Ikigai promises late-night ramen in Gungahlin. Photo: Martin Conway.
A common criticism of Canberra is that there is no nightlife here. But there’s a restaurant in Gungahlin that would beg to differ.
Ikigai Ramen opened in Gungahlin in 2023 with fairly standard opening hours and extended them the following year. They’ve been a late-night hotspot ever since.
I had eaten at Ikigai before, but only during (dare I say) ‘regular’ dinner hours. But last week I found myself looking for dinner in Gungahlin after 9 pm, so I knew exactly where to go.
The streets around Gungahlin were mostly empty and a little spooky on this winter evening. But the neon lights of Ikigai were a beacon in the cold night, drawing us in.
The vegetarian shoyu miso ramen is goodness in a bowl. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Perhaps this is a reflection of my usual bedtime, but I was surprised at how busy the restaurant was. The dining room was comfortably full, with multiple tables turning over during our meal. And it makes sense: Gungahlin’s dense population is one of Canberra’s most diverse, with many residents coming from countries in Asia where late-night dining is common.
Ramen is the name of the game at Ikigai, but there’s a decent menu of snacks and starters, plus a handful of desserts. We ordered via QR code at the table, and before long we were sipping tap beers and snacking on tasty gyoza.
A beautiful bowl of tonkatusu ramen, just waiting for a food writer to steal a big slurp. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Then the main event arrived.
My friends went with classics: Tonkotsu Ramen with chilli and Shoyu Miso Ramen.
I had – controversially – not chosen a ramen dish, instead picking the Gyudon rice bowl. This simple comfort dish is made with pearly rice topped with thinly sliced beef and onions, cooked in a light mirin-and-soy sauce. Sliced spring onions, pickled red ginger and an onsen egg sprinkled with spicy togarashi seasoning rounded out the dish.
This is pure comfort food, and the kind that you really want when you’re up past your bedtime.
I also had a taste of my friend’s ramen dishes – it comes with the territory when dining with a food writer, so they’re used to it.
I particularly enjoyed the hit of spice from the chilli paste on the tonkotsu ramen. The shoyu miso was light and well-balanced, and at first I didn’t even clock that it was a vegetarian dish.
The gyudon is a tasty, comforting bowl. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
There’s a protein ramen on the menu for gym addicts who need to bulk up after a sesh on the weights. And on the other end of the spectrum, a simple ramen for just $15, which strips things back to basics: shio pork soup, wheat noodles, one piece of chashu pork and some bamboo shoots.
Considering I was too full for dessert – shokupan French toast! matcha pannacotta! – I quietly vowed to go for the simple ramen next time, with a side of Chef Anj’s legendary chilli oil. This chilli oil is also available to take home in a jar, and just in case the midnight closing time is too early for you, Ikigai also sells frozen ramen packs so you can recreate your favourites at home into the wee small hours.
The flavours are just as good as when you have them at 7 pm, but there’s something special about a late-night feed. I might find myself up after bedtime more often to treat myself at Ikigai.
Ikigai Ramen is located at 43 Hibberson St, Gungahlin. They are open from 5:30 pm to 12 am, Tuesday to Sunday. Follow Ikigai Ramen on Facebook or Instagram.
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