Manmaruya, Campsie

Who would have believed that Campsie, home of Sydney's largest conglomeration of dollar stores and stinky old dudes, would have this hidden gem. I was there around lunch time and BOOM, the waft of fried chicken hit my nostrils so naturally i had no choice but to venture in. I ordered a Karaage Chicken Ramen with extra cha shu (Japanese roast pork) an extra hanjuku no tamago (poached egg) and some extra negi (spring onions). And yes they understood my broken Japanese. For those who don't know, Ramen is all about the extra toppingu. I'm sure I could have had menma (bamboo shoots) Niniku (grated garlic) and Baata (butter) if I had asked for it. In Japan there are more bizarre toppings than I choose to mention here today. Lets just say they involved underpants.



Manmaruya is run by some handsome Japanese boys that definately know a thing or two about Tonkotsu. (pork bone broth) It was light, flavoursome and not overly salty. The thick gooeyness of the Gumshara broth or fatty and salty soup from Ryo's Noodle go to show that every Ramen shop soup should have its own character. I didn't poke around the open kitchens this time to find a huge pot with simmering pork bones, but I will be sure to next time to confirm whether it is the real deal. In any case, it tasted pretty good. The noodles were a little on the soggy side for me- I like them to still be in rigor mortis and very very al dente. They also had a large range of the usual washoku, sushi, bento and the like. If you are in the area and are looking for a cheap and tasty feed, Manmaruyu has my stamp of approval.

Manmaruya
193 Beamish St
Campsie NSW 2194
Phone (02) 9789 5759