Hakatamon Ramen at Darling Square – Sydney – well-liked Japanese ramen restaurant

These days, Darling Square is breaming with choice when it comes to food. Many well-known establishments and franchises can be found here, including Hakatamon Ramen. Hakatamon Ramen, as the name suggests, specialises in Hakata Ramen which is the clouded pork soup based ramen hailing from Fukuoka in Japan’s west. This franchise is known for offering quality ramen.

Highlights	A bowl of ramen for under $15 is becoming rare, but the combination of enjoying the surrounds and a delicious food is hard to pass up
Cost	$18.8 for Bonito Shoyu Tonkotsu ramen $16.8 for Shoyu ramen $14.8 for White Tonkotsu ramen
Location	6/8 Nicolle Walk, Haymarket NSW 2000

Although there is some seating within the venue, there are more tables and seats outside. We sat outside with our little one and went with their White Tonkotsu ramen for $14.8 and their Shoyu ramen for $16.8. The White Tonkotsu ramen is pretty basic in its presentation and offering, with just two slices of chashu, bamboo shoots and sliced fungi (or kikurage). Whereas the Shoyu ramen came with all that but in a soy sauce soup plus corn and bean shoots.

When it comes to taste, I actually preferred the Shoyu (soy sauce) soup over the Tonkotsu soup because it was lighter, yet very flavoursome whereas the Tonkotsu’s flavours hit much harder and lingers longer in the mouth. (It’s really a matter of preference which one you prefer.)

The table we had was really small. There wasn’t much space to put much on the table, but we managed.

Experience Hakata-style ramen in Darling Square

The menu consists primarily of ramen, but offers some rice bowls as well. There are a bunch of snacks on offer as well including takoyaki, edamame, and bao.

The restaurant seems pretty popular with locals on a weekend evening with a queue on our arrival. While waiting, we could at least see when the tables were being freed up.