"Sydney’s tonkotsu obsession started around the turn of the 21st century, when Ryosuke Horii began selling pork-rich ramen at Ryo’s Noodles in Crows Nest. Now, many variations are available city-wide, but Iiko Mazesoba is the only business dedicated to this soup-free style of ramen. Co-owner (and Sydney Ramen Festival co-founder) Michelle Widjaja studied noodle-crafting in Osaka, Japan, and she maximizes each mazesoba bowl with umami-heavy ingredients and condiments: The vegan flavor features soy mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, and house-made garlic oil, while the once-secret spicy chicken curry karaage is now a menu hit. There are extra bottles of chile oil and kombu vinegar to squiggle over the noodle strands as well. Widjaja continually tweaks the menu, adding tsukemen (chilled ramen) that evokes avocado toast, for instance, or prosperity mazesoba for Lunar New Year." - Lee Tran Lam
