Food Drink

FIRST LOOK: New ramen shop owner dines at 200 ramen restaurants in Japan to bring perfect recipe to Adelaide

Adelaide’s first authentic Japanese tonkotsu ramen shop is set to Open in the CBD.

Jameson Chiang is a self-proclaimed passionate fan of Japanese ramen. In fact, over the past couple of years he has visited and dined in over 200 ramen restaurants in Japan. He says it’s given him an exhaustive understanding of regional ramen characteristics.

We think he’s extraordinarily well qualified to open his own ramen shop, and we’re pretty thrilled that it’s happening in Adelaide.

The authentic ramen restaurant, Buta Yama, will receive its grand opening on January 2nd opening from 12:00pm to 9:30pm daily on King William St.

Chiang said, “I noticed that Adelaide doesn’t have an authentic Japanese rich tonkotsu ramen shop. As someone who particularly loves rich tonkotsu ramen, I found this to be quite regrettable.” Instead of waiting for one to pop up, he’s done it himself, bringing his favourite dish to Adelaide’s CBD for all to enjoy.

Chiang believes that his restaurant’s recipes are truly unique. “We use one of the most complex methods for preparing Japanese ramen broth—呼び戻し (Yobimotoshi),” Chiang said. “In simple terms, we use five large pots daily to prepare the broth. The first three pots are dedicated to simmering pork bone broth, the fourth pot is used for blending the final broth, and the fifth pot is freshly prepared with a variety of ingredients to create a rich, concentrated stock.”

“When preparing the broth for serving, we combine half of the pork bone broth from the third pot and half of the fresh stock from the fifth pot into the fourth pot to create the final broth for customers.”

“What makes this method unique is that when the broth in the third pot decreases, we do not dilute it with water. Instead, we replenish it with pork bone broth from the second pot. This process allows the umami and depth of flavour to build over time, resulting in an exceptionally rich and flavourful broth.”

“While this approach is time-intensive and labor-intensive, it ensures the highest quality ramen broth, which is our priority.”

Also on the menu are traditional Japanese tsukemen (dipping noodles) and mazesoba (Japanese mixed noodles). Currently, no restaurant in Adelaide offers tsukemen. The dish uses thick alkaline noodles, which are boiled, chilled, and served with a rich dipping broth. Tsukemen is perfect for hot summer days and one of Chiang’s personal favourite dishes.

Knowing he wanted to open a restaurant, Chiang set out consulting with a range of Japanese chefs and head chefs, in order to build his perfect ramen. “One of the consultants, upon hearing my desire to open a ramen shop, introduced me to our current ramen restaurant consultant, Mr. Hoshino,” Chiang said.

“He shared with me this chef’s experience of running ramen restaurants in Tokyo. Mr. Hoshino is a highly experienced master of rich broth ramen. His ramen shop in Tokyo is very famous and has been featured in multiple magazines.”

“This introduction gave me the opportunity to invite Mr. Hoshino to help us design the recipes for our ramen and stayed in Adelaide for a month to make the soup base and toppings for us, which ultimately led to the unique flavours of our ramen shop today.”

“Rich broth ramen has always been a controversial style,” Chiang said. “In Japan, people eat rich tonkotsu ramen so frequently that they often find regular tonkotsu ramen too plain and start seeking richer, more flavourful ramen.”

Many people who try rich broth tonkotsu ramen for the first time may find it overwhelming with rich flavours, something Chiang anticipated before opening the business. Chiang conducted extensive market research in Sydney and Melbourne, both of which have successful rich broth ramen shops. This gave Chiang the confidence and guidance he needed to open Buta Yama knowing locals and visitors alike would embrace its unique flavours.

Chiang is delighted to bring a new flavour to Adelaide, but as a result, he said people are having to adjust their expectations. “Many customers have excitedly shaken my hand,” Chiang said. “Saying, ‘Finally, Adelaide has a ramen shop like this!'”

“Some customers also mentioned the smell of pork broth in the restaurant. However, I want to emphasise that this aroma is a hallmark of authentic Japanese tonkotsu ramen. In Japan, the best ramen shops often have a pork bone aroma you can smell from three streets away,” Chiang said.

Chiang has no plans to change the recipe, saying the authentic flavour is the direction he’s committed to.

As soon as Chiang stumbled across the King William Street space, he knew it had some charm, saying, “Its foundational design was quite impressive. But while it incorporated some Japanese elements, it didn’t fully embody a strong Japanese aesthetic, leaning more towards a fusion-style design.”

“I wanted to enhance the Japanese atmosphere, so I made some adjustments,” Chiang said. “I added traditional Japanese curtains and redesigned the front wall using Finnish concrete finish and earthy textures to create a minimalist, traditional Japanese style with a hira-ishi stone wall. Additionally, I customised large gold-leaf lettering as a centrepiece. Much of this design was inspired by the styles of major metropolitan ramen shops.”

“Table decorations such as wooden boxes and plaques were inspired by the popular design trends I observed in major Asian cities like Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. After extensive market research, we finalised the current design, which balances authenticity with modern trends.”

With a wonderfully authentic menu, an inviting interior and a beautiful backstory, Buta Yama might just be our newest go-to for ramen in Adelaide.

Buta Yama

WHAT: Authentic Tonkotsu Ramen
WHERE: 421 King William St, Adelaide
WHEN: Grand opening January 2nd, open daily from 12:00pm to 9:30pm

For more info and to keep up to date visit Buta Yama’s Instagram: @butayama.ramen

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