is there someone here who doesn't know about hakataya ramen by now? that is, anyone somewhat familiar with the surrounding of brisbane, and possibly the gold coast. this has been well known for such a long time, and gets a high turnover rate which is well deserved. it is basically the perfect place for those on a budget, and a lot of university students are able to attest to it just how convenient and reliable it is. each time it tucks itself into a little hidey-hole, and each of those times they manage success very well. when that happens, expect a lot of students, japanese, and japanese students to be elbow-to-elbow slurping up the noodles.
one day i decided to go out of the house to see a film, one that had been recommended a lot and apparently needed to be seen on the big screen, and after tossing up which cinema to attend - obviously the one in sunnybank at the moment via this review - there was a bit of time beforehand to go and get something to eat. without too much time before the film started from purchasing the ticket, that includes all the pre-show ads (which i got to see in time anyway), it needed to be close and i had a hankering for some ramen anyways - so this was pretty much the perfect selection. for the most part, you can always rely on being able to squeeze into a spot at a ramen place, and they are always quick from ordering to leaving. so, all is good here. you can never go wrong with some ramen.
you want basic? well, that it here with the menu, with the service, and with the whole design of the place. for service, just stand in line on the sidewalk at the cashier then order and pay. it might take a while, since they only have a few guys were having to man the whole place - customers orders, getting the food to them (that part - to get it out of the way - is lightning efficient) and also clearing the table. to be honest, with the ramen bars, this is about the right level of service to get the great feel of the place. after placing the order, you get your table number and either pull on up a stool at the bar (recommended) or go onto the sidewalk at one of the tables. before long, the soup is with you. let's give it a bit of credit the interior, it definitely is cooler and has a fairly relaxing vibe to it. there was some nice music playing in the background, and felt cosy. after placing the order, the condiments and utensils that are needed are right on the bench - the chopsticks, the spoons, and the condiments if they are wanted.
the menu is essentially limited to ramen, and a few extras to have on the side if wanted. for drinks, they are what is offered in the fridge. my choice? well i really like it hot, and am a big fan of pork - so naturally the extra of some more pork is requested, and the miso spicy-men is what did it for me. what else is perfect about ordering here is you are able to do is via numbers and it makes it more streamlined. go to one of the outlets enough times, and you will be ordering like that each time.
getting to the actual meal, it was great as per usual. the soup was a mixture of creamy, and spicy with a good coating of chilli oil that made not only its flavour characteristic, but also the texture. it was kind of thick, but the broth was still lithe in the spoon. when you ask for the extra lot of pork, you can bet that they really deliver on having the extra lot of pork. the meat was tender, moreish, and was light in flavour - there was still a bit of fat on it, and enough that it cooked well and could still be eaten. on top of the pork, there was the seaweed which when it got soaked in the broth, really came good, and all the noodles - they were al dente, plentiful and went down a treat.
a bit of something extra on the side i reckon, it adds a bit more and gives more to critique. after have a scan around the menu, the gyozas sounded good but they might have been a bit much; if it were something it needed to be small. well, these sounded perfect - musubi, or otherwise referred to as rice balls. these were cheap and seemed about right. i can tell you this first-hand; these are definitely not jelly doughnuts.
upon ordering the mushubi, the waiter at the cashier called to the back, and i could definitely sense the joy from the cook when he heard his specialty was requested - it is small aspects like that that i remember more than the most professional of service; it actually shows that it has some real character to it. these were freshly made to order, and steaming hot when they came out. there were two of them, and they each came with a sheet of seaweed to wrap in and hold while eating. fresh, pretty simple, and something substantial to fill up just a little bit more.
to an extent, hakayata ramen is like a fast food place. there are a few around town, and there is the general gist - you do know what you are going in for, however the quality is a lot better than the analogy would indicate. it is slightly different with the varieties from outlet to outlet, however you get the general vibe and aesthetic between them all. by what i am saying, it is not what i would call the best ramen in the city, however it has definitely proven reliable over the years, and it has always been consistent so a good, and solid 4.0 is about the right sentiments from me.