Chronic vs. Pork Spare Rib Noodle

Ramen Gumshara
Eating World
Harbour Plaza
Dixon Court
25-29 Dixon St
Haymarket
Sydney NSW 2000

Closed : Mondays

Lunch : 2 July 2009.

Watch folks can sometimes get excited by limited edition (LE) and limited production watches, but limited production ramen? Apparently it is not uncommon in Japan but news of it at Gumshara set my tastebuds wondering.

It would be my first step beyond the Chronic, and given that there are only 10 made per day, I wasn't fancying my chances at being able to get a Pork Spare Rib Noodle ($13) after 1pm.

Perhaps my consumption levels have been a little high, as I was recognised both by the woman who takes the orders, and the Tonkotsu master himself. 

There is a new apprentice. Does this mean that there has been a rush and they need more staff?

Perhaps I looked a little too happy when told that yes there was still some of the limited production ramen available. Warned about its stickiness, I armed myself with extra tissues and napkins. I mean there's going to be a bone, isn't there? It's a rib after all.

The broth was very intense today. It has been exceptionally so on my last two visits, so I'm wondering whether it is simply going to be like this from now on.

The verdict? The meat was very fatty and tender and fell apart at the touch of my chopsticks. It would have been more-ish, and taken over as a personal preference from the Chronic, if it had been less salty. I like salty foods but the (boneless) rib just tipped over for me. Whether this is the norm or an aberration I don't know, so I will give it another shot (and also try the tomato soup version) before deciding whether to go back to the original. [AP]