Why hundreds of Aussies are lining up down this mysterious corridor

Sydneysiders are lining up along a busy street in the winter cold for the chance to experience a bowl of ‘unbelievable’ ramen.

Hatena Group, owners of Nomidokoro Indigo, Darlinghurst, and Nakano Darling, has brought Ramen Auru to the already buzzing Japanese food scene in Crows Nest.

An inconspicuous-looking stairwell opening out to the street begins to swell with expectant diners well before the 7pm opening time. 

They are patiently waiting to be ushered into a Tokyo-style ‘ramen hall’ where they will remove their shoes and be served steaming bowls of the ‘best ever’ ramen on traditional low-style tatami seating. 

But first, you’ll have to place your order via a ticket vending machine, offering those who have been a tourist in Tokyo a flash of déjà vu. 

With delicious tangles of perfectly textured ramen noodles on offer, you only have to select between three bases and then choose your toppings.

The basic bowls before toppings are reasonably priced from $19 to $24.  

There is the rich and heady classic pork tonkatsu that you can add any number of toppings to, a lighter and fragrantly ‘delicious’ yuzu chicken (yuzu shio ramen), and the popular Ebi prawn bisque, a fiery bowl of oily, deep broth with hues of orange and red.

Made with a base of miso, deliciously oily French bisque and studded with fresh prawns, the Ebi ramen has been praised as ‘uniquely creamy’, ‘rich and perfectly balanced’ getting a solid ’10/10′ from foodies. 

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Customers have raved about the ‘Tokyo vibes’ and service, dubbing the whole experience ‘authentically Japanese’. 

Even a one-hour-plus wait to snag a table couldn’t deter diners from ‘highly’ recommending the experience. 

Wait times are typically one or two hours’ long but diners promise the service is quick once you get inside.

Beyond ramen you can expect fried rice, karaage chicken, gyoza, a Chinese-inspired pork liver and chive stir fry, and  spicy mapo tofu.

Ramen Auru is walk-in only.

It closes on Mondays and Tuesdays and is open from 7pm until late the rest of the week.

It’s also currently a cash-only venue.