Ramen Ya (East)
Shop 9, The Paramount SC (fronts Bourke Street)
108 Bourke Street
Melbourne CBD
So… I’m working on a Saturday. I have to smash out the slides for a presentation which I didn’t have time to work on all week, which is being reviewed by my boss on the Sunday. Honestly, when did work become so all important and time consuming that it started edging into our weekends like this? Didn’t stonemasons down tools, in Melbourne, in 1856 – I did the maths for you people, that’s 156 years ago – in order to win us the eight hour day? It’s no coincidence that I’m scheduling this post for Labour Day. Irony.
Anyway, if I have to work on a Saturday, which admittedly doesn’t happen often, I’m damn well wanting some sort of reward beyond the line in my contract that says “occasionally you may be required to work additional hours”. Mr B is studying CFA at the moment so he came to my work and used the quiet environment to study while I punched out some economics. Then, we went out for lunch as reward, before returning.
There’s not a lot of lunch options up this end of the city on a Saturday, but I can’t say no to noodle soup and Ramen Ya is conveniently close. The space is light and bright, the bowls and wooden spoons are cute, and there’s water available to help yourself to.
On this occasion I ordered charshu ramen and Mr B went for a beef curry bento box that came with gyoza, rice and salad.
Lots of goodies in this bowl...
I don’t actually know some of the components that I ate in my ramen. Not being familiar with Japanese ramen apart from eating it in Melbourne, I mean. I loved the half a tea egg; there was plenty of pork in my bowl; the noodles were slippery yet chewy and the mushrooms and seaweed and spring onion were great. But what is this? Can anyone tell me?
Honestly, what is this?
Mr B was pleasantly surprised with both the quality and quantity of his bento box. He even went as far as to say “this is really good value for $10”, which is high praise.
I love food that comes in little compartments. Yes, this includes airline food. I know, I suck.
Ramen Ya does a ramen set too, which gets you Japanese tea which tastes pleasantly nutty – I’ve had it on a previous occasion – and a little plate of three gyoza. Sitting on my arse all day at my desk meant I wasn’t hungry enough this Saturday.
Ramen Ya also has a location at GPO but I find it much easier to get seats at this one, because it’s newer, bigger and not as many people know about it. Many, many other bloggers have reviewed Ramen Ya, both the original and the Paramount sister ship: I’ll spare you the details of going through all their reviews (click on the Urbanspoon link below to find most of them!), but this is pretty comprehensive (and includes links to other reviews) from eat, drink, stagger.
Ravaged ramen
Fresh Bread 