Ajisen Ramen

Japanese noodle soup house

First established in Kumamoto, Japan in 1968, Ajisen now serves Japanese noodle soup in more than 500 restaurants around the world. Rather than using soy sauce or miso-based soups, the specialty here is tonkotsu, a rich stock made from pork bones and cartilage. High in collagen, tonkotsu is believed to be good for the skin with possible anti-aging properties. Tenderous Ribs Ramen is the most popular item on the menu, served with soft-boned meat that has been slow-cooked for hours.

Address

94 Hay St, Haymarket & 85 Liverpool Street, Meriton World Tower.

Phone

9211 8380 & 9267 8816

BBQ King Restaurant

An institution since 1979, the charm of BBQ King is still its sumptuous food and famous plates of roast meats. The Peking duck and barbeque pork are popular favourites among the locals.

Address

18-20 Goulburn Street

Phone

9867 2433

Chinese Noodle House

Transitional northern Chinese food abounds here. Try the specialty dish - knife sliced noodle, requiring a quick and steady hand to shave off noodle ribbons from a block of dough. Have your noodles boiled and served with a clear soup or a saucy pork mince, or get them stir-fried with meat or vegetables - the most popular method. It's all cheap and cheerful with large servings, and all dumplings and noodles are handmade.

Address

TG2, 8 Quay St, Prince Centre, Haymarket.

Phone

9281 4508

Emperor's Garden BBQ & Noodles

You can't miss the display of glistening meats hanging in the window at this popular barbecue house. At the eat-in restaurant, order the famous crispy skin roast duck, salt-and-pepper king prawns or soft shell crab. For a quick takeaway, grab a box of roast duck, soy chicken, sweet barbecue pork or crackling roast pork, packed with optional rice and vegetables. The more adventurous should hunt down the deep-fried pigeon or marinated pork trotters.

Address

213-215 Thomas St, Haymarket

Phone

9281 9899

Menya Noodle Bar

popular noodle bar in the heart of chinatown

With a reputation for serving up some of Sydney's best ramen, Menya is a haven for noodle lovers. Its signature tonkotsu soup is made by simmering pork bones, or order the new torigara soup which is a chicken soup alternative. Both soups are served with either a soy or miso base. Try the kogashi-ninniki ramen - sweet with caramelised garlic - or stick with the original ton-toro with fatty slices of roasted pork. Hiyashi cold noodles are refreshing in summer.

Address

Shop TG8, 8 Quay Street

Phone

9212 1020

Mother Chu's Taiwanese Gourmet

Fresh yu tiao are the highlight here, fried bread sticks best served with congee rice porridge. Watch the dumpling makers in the open kitchen as you order some freshly made pork or beef dumplings.

Address

Shop 1-4, 86-88 Dixon Street

Phone

9211 0288

Satang Thai Exclusive

Join the constant gaggle of uni students at Satang Thai Exclusive and hoe into generous serves of pad thai stir-fried rice noodles or chicken mixed with cashew nuts or doused in a sticky chilli jam. The buzzy modern dining room stretches over two floors with casual timber benches downstairs and wooden chairs on the first floor. Crispy pork belly with chilli, garlic and basil is always a crowd-pleaser or try the funnysounding drunky noodle which comes with a sweet and spicy black bean sauce. Soothe any tingling tastebuds with a tall glass of cold and sweet Thai red tea.

Address

203-204/107 Quay St, Haymarket

Phone

9212 5889

Silk Road Chinese Halal Restaurant

This is the recently opened second venue for this popular Muslim Chinese eatery. Explore the cuisine of Chinese Hui people, a Muslim ethnic minority who hail from far North-West China. Try Xinjiang lamb shish kebabs dusted generously with cumin, the Chinese hamburger, or their vast range of dumplings. All noodles are handmade on the premises.

Address

Shop 2, 209 Thomas Street

Phone

9211 5881

Super Chef BBQ

Follow the sound of the butcher's cleaver at Super Chef BBQ where roast ducks, crackling roast pork and sweet strips of barbecue pork are chopped to order and served with rice, noodle soup or dry noodles

Address

Shop 305, Level 3 Market City

Phone

9211 3118

Twisted Noodle Bar

How spicy do you like it? You can take charge of your own chilli and sour levels when you order the Yunnan noodle in pork soup, the biggest selling dish at Twisted Noodle Bar. Choose from none to extreme chilli and zero to large serves of their sour preserved vegetables. There are a dozen different noodle soups on the menu plus interesting side dishes like fried chilli chicken wings and soft bone pork. The kitchen makes its own chilli paste using three different types of chilli and boils 200 litres of fresh pork stock every day. That's a lot of noodle soup!

Address

Shop 44/1 Dixon St, Chinatown

Phone

9267 2327