ryo’s Restaurant

Ever wondered what a 40 minute wait looks like?

The Interior

Salt Flavoured Tonkotsu Ramen with Roast Pork, Shallots, Sesame Seeds and Egg

A bit on the salty side (hence the name I guess!) but delicious nonetheless. The egg which was added as an extra topped it off nicely.

Miso Flavoured Tonkotsu Ramen with Roast Pork, Bamboo Shoots, Naruto (Fish Cake) and Egg

This is thicker than the salt flavoured version with the addition of miso paste and also very tasty. One thing that I really applaud Ryo’s for is the generosity of the thick roast pork slices they give. Other ramen places give a thinly sliced sliver that barely satisfies compared to the decent portions that they give here.