Ichiban Boshi, Southport

The countdown is on.  Ten days until BF and I depart for Japan.  I don't think I have ever been as excited about a holiday as I am about this one.  I have been wanting to travel to Japan since I discovered Hello Kitty at the age of fifteen.  Anyone who knows me knows that my obsession with Hello Kitty was a long and intense one.  There wasn't a Hello Kitty product that I didn't own.  I nearly went as far as getting Kitty's cute little face inked onto my body... I'd like to thank my best-friend for talking me out of that. Thanks Ashlea.

Japanese cuisine has surged in popularity in the last decade. The generally health-conscious society that we now live in seems to have embraced the healthy foods that Japanese cuisine has to offer.  I remember being introduced to sushi as a teen, when it wasn't widely available and I wondered if it was going to be a fad food. It's now so common that it's available at the hospital canteen where I work.
The huge number of Japanese tourists visiting the Gold Coast over the years has meant that we have ended up with some great quality Japanese food outlets. One of those is Ichiban Boshi, a Southport  Japanese cafe specialising in ramen.
I dined there with a couple of girlfriends last week, and was very happy with my meal.
Having dined there before, I wanted to challenge myself by ordering something different. As I've mentioned previously, once I am onto a good dish, I find it very hard to deviate from it.

To start with I insisted that we get a bowl of Edamame ($3.80).

These salted steamed green pods of baby soy beans are so moreish.  The first time I tried them I took a bite and wondered what all the fuss was about.  At first taste they seemed quite bland and unremarkable, but after a couple of pods I found myself wanting more!  I've heard that these are quite often served along with beer in Japanese bars, and that it is thought that eating them prevents fat absorption. 
Ishiban Boshi's pictorial menu is posted on their wall alongside the register.  Having the pictures certainly helped me decide what I wanted.  I ended up ordering the Tantanmen ramen ($12.00)

Tantamen is actually a Chinese noodle dish that the Japanese have adopted.  It is a thick spicy chicken broth with ramen noodles, grilled beef or pork mince, a generous sprinkling of sesame seeds and a slice of egg. I'm a sucker for anything with sesame seeds so was drawn to this as soon as I saw it on the menu. It was so deliciously warming and really suited the winter weather well.  The bowls at Ichiban Boshi seem bottomless.  and despite the delicious flavours, I can never manage to finish my meal.  
My friends ordered the Vegetable ramen and Curry ramen (both $10.90).

Both friends were very happy with their meals and there was a lull in conversation as we happily slurped away at our noodles.  I think we had all been splattered by each other by the end of our meal.

Ichiban Boshi
Shop 1
Cecil Hotel Complex
Scarborough street
Southport
http://www.ichibanboshi.com.au