Chaco Ramen in Sydney
[Non-halal] Man shall not live by bread alone, and the Cinapek in me needs his rice and noodles.
After days of surviving on chips and bread, I had to satisfy my Asian cravings and decided to find a good spot for ramen in Sydney.
While winter here might be mild (compared to Seoul or Tokyo), nothing beats a hot bowl of noodle soup on a rainy winter day.
And this was where Chaco Ramen in Darlinghurst came in. One of the few recommended spots on ChatGPT, this one stood out to me for the differentiated dishes on the menu.
Sure, many can make a good bowl of tonkotsu ramen. But how many can offer Chilli Coriander ramen and Hokkaido scallop in yuzu broth?
Chaco Ramen in Sydney
This ramen spot fits the description of a hole-in-wall establishment, and the interior exudes a lovely charm that would not be out of place in Nakameguro or Omotesando in Tokyo.
In other words – it’s more of a hip and independent ramen joint vs. the commercialised Ichiran or Ippudo counterparts.
Tables are limited so be prepared to wait especially on the weekends – but turnaround is relatively fast.
Chilli Coriander Ramen
For our first visit, we tucked into a bowl of Chilli Coriander Ramen (AUD22) – which comes with poached chicken, half egg, black fungus and coriander.
For an additional AUD10, you get an additional chasu pork, whole egg and bamboo shoot.
If you haven’t heard of Chilli Coriander Ramen before, you’re not alone. A special creation by Chaco, this bowl of ramen combines citrusy licks from coriander leaves with a bit of heat from chilli powder in a milky broth base.
It’s quite refreshing as it’s not too light or rich. The chasu pork and chicken slices were tender, and the 2.5 eggs ensured we had enough protein for the day.
Bone Marrow Miso Ramen
We returned on Sunday to try their weekend special – Bone Marrow Miso Ramen (AUD27). This had a strong peppery hit with a hint of Szechuan peppercorns, in a miso-based broth.
The bone marrow was torched for a melt-in-the-mouth buttery texture – but the best way to enjoy this was to mix it with the soup.
Conclusion
Both ramen bowls were unique but we preferred the coriander chilli ramen for the refreshing yet spicy combo. Chaco Ramen also has a branch in Bondi.
Chaco Ramen
Address: 238 Crown St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia
Hours: 11.30am-2.30am, 5.30pm-8.30pm Daily
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