Slurpfest 2017 - Newtown, NSW

So, it's been another whole month since my last blog post but this time...I've had a good reason for that. The end of August and most of September has been all about my all-consuming obsession: Ramen. I think I've had more ramen in this month than I've had 2016 combined (and I eat a ramen pretty often). The reason for that is because 2017 marks the inaugural launch of Sydney's only ramen dedicated event: Slurpfest 2017 hosted by RamenRaff and Rising Sun Workshop. In Sydney, we've had item specific events before (i.e. Bacon Fest, Burgerpalooza, Meatstock etc) but I think this is the first event of its kind...not only for ramen but I think for Asian food in general (like, I don't think there's been a Pho-fest or some kind of Bao festival before) so the significance was huge.

I follow RamenRaff quite heavily and even I had no idea that this kind of thing could happen. At first, the teasers sort of suggested to me that Raff might be opening his own shop (the guy makes some pretty mean looking noodles) but alas, I was totally off. I don't think anyone else would have been able to pull off an event like this...I doubt anyone else has so much pull with Sydney's tight-nit Ramen-ya community so, kudos to you Raff, it was lovely getting to know you better over the course of five nights and to share Ramen ideology with you.

As soon as the tickets became available, I immediately went online and purchased all five nights one after another. The mildly inconveniencing thing about Eventbrite was that you couldn't buy all five nights in one go but that was a very, very slight thing that the organisers had no control over so that did not at all dampen my excitement about the event at all. And to be honest, good thing I bought all five nights in one go because the tickets almost immediately became sold out a day or two after. This was honestly both the most surprising and gratifying thing to me...that I wasn't along. That ramen fanatics in this city were as keen as I was. For those who didn't get to attend or read any collateral about the event, the way it works is each night the event was hosted, there was a different guest chef making something limited and unique for the event.

On the first night, I was keen as a bean and so I arrived 6pm on the dot so as not to be late (in Japanese culture, it's very impolite to be late)...and, I had no idea that I could rock up at anytime 6pm - 9pm. Not a bad thing though as it meant I was one of the first people through the door. At that point, I hadn't had the courage to strike up a conversation with RamenRaff so I stuck to myself and was seated at one of the single bar seats on the upstairs seating. Unfortunately, this also meant I had terrible lighting for the photos I took for the first night (Sorry, Higashida san).The first night was Gumshara's Higashida Mori san with the Meaty Tonkotsu ramen. For all who follow Sydney ramen culture, there is no way you won't know about Gumshara and their signature gravy like thick soup reminiscent of their mother shop, Mutteppuo in Japan. This night, the ramen was his usual standard of fantastic but I could taste a little bit more depth in the soup...it had a ever-so slight more of an umami based oomph to it. The highlight would have been the gigantic pieces of meaty-ass chashu that was fashioned into a little meat-lotus on top of the noodles. Comparitive to the usual fatty rolls of chashu, the meatiness and deep, porcine flavour of the chashu was most definitely outstanding. For each bowl, I think I'll proceed to give each a personal ranking and a title (at the end). For the first night, the title I give it will be the True O.G (Original Gangsta) because out of all the bowls...this deviates the least from the source material (not a bad thing for Gumshara die-hards).

The second night, I had something on so I could come a little later than I did the first night. That "something" I had on also meant I came on a half-full stomach which impeded on my ability to crush the bowl with absolute satisfaction. That said, Chaco Bar's turn was an absolute eye-opener. The title I give this particular bowl would be The Innovator. Out of all five nights, Chaco Bar's interpretation of Ramen was the most stylish and outlandish (at least, the one I picked was). You had a choice of two bowls....you could either stick with their signature Fat Soy OR, you could push the envelope and try their Occy Shabu Shabu ramen. I'm so, so glad I went ahead and picked the shabu shabu ramen because BOY WAS IT TASTY. I don't usually enjoy spicy ramen but this bowl had a really gratifying Sichuanese punch to it (you know, the one that builds and builds to a numbing orgasmic pain). That elevated the complex and rich, viscous soup to next levels of tastiness. Along with the fantastically chewy noodles, you also got their signature John Dory dumpling, sprigs of coriander, kikurage and, AND thinly sliced curls of Octopus meat. As if that wasn't enough carb, you also got a side of Octopus Tentacle Shime Gohan with it. Apparently, you were meant to mix it into the soup at the end to soak it up but....I just ate it plain which has it's own merits. The rice helped calm the spice and give your palette a good cleanse.



The third night was interesting....it was held on the same night that there was a SSM rally at Town Hall so Newtown was PACKED. Fortunately, those who know me know I have this almost magical luck with parking and I got parking a few doors down from Rising Sun. Now, it was time for the Artisans to show us what they got (eh? EH? You like what I got?). Cool Mac Cafe has fast become one of my favourite ramen-yas in the city. Somewhat to do with how close they are to where I currently work but mostly because their ramen is F%#^ing Delicious. They remind me of the first time I stepped into Batch Brewery in Marrickville. Before then, I had no idea Beer could taste that damn good and that there could be such variations from putting this artisan care into the product. Cool Mac's ramen is small batch based with heavy emphasis on this layered yet impactful stock. The ramen (named the O.G Kumamoto) was epic...UNBELIEVABLY good aburi chashu (fatty, tender and MELTS straight away), intense yet deep and satisfying broth, egg, menma, shiraga negi and toasted garlic. The highlight though was this....smoked schmaltz that they had on top. Like, game over man, game over.

Before the fourth night, I thought it'd be a fantastic idea to make my entire week about ramen so on the Thursday, I had the Super Volcano Ramen from Makanai @ Chatswood, the Miso Ramen from Ryo-Tei (for all who wonder, my all-time favourite...reminds me of my spiritual home, Sapporo) AND to top it off, one last bowl of Butter's Fried Chicken Ramen before it left for good. That was the same day/night I would go for Slurpfest again so yes, I can have ramen several times over a couple of days and not get sick of it.

The fourth night really brought back memories for me....Chef Haru Inukai's Truffle and Potato Potage ramen....the very last bowl I had from Ramen Ikkyu before they closed up shop for good. To me, Chef Haru (and his bowl) deserve the title of Iron Chef because he reminds me of one of my childhood heroes, Chef Hiroyuki Sakai from the SBS re-runs of the Japanese version of Iron Chef. The first time I had his food was at Blancharu celebrating the very first year of the Mrs and I dating. This was the degustation that blew my mind for the first time and made me fall in love with fine dining. So, since Chef Haru decided to take the Salaryman route and close up Blancharu to open a ramen shop, I've been a fan. I was absolutely heartbroken when I heard Ikkyu closed so night #4 was sorta this, long awaiting reunion with an old friend.The flavour was as good as I remember it to be....delicate, complex and clean with this distinct yet not overpowering taste of truffle lingering at the bottom of the soup. The chicken breast was perfectly tender and juicy and the pepperiness of the roquette really, really did wonders for the overall flavour profile.

So, in between the fourth night and the fifth night, Coolmac announced that they would do Friday Ramen Nights....KEEN! That Friday, I finished work at my usual 4:30pm, trained it to Milsons Point and happily waltzed over like an idiot at like....4:45pm. (Way too early, service starts at 5:30pm). So, I walked off, took a seat by the station and read manga until just before 5:30pm (actually walked a bit more to add a few minutes and not to appear too keen) but I'm happy to say I'm one of the first people to make it. Two bowls were on offer that night: their O.G Kumamoto from night #3 or a Torigara Shoyu. I'd been craving a really good Shoyu (like the one I had at Kamakura Honten Dotonbori) so i opted for that. F#$% me that was good....best. shoyu. thus. far! The stock had a depth and richness to it that I had not experienced in any other shoyu ramen to date. And the whole package just tasted of the best and most delicious roast chook you've ever had. On top of that, I also pigged out and got the Aburi Chashu and Miso Mayo Donburi which supplemented my meal rather well by giving me pork fat glazed grains of delicious rice to consume.

SO, final night....both dejected that it's over and excited to see how good the last bowl was. Last shop to present their work was O-san Ramen which I quite like as well. Haven't had their bowl since the massive fire at Dixon that made them relocate. Again, diners had two choices: the Ozzy Tonkotsu which was pork, chicken and clam based or the Modern Classic which was an entirely fish based stock. Sticking to the theme, I chose the Ozzy Tonkotsu for the thickness and my love for clams. O-san's offering was the only bowl to use thin, straight noodles which I think really helped carry the soup's flavour through and through. As soon as I took the first sip and bite, it reminded me of the days I used to go to Fook Yuen and have Chinese Banquets on the regular....in particular, the steamed oysters. That sweet, salty and umami packed Chinese soy sauce, the abundance of shallots/spring onions and ginger and the brininess from the giant oysters....all prevalent in this bowl. Furthermore, the chunky pieces of grilled chashu they had on the bowl had a really nice black-pepper punch to it....very enjoyable indeed. The title? Definitely The Dragon...it's almost feels like O-san has soaked up a lot of influence from where it's based (Chinatown) and infused it into his style. Most definitely has some Bruce Lee impact in there!

Overall, I have to say that this September has proven to be one of the most memorable of my life. Not only did I get to absolutely indulge in my one passion (I got a few people notice my ramen tattoo and shirts) but I also got to experience a fanatical community that I never believed, even existed. I got to meet two of my long-time follows (Thank you RamenRaff for allowing me to sit and chat with you and thank you to RamenWithFriends, you guys are amazing!) and see so many people who loved ramen almost as much as I do. When I ate upstairs, there were two nights where I got seated at the communal tables where you get to make conversation with other diners....two fond memories I had was when I got to show my ramen chops in-front of a couple who lived (literally) on top of Yasaka Neutral Bay and Japanese mother-and-daughter pair. Another night where I got to sit with a group of friends where one of them even asked me about my blog after.

The other thing I found amazing was the quality of the ramen. Like, watching videos on Youtube from Brian @ RamenAdventures, I had this pre-conception in my mind (however, false that assumption was) that ramen festivals would mirror the ones in Japan: heaps of shops setting up temporary stalls to show us some special items. And, in a way, this was just like that only I felt that there was a mild hesitation to push the envelope. Each shop (with the exception of Chaco Bar) showed of in spectacular fashion, what they do best. There is no denying that each of the guest chefs are masters of their own right but what I would have liked to see was more experimental types (i.e. Tsukemen or Mazemen). That said, in discussing this with Raff and Rising Sun, that wasn't the point of this session. This was more of an exercise in proving the sustainability of an event like this....in validating the fact that Sydney loves ramen. I think next year (hopefully), the theme will reach into individual expression. Allowing each chef to use us as willing guinea pigs to try out any and every idea they have brewing in their brilliant minds. I most definitely look forward to next year (that said, I won't be let out on Sundays for a while now....)

Oh, and if you're STILL reading this, my ranking is as follows and AGAIN, this is entirely personal preference....don't hate on me:

1. The Artisan (Cool Mac Cafe/Junichi Okamatsu)
2. The Iron Chef (Haru Inukai)
3. The Innovator (Chaco Bar/Keita Abe)
4. The O.G (Gumshara/Higashida Mori)
5. The Dragon (O-San/Kazuteru Oh)

Chaco Bar and Belle's Hot Chicken - Barangaroo, NSW

Sometimes, I find myself thinking that I'm glad to be alive during this time of culinary vibrancy in Sydney. When I was much younger, good food just wasn't a priority to people (at least the ones I knew). It was often hard to say that we had any really good food offerings unless you were happy to pay exorbitant amounts of money for a meal. That's all changed in recent years as we've come to put much more emphasis on good food and wine. Generally speaking, we're still a bit slower than everyone else in importing new ideas but luckily, it seems that ideas are very happy to come to us! Take for example: Belle's hot chicken, Melbourne most famous fried chicken joint. A short walk from Wynyard station, Belle's is a great place to go and grab a bite to eat, especially since Chaco Bar had opened their ramen pop up right next door!

It's been some time since they've set up shop at Wulugul Walk in Barangaroo but they're still as popular as ever as the Friday night we decided to go, so much so that we could barely find a spot to sit and eat! Tip for those planning a visit: Don't go when all the office workers are there grabbing a bite to eat and drink...TGIF is a very real thing. Fortunately, we came early so whilst a lot of office workers had just started drinking, a lot of the late-to-midday session diners have just started finishing up. Since it was cold and I care about ramen more than I care about anything, we decided to start on Chaco bar's ramen.

We ordered as soon as one of us were able to find a tiny spot to sit down at. We were rather hungry at that point but fortunately, the ramen came out really quickly. I'd wanted to try Chaco's ramen for ages since there's been rave review from when they started serving Ramen at their proper location. After tasting the ramen that night, I can definitely understand why. I've been fortunate enough to sample most of the ramen shops in Sydney and I have to say, I'm definitely loving Chaco bar's rendition. I ordered the Fish Salt which was the lighter of the two we ordered: light and viscous but holding a smooth and delicate flavour, the broth had a really nice peppery kick to it...I really, really liked the simplicity of this bowl of noodles. The roast pork was thinner than I've had at other places and therefore was slightly underwhelming but the noodles...oh.dear.lord the noodles were GREAT. Long, slightly wavy and vibrantly yellow...they had the best snap I've had in Sydney...very toothsome.

The Mrs got to have the Fat Soy ramen which I have to admit would have been my preferred option (but I gave it to her cause I love her). The soup wasn't thick like the other popular ramen spots in Sydney but still had a deep, rich, umami packed flavour...especially with the abundant pork fat that sat on top of the soup like a thick blanket. If I had one gripe, it was that I didn't get my ramen in a proper bowl but an enviro-disposable cardboard bowl...loses a bit of the heat and effect if you don't dig in straight away...but not a huge deal since it'll return to their proper store soon and I can go have it there!

We also had the gyoza as well which was actually really nice! Big, juicy and plump dumplings with a nice curry-like spicy kick to it.

Right after we had finished our ramen, we wasted no time at all and went to order our fried chicken! And then again, in no time at all, we were seated with hot, freshly fried poultry in front of us. The Mrs and I decided to share a portion of the chicken wings at medium spice with a side of fries and Mississippi comeback sauce. The chicken was really, really juicy and as you bite down on it, the hot chicken juices encased in the crispy coating starts dribbling down making it a very messy (and potentially dangerous) yet fun eating experience. Though very, VERY delicious...I can't say that it's something I'd pine over. I think Sydney has well and truly caught up in our fried chicken game and we have our own competitive offerings which I think are equally as good. For me, though the chicken was very crispy, I found my wings a bit lacking in that I was looking for the crispy protruding nubbins of goodness as you would find in KFC's Hot and Spicy or BUTTER's fried chicken only to find a rather flat surface area. I think we also picked the wrong spice level...Medium was a little bit too mild for us. Not to mention, I found myself very dehydrated after which suggested to me that it was over seasoned. I almost felt like the spice powder coated the back on my throat in a thick layer of dry seasoning.

Wanting to complete the MUCHIES night, the Mrs and I (along with her younger brother who I neglected to mention was with us the whole time) headed to Regents Place for some dessert. Being a Friday night, the place was already packing but we still managed to find a seat at Choc Pot. I personally think that after all the delicious food we had, there's no better way to end the night than to blow out and have a decadent chocolate banana crepe. Overall, I really do think we had a great night...Wurugul Walk is a great place to go to grab a bite to eat though I would suggest going when no one else is there (during the day). There are just more options open during the day (Short Stop donuts...) and you're not competing for a spot to sit. I can't wait till ramen goes back to the Darlinghurst location so that we can go and grab a nice, proper bowl of noodles!