Wondering what could be better than indulging in a rich, creamy bowl of ramen? Maybe being able to get it late at night with an Asahi on tap, long after every restaurant in Canberra is closed.
Putting their heart and soul into each perfected bowl of ramen, Gungahlin’s family-owned Japanese restaurant Ikigai Ramen is emanating the hole-in-the-wall restaurants you’d find in Tokyo, who stay open late, catering to shift workers, those in hospitality, insomniacs, uni students or just people who find themselves craving ramen past 9pm.
Extending their hours to 5:30pm-12am, Ikigai is trying to fill the gap of late-night spots in Canberra, as the city seems to be lacking tasty options past regular hours.
“As food lovers ourselves and growing up in the Philippines where the late-night food scene is always bustling, it was something we missed from home and wanted to bring to the local Canberra market,” says Head Chef and Part-Owner, Anj Sulit.
“In Japanese culture, ramen is considered a late-night staple, and you will often find a lot of Ramen shops open late into the night catering to hungry bellies seeking a warm, satisfying meal after a long day,” she says.
Keeping the menu small to focus on dishes they love best, while Ikigai’s signature Tonkotsu ramen is what you’ll see a lot of diners slurping on an average night, their Tori Paitan, Shoyu Miso, and Ebi Curry ramen have also been meticulously crafted to ensure the perfect authentic broth every time.
Aside from ramen, the menu has a range of small bites like gyoza, Takoyaki and their crowd-favourite miso crab, as well as Gohan rice dishes that are inspired by Anj’s childhood favourite dish. And you won’t want to leave without trying the matcha cheesecake!
Canberra’s only late-night ramen restaurant, Ikigai is now open until 5:30pm-12am with last orders at 11:45pm on Tuesday to Sunday.
Visit Ikigai Ramen to find out more.
