TL;DR: This might well be the most perfectly situated and set-up ramen place I have had the pleasure of seeking out. It might adjacent to one of the busiest parts of town, yet it belongs to one of the most serene and well planned areas as well. A small corner of the SW1 complex has been fitted out nicely with a warm, inviting ramen bar that has got it all planned out well - from the way the soup is ordered, to the process that comes afterwards, in between times they promise and deliver nothing short of top quality. It will fill you up, and ultimately be satisfying.
When you do something well, focus well on it to ensure the best mileage is made out of it. That philosophy is everywhere with Ramen Danbo, which traces its origins all the way back to (relatively) small town Japan. Before spreading its wings across the globe, it ensured that it perfected the art of cooking and balancing the ingredients, bringing about customer satisfaction. All that has boded well, because the international expansion has done them wonders. On the Australian front, they have brought themselves to Queensland's south-east with one of their locations being in South Brisbane's SW1 residencies.
No beating about the bush with this, ramen is something that I will often default to when the time is all right. Usually it is a way of blowing off some steam, or when I can take it more easy - something that hasn't been done when out for a few years since. That was because of a work schedule, and with that job winding down, having less on my plate to do I had a small window of time to bide. It struck me right then and there that this was the perfect opportunity, so off it was a few suburbs across to get some ramen - in all honesty, I was awaiting the right vantage point for getting to Ramen Dambo in which there was no better time.
I haven't even thought about it until writing this review, but the location is far from random and more well chosen. I have trudged through the SW1 complex between various errands, and it is well designed. The whole complex is smaller than most suburban blocks, yet they manage to fit several facilities including a university into the midst. Having a few good places to get a bite to eat, or grab a coffee is only the most logical development I would consider. With the possibility of many students attending the university between times, something about it just situates itself perfectly.
Going on from that, the small amount of space they have has been well utilised. In spite of not a whole lot of space being given, they've fit a generous number of seats into the area and it does not feel crowded. These include several tables, and without any doubt they have that familar bar that faces the kitchen; this time it is in an L-shape. Wherever you choose to sit, they have a small box set up that contains some chopsticks, a bunch of serviettes, plus several condiments to mix through whatever you have ordered. They have set up a Spotify list (presumably) of J-pop music, which is a nice touch. Better yet with all of this, it is air conditioned which means it is a comfortable experience.
One of the best aspects about this ramen joint is how clients are able to customise their order according to their taste. After the ordering the desired flavour of ramen, how the noodles are cooked, the texture of the soup, plus the sauce's spice, and the soup base, can be done standard or slightly more or less on each front. After that, they have the range of garnishes for on top of the soup, and a few bites to eat. Get in at the right time, and you have - for lack of a better term - value meals for a few dollars more on top of the chosen soup. The whole customisation is not a unique aspect as far as I know, but I don't I have seen it utilised anywhere near as well as it was here. Before creating the transaction, they got a range of beverages to pair with the meal. These consist of several Japanese beers, iced teas, and the usual sodas.
The ordering process goes very smoothly, with the friendly lady at the counter managing to not miss a step with all the up-selling. After that is done, payment is upfront and afterwards you go and seek your seat. I can't recall if they give you a table number, or if they are so shrewd and clued on upon delivering the goods to the table. If it is the latter, this is more points in their favour.
When it came to the ordering process, mine went as follows: the ramen was the Negi-goma, one flavoured with plenty of sesame seeds. I got the noodles at the standard firmness, a more rich broth (from memory), getting the spicy level at a lot, and a less salty soup base. Furthering it along, I chose the rekka ramen option - a spicy one, which I had as extra being a real spice fiend, and topping it all off was the usual egg and seaweed. It is something about how the seaweed acts when soaking up the soup that I can't resist, and the way the eggs are cooked at these places - you like what you like sometimes, and that is the extent of it. This was also during the week, and during the usual office hours; that meant that the value meals were available. So I threw in a few gyozas for good measure. If you choose to drink water, they have a ready made station with the tap and some glasses for filling.
After the ordering process, the delivery is pretty quick. You can see it right in front of your eyes, with the kitchen being about a meter or two away from where you sit. This was one time I got a genuinely friendly impression from the atmosphere, where the cooks were interacting in a chirpy manner, the clients were all made to feel welcome (which includes the familiar Japanese salutations when you enter the door. For the longest time I thought of ramen places as a black sheep among Japanese eateries, meaning while great service is often the case with Japanese restaurants the ramen places will be rough around the edges. That I think no more, as this was just as good as most Japanese eateries I have had the pleasure of trying out. It almost makes me want to be going back some time soon, as I type up this review.
Well, the first thing I am going to say about the ramen was that it was one spicy number - which is par for the course, with how much I asked the broth and such to be spicy. Adding to that, the entire layer of sesame seeds contributed a nutty flavour, which was an interesting one. I hadn't experience this kind of flavour in Japanese cooking, and I consider myself fairly well versed in it. The soup was a rich, slightly thick one that was akin to milk. The big bed of noodles had much of the broth latching on, plus the noodles themselves were firm yet tender. Like I had already mentioned with the egg and seaweed, sometimes it is a case of you like what you like - and that is the case for me in this circumstance. The slices of pork were perfectly cooked and rounded the entire meal off perfectly.
Also on the side were the gyozas, the first suckers to be delivered to the table. These bite sized morsels satiated and begat a bigger hunger, with the moreish filling in the middle. It was lightly seasoned pork, with a nice subtle sauce to boot. They came in a pack of five, and were most certainly cooked fresh - they were still piping hot when I popped them in my mouth.
I am not sure when this particular soft spot for ramen came into being, but I certainly know several reasons why it has nestled itself snuggly into the soft spot I have for it. Much of it I feel is about the environment, in which even if it is blazing hot outside the warm and comfort that it provides is always welcoming and welcome in itself. I like how the meal is always just right with the portion, the balance of each ingredient, and the value for money. Plus, there is no disconnect between the table and the kitchen - the best ramen places will have the bench right at the edge of the kitchen, in the midst of the busy action. It also boils down to something that the Japanese do brilliantly, and that is take something that is wholly simple and keep it simple while making the most out of it.
Ramen Danbo proved itself to be all of those. The busy bustling environment felt warm and inviting, and they made sure of it from when you stepped foot in the restaurant to when you left after your meal. In such a small area, it feels like a world away from the bustling outside, comfortable and friendly. What I have seen with many great ramen places is they find a hidey-hole whether it is among the most busy, bustling pocket of town, or somewhere quieter, yet what is always consistent is the quirky uniqueness they take with the opportunity. And there in a universal truth that no time is wrong for a bowl of ramen.
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