Unless you've been hiding under a rock, it should come as no surprise that ramen and Japanese-inspired burgers are reigning supreme across menus far and wide - the likes of , and are just a few of the heavy hitters already making their own umami splash on this scene.
You can add another one to your to-do list, thanks to Sydney's Blanca Bar.
If you haven't been to then all you need to know is that their wired Mediterranean-meets-Japanese style menu goes big. So from the creators of the 'gram worthy Black Bun of Softshell Crab and XO sauce, chefs Tomi Björck and Samuel Cole have put their skills, creativity and travel education to good use and the result? A dedicated winter pop-up!
"A blank canvas where our diversity and travels come together" is the name of the Blanca game and their newest follows suit and will be open to all until October. So, what better way to hold onto those beachy vibes going during the cooler nights, than with bowls of slurpy shoyu and crisp katsu.
Thanks to a recent trip to Japan, Cole travelled around Osaka, Kyoto, Nara Forest, Mt. Fuji as well as Tokyo, where he met and ate with many local ramen chefs. It was Tokyo, however, that was his ultimate umami playground and where he enjoyed three of his all-time favourite bowls. "I couldn't decide which was my favourite [ramen] because I loved so many," he tells SBS. "My most memorable included, yuzu shoyu from Afuri - easy-to-eat with its lighter and fresher broth; tantanmen from Nakiryu - the perfect balance of the nutty, spicy and the meaty, rich with a deep umami-broth; and the tonkotsu and umakaramen from Muteyaki that I personally imped with extra spice and toppings". His flavour adventures and learnings gave him the spark to bring Blanca Bar to life and carve out its own identity (separate to the restaurant), with its own fun, relaxed coastal vibe.
From the top, you have a snacking selection of crispy oxtail dumplings in black vinegar, sashimi, with kombu-soy and raw beef with sesame leaf to begin before you arrive at their burgers or ramen crossroads. Or if you suffer from food envy, then you bypass the crossroad by doing both.
In the burger corner, you've got chicken katsu with miso mayo, wagyu beef with kimchi or if you're a fan of their soft shell Blanca Bun, then their salt and pepper soft shell crab with kohlrabi is a must. And the answer to fries is a resounding "yes!", as their furikake fries with kimchi and spicy mayo make the perfect umami and salty accompaniment.
In the ramen corner, you can choose from - shoyu with mushroom broth and pickled egg, spicy chicken broth with cucumber pickle, spicy seafood with kimchi and bamboo shoots or tonkotsu with a silky roast pork broth with miso and daikon - then customise your protein with either roast pork belly, crispy chicken, seafood or the surprising favourite of miso-roasted tempura Portobello mushies. And yes, the chewier noodles are the way to go.
"I love tonkotsu," Cole tells SBS. "We've started with a classic approach to this particular ramen, more so than our other three bowls. And we've added a modern touch to achieve a richer and flavoursome broth by roasting the pork bones, as well as smoking the hocks and vegetables and even though I didn't see ramen being made this was in Japan, it makes it even more exciting for me, the locals and ramen lovers", he says.
So, what will the menu look like after six months?
Cole isn't giving anything away (we tried!), so we might just have to sip on some sake and umeshu and keep an eye out (read: stalk) their social channels so we can begin speculating.
Wed-Sun 3pm til late
75/79 Hall St, Bondi Beach NSW 2026
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