Overview
You might have heard of Ippudo — perhaps on your travels to Japan, or just when you've been across the ditch. The legendary ramen chain can be found around the world, but it finally expanded to Auckland back in 2019, opening its new soupy digs in Newmarket's $790 million shopping mall.
The emphasis here is on the tonkatsu (pork broth) ramen that has garnered Ippudo legions of fans — but there's also a variety of equally as tasty options for those who want something else. You've got the signature Shiromaru Motoaji, creamy tonkatsu ramen ($17), but you can also opt for Tori Shoyu, Ippudo's clear chicken blend with Japanese fish cake, or Karaka-Men, mixing things up with spicy miso paste topping and pork belly ($19). The hardness of noodles can also be requested from soft to very hard.
If you're not up for ramen there are plenty of options to choose from. You can go for the waygu tataki with Japanese mayo and fried garlic chips ($8.5), beef sagari yaki served with fried enoki mushrooms ($17.50) or the grilled eel don for $13.50. Also, don't leave without giving the global best-selling pork buns a red hot go ($7 each, or three for $19).
The interior is all clean wooden lines, red and white accents and warm, lantern-esque lighting, making your heart feel as warm as your soup-filled belly. The ramen king Kawahara has said that Ippudo just wants to "spread smiles" with his fare — and if this ramen can't do that, nothing can.
