Think you know ramen? With 90-plus variations, choosing is the hardest part at Tenkomori

When Tenkomori first opened in Lyric Lane in the city in 2021, it slipped by me in a lockdown blur I’d rather forget. In a mission to correct that oversight, it was time for me to head in and decode their mix-and-match take on Japanese soups.

On my mid-week visit, Tenkomori was awash with the pre-theatre crowd, many bejewelled in Great Gatsby attire to celebrate the opening of a new ballet; the atmosphere was festive all round.

For the full Japanese experience, we settled into a counter seat, grabbed an Asahi on tap and dived into the extensive menu … and this is where things got interesting.

This isn’t a standard ramen restaurant lineup. Tenkomori was built around a concept that lets you customise your bowl in dozens of ways.

The printed menu doesn’t quite do it justice, but once you scan the QR code and open the ordering app, the full scope reveals itself. If there’s one word to sum it up, it’s choice; and if you’re not decisive, this could be a long night.

To streamline your visit and ensure you don’t fall prey to crippling decision fatigue, go in with a plan. With all the mixing and matching of ramen styles and broths, there are more than 90 combinations before you even touch the optional extras.

First, you choose your ramen style and hero ingredient.

Options range from the house special Tenkomori ramen to grilled chashu (pork belly), chicken katsu, karaage chicken, stir-fried pork and kimchi, teriyaki chicken, beef, vegetables and tofu, plus black garlic and red spicy garlic. Many come in deluxe versions, and many choices can then be ordered standard, vegetarian or vegan.

If you’re already overwhelmed at this point, don’t worry; you should be, but you can relax. This is ramen, not the complexities of the Strait of Hormuz. If you want a shortcut, do what I did: order the red spicy garlic and the grilled chashu.

But don’t put away your pencils yet! That’s just the first round of choices. Next comes the broth. Matching the broth to your taste feels like a superpower, and it’s not something you see at most ramen spots. Here, every ramen style can be paired with one of five broths.

Tonkotsu, a rich pork bone broth, has become Canberra’s default ramen base. I paired it with the grilled chashu, and it’s hard to fault. It’s mild, creamy, and deeply satisfying, with sweet, fatty slices of pork that bring just enough smoke without overwhelming the bowl.

There’s also a spicy tonkotsu variation, lifted with chilli oil for extra richness, tang and a proper kick.

The Tom Yum broth is a more left-field option: a fun fusion dish that leans into that classic Thai balance of sour, spicy, aromatic and sweet.

For something more traditional, the miso broth delivers. Made from fermented soybeans, it’s nutty, savoury and a natural fit for ramen. Paired with the red spicy garlic, it arrived as a clear broth with a shimmering layer of chilli oil with just enough heat to make the lips tingle. It’s lighter than the tonkotsu broth but bold enough to tie together the flavours of the eggs, mushrooms, pork and noodles submerged beneath its surface.

Rounding things out is the shoyu broth. Built on dark soy sauce, it’s light, clear and packed with a clean umami taste that lets all of the ingredients shine.

If ramen isn’t your thing, I might have lost you long ago, but there’s a solid non-ramen menu too, with rice bowls, Japanese curries and gyoza to name a few. If you’re sitting on the fence when it comes to ramen, with all of the customisation on offer at Tenkomori, you might just find one that speaks to you.

Tenkomori Ramen House is located at 7/220 London Circuit, down Lyric Lane and is open for lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday and dinner only on Sundays.

Original Article published by Tenele Conway on Region Canberra.

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