GeekFoodPorn: Out &About at Sydney’s ‘On Ramen’

On Ramen

Address: 4/181-187 Hay St, Haymarket, NSW, 2000

Mon-Sun: 11am – 10pm, Fri & Sat open late to 12am midnight

“Enter as strangers, leave as friends”

Welcome to Haymarket’s On Ramen restaurant — a cosy, sophisticated and culturally-decorated restaurant brimming with warmth and love.

It’s not everyday that we see a culturally authentic Japanese restaurant so here’s something for Sydneysiders to check out whenever they’re visiting Sydney CBD. Located adjacent to the Haymarket’s Capitol Theatre and Capitol Arcade, On Ramen is not difficult to miss as its bright red banners and cute exterior display will definitely catch your eye.

The moment you step foot into On Ramen, we can guarantee that you will be instantly transported to Japan. Decked with ornamental sakura trees, exotic Japanese dolls, kimonos, and lanterns…it is one of the most vibrant and authentic Japanese restaurants in Sydney.

It may look extravagantly exquisite but beyond first impressions, the restaurant is in fact very polished and casual-going so you should have no trouble making yourself at home.

‘Something for everybody’ is a term we attempt to shy away, but we are all for inclusiveness, and this is where On Ramen shines. On Ramen‘s menu is a distinctive standout as they offer a range of flavours and ‘ramen sets’ that  we generally don’t see at other restaurants.

From spicy beef tongue ramen set to Yakitori chicken/beef to grilled salmon teriyaki, saba shio (grilled mackerel), kakai furai deep friend oyster to the unagi (eel) ramen set, these appetizing sets will have you drooling over the menu even if you’re not familiar with the flavours.

If you want to stick to something normal on your first On Ramen visit, try the popular Chicken/Pork Katsu ramen set – a large serving of Chashu ramen; a sophisticated dish of crispy, succulent Katsu; and a small salad dish.

And best of all, all ramen sets come with a delightful bowl of yummy icecream and you can choose from lychee, green tea or black bean icecream.

It’s exactly the sort of meal we like. For a ramen set, $20 might seem pricey but the meal is quite generous and beautifully presented. All components are well-cooked with harmonious flavours, and the fact that you get ice cream on the side, the meal will always be a top-notch winner.

And if you’re still somehow feeling ravenous, there are a few interesting flavours on the menu that you certainly won’t want to miss out on. Side dishes include gyoza, curry potato croquette, ebi fry, Japanese cheese sausage, and Chashu snack buns.

Everything is filled with love at this restaurant. From the lively atmosphere to the delicious Japanese food to the ongoing mixed J-Pop music playing in the background, you can sure bet that we’d be going back to On Ramen in no time as the overall experience was fantastic.

Rating: 9/10