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Good Food hat15/20

Roco Ramen & Sake

Updated ,first published

The exterior.
1 / 5The exterior. Supplied
Tataki.
2 / 5Tataki.Supplied
Chef Daiki Shigeta’s signature ramen with hand-cut rye noodles.
3 / 5Chef Daiki Shigeta’s signature ramen with hand-cut rye noodles.Sam Jam
Ramen and local squid with caramelised mustard and brown butter.
4 / 5Ramen and local squid with caramelised mustard and brown butter. Supplied
The dining room.
5 / 5The dining room.Supplied
Good Food hat15/20

Roco Ramen

Japanese$$

Considered local with sake and drinks geared for a menu packed with umami.

The list of must-visit Brunswick Heads restaurants seems to be ever-growing, but this pop-up turned kind-of permanent restaurant should be at the top. As the name suggests it serves sake – great sake – but James Fury’s cocktail and wine list is equally solid, and he can guide you towards things that pair with the savoury-leaning food.

Say yes to the not-too-rich ramen served with house-made rye noodles, but keep to the small size if you’re keen to try chef Daiki Shiget’s snacks: things cooked over charcoal, say, like skewers of fat shiitake brushed with aged tare or chicken thigh given a pep with yuzu-pepper paste.

While the kitchen is about precision, the service is relaxed and everyone’s chatty. Make sure you finish with the house-made seasonal sorbet: if the vibrant passionfruit version is anything to go by, it’s a cracker.

Must-order dish: The hibachi-grilled squid, which comes in a punchy brown butter and fermented chilli sauce. Bliss.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.

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