Hakata Gensuke - Hawthorn

If you read my blog often, you will know that I really like eating ramen. It's one of those comfort food that is quick, easy and relatively affordable. I have found myself going to Hakata more and more often in the recent months. Unlike it's sister store in the city, the wait time here is a lot more reasonable and with parking being less of an issue, it is just an easy place for me to hang out with the girls or Miss P.

My favorite ramen to get here is the Black Tonkotsu, besides Japan, I have barely come across this so it's my usual when I come here. I love the rich soup and how it's enriched with a garlic and black sesame favour to make the body of the soup even more flavorsome. With the noodles, there is an option of hardness which to me is something I consider only 'serious raman' places would offer. When I pick normal here, it is the perfect balance of softness without being too chewy. The char siu is not too thick, and together with the soup it has the intense flavour but not to a point it's too salty to stomach. I also like to add bamboo shoots and a soft boiled egg in mine. The soft boil egg need to be marinated and just runny on the inside. Out of all my visits here, the egg has always been perfect.

D tends to opt for a more spicy ramen so he got the Aka Tonkotsu. This one is a special to Hawthorn only. It is a spicy cod roe in a tonkotsu soup base. It's a nice amount of spice without sending you into tears and breathing fire. Again it came with char siu, black fungus and

Gyoza is what I consider little pockets of goodness. It it that side dish in a Japanese restaurant that is full of taste. I find that the gyoza in Hawthorn is better than their sister store in the city. The one in the city is sometimes too dry, where it's never the case in Hawthorn. With some gyoza sauce, it's like a little party on my taste buds

Chicken garage came in a side dish portion. The chicken was perfectly succulent, it was seasoned with just the right of favour and fried just right. I find a lot of places struggle to get garage right, as it's always either too soggy or too dry, Hakata is one of the few places that find that good balance of crisp, fried bitey texture while retaining the chicken's moisture and juice.

Overall 17/20 great ramen, great broth. I think this is my current favourite ramen shop to visit in Melbourne right now. It's an all round great offering, love the fact I don't need to wait in line and it always hits the spot. Staff is friendly and the atmosphere makes it a good place to eat and have a chat with friends. It isn't bursting to the seams with people. Good food plus good service and great place to meet a friend. Two thumbs up for me!