My introduction to the newly opened IPPUDO on Artemis Lane consisted of bollards and a catwalk queue of eager patrons.
I’m generally not part of that frenzied segment who relish the opportunity to be seen lining up for food, but I do enjoy eating, only perhaps with a little less fervour (see: pomp and circumstance).
Before being welcomed in with enthusiasm from Alvin Gani and his passionate staff, I observed a motivational session that included some kind of chanting. The environs delivered by Simon Shiff are darkly lit and soothing with a setting of Japanese modernist decor with Nordic touches of blonde wood throughout.
For Starters
Being invited to order what we would normally eat led to a satisfying, eel-less dining experience, made all the more fun by our down-to-earth waitress. We started with the life changing spicy Goma Q, a lightly pickled cucumber flavoured with special chilli sauce, crunchy garlic and Sichuan pepper, along with a side salad and BBQ chicken bun with sweet soy sauce and Pulled pork bun with special bbq sauce.
Being invited to order what we would normally eat led to a satisfying, eel-less dining experience, made all the more fun by our down-to-earth waitress.
Next was the Chicken karaage served with fresh lemon and a shichimi mayonnaise and Pork gyoza with yuzukosho, both delicious.
IPPUDO’s Global Standard Ramen (of the Gods)
The truth is, by the time we came to the ramen, I didn’t really eat the noodles, choosing instead to drain the broth. Interestingly you can order the noodles according to texture – soft, medium, hard and very hard.
I ordered the Karaka-Men, IPPUDO’s original silky tonkotsu broth with thin, wavy noodles, served with pork belly, bean sprouts and spring onions, topped with special spicy ground pork miso and roasted cashew garnish, while my accomplice Craig had the milder Shiromaru Motoaji, IPPUDO’s original creamy tonkotsu broth with the addition of their signature secret dashi, thin straight noodles, pork loin chatsu, bean sprouts, flavoured black fungus and spring onions. Tonkotsu broth is pork-bone based and originates from the Fukuoka Prefecture on the Kyushu island of Japan. IPPUDO’s version can take up to 18 hours to cook in a specially-crafted soup pot, and is then left to slowly mature for another 24 hours. It’s heaven on a soup spoon.
You can also order additional toppings from flavoured egg, bamboo shoots, flavoured black fungus to extra pork belly.
Sweet Without the Sorrow
The Nutella Choc Pot with matcha crumble and yuzu grapes and the Mango Tango with its fresh mango drizzled vanilla pavlova, and surprising inclusion of pepper and white sesame brittle were a divine finish. The portion sizes are perfect for sharing without feeling deprived.
It was the perfect experience of very clean eating – we left feeling optimistic – satisfied, guilt-free and nourished, without the need to eat for the rest of the day.
IPPUDO Melbourne is at Shop 18 on Artemis Lane at QV. Explore the lunch menu here.
Thank you to Harvey PR for your kind invitation.
