Ramen lovers must try, had their Black Garlic Ramen and Cold noodles and are both fantastic. Fantastic little gem in the alley of Toowong. You will need to purchase your order at the front first then find a spot inside, brings back memories of Japanese style dining in Japan.

Ambience It’s a small, slightly cramped place, but with a laid back, casual and relaxed ambience. We didn’t care much for the rather hard seating and the table was sticky but apart from that we were quite happy at our little two-seater bench. Décor is cute but utilitarian with faux brick walls, sturdy wooden furniture and low hanging mood lighting. it definitely has an authentic style and feel to it, and I can imagine there must be hundreds of little places just like this all over Japan. And the formula works, because it's clearly popular with the locals. It was a full house, despite it being midweek, with people even queuing up outside for tables. This gave it a lively and energetic vibe. Despite the crowd, the acoustics were fine and we were easily able to converse. Many diners seem to be students from the nearby UQ campus. Food We ordered the following: 2 veg spring rolls 1 chuka wakame (seaweed salad) 1 edamame beans 1 chicken karaage 2 veg croquettes 1 slightly spicy sesame ramen (veg) 1 water This is what the crowds really come to Genkotsu for, because the food is delicious. It’s fresh, and tasty and made with love, care and attention to detail. There’s not a lot to choose from, but I guess that’s the secret of their success: don’t offer too much, but what you do offer is of the highest quality. The edamame (beans) and bright green seaweed salad were the perfect way to start the meal. The spring rolls were enclosed in a crispy batter, with a vegetarian filling. The croquettes were soft, smooth and creamy. We saved the best for last: the chicken karaage, our fave Japanese dish, with about eight pieces of tender and succulent chicken in a crunchy batter and served with a mayonnaise sauce. We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals. The cost was a moderate 43 pesos. Service Service is super fast, friendly and polite. It’s all fairly informal and low tech. You simply make your choice, then head over to the little counter at the front of the store next to the door, to place your order and pay. Within a few minutes, all the dishes will be brought to the table. But next time we come here, we’ll order and pay for the entrees, then repeat the process again for the main meals, as we prefer to have entrees first, rather than have all the dishes coming out at once. The lady who runs the place, and her assistant, are patient and helpful too, and even though they were busy, they still took the time to explain the dishes to us. This all helps to create that homely and welcoming atmosphere that this place is famous for. Toilets There are toilets in the middle of the little arcade, male on one side and female on the other side, two cubicles in each with a wash basin in the middle. It’s handy having these toilets to serve the few little eateries and other businesses in the arcade, but don’t expect the cleanest toilets in town, although the men’s did have soap in the dispenser and a hand dryer. Parking There’s parking available across the road in the vacant lot that is supposedly earmarked for a new retail and residential precinct but nothing seems to have happened and at the moment it functions as a car park. And there’s always plenty of parking in the Toowong Shopping Village, a short 10 minute walk away. Summary Super popular place that serves up delicious food in generous portions. Prices are modest, service is fast and friendly and the ambience is casual and relaxed. Couldn’t ask for more. Will definitely return. Only negative is that they don’t serve alcohol. I can’t quite understand why or is it the nanny state at work again? Memo As no bookings are taken, it’s advisable to get here early unless you’re prepared to queue up outside, something I wouldn't do. We arrived just before 6pm and were easily able to get a table for two, but half an hour later it was full.