Self-taught master behind Sydney's most surprising ramen bar

The best meals aren't about spectacles. After all, fussy food, like high drama dates, are easy to tire of. But once in a while, a rare thing comes along and manages to fit the magical Venn diagram of, "Hey, this is new" and "I can see myself staying".

That feeling struck me at Umami Dojo Ramen Bar: a modest, 16-seater tucked away at the quiet stretch of Pyrmont waterfront. And like an old-school ramen-ya, it has the kind of handsome, unassuming exterior most punters might walk past.

Peek inside, however, and you'll see the project is a labour of love by co-owners Keiji and Yumiko Mizuno. Opened in January this year, the eatery is run entirely by the admirably warm couple.

"We usually get home after midnight," says Yumiko about a schedule that makes sense when you manage everything from prepping to broth-testing to dishwashing day after day.

There are plenty of ramen legends in Sydney. What makes Umami Dojo stand out isn't some mythical, secret ingredient. In fact, the drawcard is right there on display.

Keiji, who runs the kitchen, fell in love with a broth-making technique from his hometown in Tokyo's Bunkyo ward. The neighbourhood, best known for housing Tokyo Dome, is also the birthplace of Gyorai Ramen, an eatery that popularised the art of brewing ramen stock using coffee siphons.

It's fun to see a row of shiny flasks bubbling at the bar. And better still to know you'll get to show it off on social media. But the best thing is that there are practical reasons for using these contraptions.

First, Keiji only offers three kinds of ramen on his menu: katsuo (bonito), niboshi (dried sardine) and a spicy niboshi. All three use a chicken-based broth – a lighter, clearer soup than the more widely available milky tonkotsu (pork bone broth).

"Most ramen restaurants in Australia [tend to use] tonkotsu. In Japan, the most popular ramen soup is actually chicken shoyu [soy]," says Keiji.

For extra umami, a fish stock – made with kelp and dried sardine or bonito shavings – is then added to the poultry base to form a master broth. This is where the siphon comes in. This subtly flavoured stock, better known as dashi, forms the base layer of plenty of Japanese cooking.

But since high heat can't be applied directly (the kelp would turn bitter), extra bonito chips are added and brewed in a siphon just before the ramen is served. The result is a smoky, aromatic soup that's as rich as it is delicate. In the signature katsuo ramen, two lengths of menma (marinated bamboo), a piece of pork and chicken chasu accompany the still springy noodles. There's a sprinkle of grassy shallot rings, too, but that's it, nothing more.

When you have a broth this carefully made, there's no point getting distracted by extravagant toppings. Add some house-made chilli oil if you must. Or make room for a soft-hearted egg (ajitsuke tamago), bite-sized wontons and more chasu by ordering an otsumami set on the side.

Right now, there is only one vegetarian noodle option: the brothless mushroom mazesoba. Served with a soy-based starchy ankake sauce, the dish features a medley of mushrooms (shiitake, enoki, shimeji) made silky and flavoursome by a dressing of soy, sugar, mirin and a spike of heat from nanami chili pepper. A plate of pale-golden cauliflower karaage make an excellent accompaniment, as do the crisp-based vegetable gyoza.

You won't guess it from the noodles, but Keiji is self-taught. An IT engineer by trade, the longtime ramen fan developed his own recipes by "testing and tasting" over and over again. Brief stints at respected ramen ya such as Crows Nest's Waku and Neutral Bay's now-closed Ichibandori helped cement the vision for his own eatery.

It's early days yet, but judging from the happy faces around us, this ramen crush could be here to stay.

The low-down

Umami Dojo Ramen Bar review

Main attraction: Chef Keiji Mizuno's siphon-brewed ramen broth is more than a novel technique. The resulting stock is backed with a smokiness from bonito (or dried sardine) shavings, setting it apart from the more conventional tonkotsu (pork bone) broth in Sydney.

Must-try dish: The signature katsuo (bonito) ramen. Served with a modest topping of sous vide chasu and menma (marinated bamboo shoot), the broth is at once light and aromatic.

Insta-worthy dish: Get a video of the siphons bubbling away at the bar counter while the stock is brewing.