Ramen Adventures: Rising Sun Workshop in Sydney, Australia

Monday, June 11, 2018

Rising Sun Workshop in Sydney, Australia

Rising Sun Workshop

Well hello, Australia!

And hello to one of the most off-the-wall, random bowls I've had in my life. Breakfast ramen in a motorcycle repair shop.

Rising Sun Workshop (RSW) is a a community bike repair shop and cafe.

Growing up in America, there was always someone, or someone who knew someone, with access to tools. When I made the move to Japan, I quickly learned that your average Joe doesn't have basic tools, and would have no idea what to do with them anyways. There is an entire business model built around this, with dealers charging insane prices for the most basic of services. A lot of this revolves around the two year shakken (mandatory inspection) life cycle. Bring in your vehicle, pay a few thousand dollars, and get it back fully maintained.

Doing the repairs and shakken yourself costs around $300.

What I'm getting at is that I am in love with this place. As a motorcycle rider, I would be here on a regular basis, learning more about what makes my ride work. Maybe I'd finally buy that Honda Cub project bike I've been dreaming of.

And the attached cafe, serving Australia-level coffee drinks is a nice bonus.

Oh, and they serve ramen.

The first visit here was to try their breakfast ramen, served from eight in the morning until noon. A light bone broth is mixed with butter (surprisingly, it tasted like buttered toast), and topped with bacon and egg. It lacked any big soy or salt impact, letting the bacon stand out. As you eat, flavors mix and the whole thing turns into an unconventional umami bomb (thank you tomato).

I was sold. As the morning ramen is the only ramen served before noon, I planned to make a trek back here to try their lunchtime bowl.

A quick trip out to Melbourne, and I was back in Sydney, ready for the next bowl.

Lunch has three bowls; shoyu, shio, and vegetarian miso. Gotta go shoyu.

Bannockburn chickens, organic pork bones, shiitake, and smoked hocks go into the soup, while a standard shoyu tare provides the seasoning. For a group of guys with no training in the ramen world, to create a bowl like this is a great feat. It's completely their own, with some very intense toppings. The slab of Berkshire pork chashu is massive and tender, and the "pickeld shits" are intense. Shiitake mushroom pickled in vinegar, soy, and ginger.