*No mice were hurt in the making of this post.
So it hasn’t quite been the weather for ramen, but sometimes it’s nice to pretend, and sometimes the craving for noodles just take over!
Menya is part of one of the largest group of restaurants I know: the same people own Tenkomori, Chanoma, Mappen and Oiden.
Menya Shoyu Ramen
They offer up two basic broths as bases: tonkotsu (pork bone broth) and torigara (chicken bone broth).
In this broth goes springy yellow noodles, and a variety of toppings like chashu (sliced rolled pork), ni-tamago (soy marinated egg), bamboo shoots, and so forth.
Tontoro Miso Ramen
Besides the hot steaming bowls of ramen – some of which come in a mini, regular or large size – they’ve also got the usual suspects, uh, I mean sides.
Gyoza
Or if you wanna try everything, the value sets offer a bit across the board – ramen, rice, and gyoza.
Mini Ramen Value Set
The thing about Menya Noodle Bar that keeps me coming back is really the consistency. While nothing on the menu is particularly innovative or mind-blowing, you always know what to expect when you go in. And, with a comfy restaurant to sit in, it is a nice place to bring family, and a change from the underground food court ramen stalls. The only thing that’s a tiny bit of a let-down is the ni-tamago – the eggs are a bit over-boiled, leading to a distinct lack of a liquid oozing yolk.
If you’re not feeling so much like hot, soupy ramen, I would recommend the cold tsukemen option – cold noodles dipped in a rice miso broth – or the Dragon Jya Jya Men (pictured in the header) – drained ramen noodles tossed with blanched bean sprouts and spicy miso pork.
What is your usual order at a noodle bar?
Menya Noodle Bar
Shop Tg8 8 Quay St
Haymarket, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9212 1020
Website: http://www.menya.com.au/chinatown/index.html
