This Brunswick ramen bar specialises in just one type of broth

For years, ramen in Melbourne usually meant bowls of collagen-rich tonkotsu (pork-bone-based) soup. More choice gradually arrived, but chef Fujio Tamura’s Ramen Shouyuya Sake Bar is geared around just one type: shoyu ramen, referring to the Japanese word for soy sauce. Savoury and clearer than tonkotsu, there are just three choices here: chicken, duck or vegetarian.

Tamura adds depth to his broth by using niboshi (boiled and sun-dried anchovies) and kelp from Hokkaido, imparting a savoury character distinct from more common bonito stock. This combination shines in his slow-cooked duck shoyu, a nod to a traditional duck and soba dish. Thin, springy Australian wheat noodles are made in-house on an imported Yamato machine. Add on gyoza, or, for dessert, mochi skewers, and pick from many styles of sake and beer.

Pro tip: Experience the full depth of Tamura’s shoyu with the tofu entree, served with three types of soy sauce from three different prefectures (Aichi, Gunma, Hyogo), topped with grated ginger bonito flakes, spring onion and nori.