Manpuku Kingsford — Restaurant in Sydney

Seating/Environment: The seating in the restaurant is pretty comfortable. While the restaurant is not very big, the space feels very open. The sofas against the walls were a bit higher than the chairs which made it a bit odd when trying to talk to the person opposite you. The place is suited for families, group of friend or a date night. It is also wheelchair accessible.

Payment: The place accepts card payments

Staff: All the staff were extremely friendly and warm. They were also very responsive and polite. My slight criticism about the staff would be when we had finished eating, they took away our dishes straight away without asking if we were finished. I think it would have been nice if the staff asked just in case some people still wanted to eat a bit more.

Food: The food came out within a reasonable amount of time. We ordered the Tsukemen (dip ramen, $18) and a Shio Tonkotsu ($16). Both tasted decent.

The Tsukemen dipping broth was pretty flavourful and the ramen noodles that accompanied it was nice and firm and was able to absorb the flavour. It had an interesting taste from the lemon juice that you squeeze in by yourself and a hint of fish flavour. However, what was lacking in this dish was that the pork chashu add on was extremely small and thin compared to a lot of ramen joints. It would have been better if the pork chashu was bigger and had more flavour on its own. The pork chashu was also dry.

The Shio Tonkotsu was fairly standard. The broth was a bit thick which was nice but it was also a bit too salty in my opinion. The ramen noodles were also nice and firm. The bamboo shoots were nice and crunchy and the eggs were not too overcooked. Similar to the Tsukemen, while the pieces of pork chashu was a bit bigger, it was still comparatively smaller compared to other ramen places which was slightly disappointing.

Both dishes in my opinion were expensive for what they were worth.

Overall: The ramen restaurant is not the greatest and not the worst. The noodles were definitely the highlight of this place. The let-down would definitely be in the value for money here. This would not be a place I would highly recommend if you were looking for really good...

Today, I ordered the Long Name Ramen. It had the rich flavor of tonkotsu, but with a well-balanced dashi taste that really came through. I told myself I wouldn't drink all the soup today, but before I knew it, I had almost finished it. Even for those who find tonkotsu too greasy, it’s easy to enjoy. The chashu was thick, and the seaweed stayed crispy, never getting soggy in the soup, and went perfectly with the noodles. The soft-boiled egg was cooked to perfection.

The name of this ramen is quite long, but in Japanese, it’s something like: “We are grateful for this encounter, and we worked hard with love and passion to make our Icchan favorite, Manpuku's Happy Ramen ! (この出会いに感謝して、愛情と情熱込めて一生懸命作ったうちらのいっちゃん好きな万福幸せラーメン ！)”

By the way, this shop has a very polite and attentive staff member. I came here today not only for the ramen but also because I wanted to see her again. Last time, when they were serving clam ramen, my friend mistook a chili pepper for a dried tomato and ended up eating it, even though she's not good with spicy food. The staff member remembered this and started making sure to let customers know when chili is included. Even though we only spoke a little, she remembered me in detail, and that made me happy. Her polite language and attentive service really reflect the best of Japanese...

This time I visited the cozy and popular ramen spot Manpuku in Kingsford. The shop has a warm, traditional Japanese vibe, with a small self-serve condiments bar—a nice touch for ramen lovers.

⸻

🍜 GYOKAI BLACK ‘KOGASHI’ Ramen

The highlight was the GYOKAI BLACK ‘KOGASHI’ ramen. It came with thin, slightly chewy noodles cooked to a good texture. The pork bone broth was rich and creamy, enhanced by fragrant black garlic oil that added depth without being overpowering. Toppings included a full umami egg, bean sprouts, and a thick-cut pork chashu that was flavorful but a bit oily in some parts—still, it didn’t ruin the overall enjoyment.

⸻

🍗 Karaage Chicken

The Japanese-style fried chicken was marinated well with savory soy-based flavors. The coating was crisp, and the inside was juicy. Paired with Japanese mayo, it was a delicious side dish to complement the ramen.

⸻

🦑 Ika Skewer (Grilled Squid Skewer)

Surprisingly good! The squid was bouncy and tender, and a touch of lemon juice brought a refreshing zing. It was a great appetizer or something to enjoy alongside drinks.

⸻

Overall Rating

Although I skipped the current special (Tomato Ramen), the traditional black garlic tonkotsu ramen was satisfying. The sides were well-executed, the environment cozy, and the...