Melbourne is home to a huge variety of cultural dishes, from pho to fried chicken, laksa to linguine, you name it and you can probably find it in Melbourne. Ramen has existed in Melbourne for a while now, but Mappen Ramen is something else.
Just opened up on Bourke Street in the Melbourne CBD, Mappen Ramen comes to you from the team behind Mappen Udon Bar and Mappen Noodle Bar in Sydney and Bondi respectively (we reckon they saved the best for Melbourne!). Mappen have you covered with their authentic and generous bowls, and unique ordering concept, which they have described as ‘quick, cheap and yummy’.
First you choose your base, out of Tonkotsu, Miso or Shoyu. Then you pick a topping, with over 16 ramen choices! We’ll vouch for the black with Tonkotsu, mmmm garlic! There is also curry, gyoza and more to feast on, or some authentic Matcha drinks to slowly sip on as well. Our personal favourite was the Choya soda, which is made from ume fruit (a Japanese plum), wine and soda.
Mappen translates to ‘one more time’ in Japanese Nagoya-dialect, and we can agree that the salty, silky noodles will have you going back (and probably more than once!). Mappen Ramen in Melbourne is open seven days from 11:30am to 10:00pm. Chopsticks and bibs, check? Appetite to slurp? Always.