Ryo's Noodles, Crows Nest

Japanese-style miso bolognaise

What does Japanese miso bolognaise taste like?

Salty, meaty and with delicious umami undertones.

We returned to Ryo's Noodles in Crows Nest for another ramen fix, this time prefacing our noodles with cod roe onigiri, squat triangles of seasoned sushi rice held together with nori.


Rice ball with cod roe $3.00 each

I convince the G-man to share two dishes with me. Neither of us had tried the Japanese-style miso bolognaise and we were keen to rectify this immediately.


Japanese-style miso bolognaise sauce noodles $11.00

With the fork mouthful we instantly regret we've ordered just one. The mince bolognaise, a meaty brown in colour with no hint of tomato, is ladled generously over a bed of springy firm-cooked ramen noodles. A boiled soy sauce egg is halved and placed on the side, its golden yolk beckoning with a sunny soft-cooked glow.

A clump of chopped scallions, a light scattering of toasted sesame seeds. It's nothing like true Italian bolognaise but the inspiration works, a comfort dish of firm toothsome noodles drenched in a thick casserole-like sauce.


Ramen noodles with thick miso soup $15.00
and mixed seafood (including soft shell crab)

The other dish we share is ramen noodles with thick miso soup. Boy, they weren't kidding when they said it was thick. Like a swampy viscous goo, it's a little too salty for my liking, somewhat over-powering on my palate with the lingering strains of soy bean paste. It takes this particular dish for me to realise that one of my highlights highlights about eating ramen is the process of alternate mouthfuls of fresh noodle with palate-cleansing clear soup.

The deep-fried soft shell crab is delicious though. So too are the pickled bamboo shoots.

But the favourite dish of the table? The Japanese bolognaise.

Next time I'm ordering my own.


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Ryo's Noodles
125 Falcon Street, Crows Nest, Sydney
(corner of West Street)
Tel: +61 (02) 9955 0225

Open Thursday to Tuesday (closed Wednesdays)
Lunch 12.00pm-2.30pm
Dinner 5.00pm-10.00pm


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