As you might expect, our friends and family have to hear plenty of fervid endorsements and impassioned recommendations for new openings we’re particularly enthusiastic about. An occupational hazard, if you will.
And one of 2023’s standouts we just couldn’t stop raving about was Shafto Lane curry house Rojiura Curry Samurai. Perth’s first restaurant specialising in Hokkaido-style soup curry, the soup base bouillon is specially imported from the Japanese prefecture before being simmered for two days with fresh WA vegetables, chicken, pork bones, dried sardines and bonito flakes.
Based around the idea of eating a day’s worth of vegetables in one bowl, each dish is loaded with an impressively broad selection of up to 17 different veggies, plus your choice of chicken Maryland, karaage-adjacent zangi fried chicken, or braised pork belly. Special mention also has to go to their menu of additional toppings and sides – with their fried garlic broccoli, cheese and potato mochi, and rice topped with charred cheese and egg a constant feature of hungry pre-lunch daydreaming.
It may seem like we’re digressing here, but it’s important to contextualise just how excited we are about the arrival of their latest venture: Ten and Sen, a ramen spot now open in Leederville that similarly champions Hokkaido flavours and traditions.
The first Australian outpost of the Tokyo spice ramen restaurant of the same name, it’s a joint undertaking from Rojiura Curry Samurai chef Nobukazu Muraki and Amu Hayashi, who has made the move from the Tokyo restaurant to Perth.
Unlike many of the styles of ramen we’ve become so familiar with in Perth – from classic rich tonkotsu broths to the chicken style popularised locally by Northbridge spot Tosaka – Ten and Sen’s spice ramen draws from Hokkaido in both the savoury miso broth and wavy egg noodles seen in Sapporo, as well as the addition of aromatic curry spices.
“Our signature spice ramen is a carefully crafted harmony of rich pork bone broth and savoury miso, elevated by our original blend of aromatic spices. It’s deep, bold, and balanced — layered with flavour and made to stir the senses.”
“Blending the soup-crafting techniques honed through years of soup curry making, and the art of roasting and combining spices, we’ve built something truly unique—rooted in Hokkaido’s iconic miso ramen, the owner’s hometown favourite.”
In a sight that will be familiar to fans of Rojiura Curry Samurai’s technicolour bowls, these are similarly veggie-laden, topped with three types of chashu pork. (Veggie and gluten-free options are both on offer, as are both mild and extra hot spice variations.)
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A welcome sight to any fans of the Shafto Lane curry house, Ten and Sen will also be serving up some of those Hokkaido-style plates that remain so prevalent in our minds – zangi chicken, that garlic-spiked fried broccoli and more.
Drinks-wise, you can expect to find mostly tipples (beer, sake, whiskey) originating in Hokkaido – although some breweries a little closer to home also make an appearance.
“This isn’t just ramen. It’s a journey — one that just might lead you into an entirely new world of flavour.”
Ten and Sen is open now, and located at 747 Newcastle Street, Leederville.
Image credits: @_letsescapetogether_ via Ten and Sen
AloJapan.com