Gomi Ramen Shop

Gomi Boys started as a pandemic project for out-of-work chefs Ben Reardon and Ryan Maher, who began selling [heat-and-eat ramen kits]((https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/food-and-drink/article/upgrade-instant-noodles-gomi-boys-ramen-delivery) out of a North Melbourne kitchen in 2020.

A little while later, they began doing pop-ups at Nasty’s in Thornbury. Then, after someone offered them a commercial noodle machine over Instagram, they suddenly had the means to go all the way with this permanent shop in the former site of Beatbox Kitchen.

Fitted out with a long wooden bar, moody lighting and deep green walls with a custom mural by tattoo artist Ganji Bang, the space is a far cry from its old life as a bright and sunny burger joint.

Gomi Boys’ menu emphasises low-waste cooking and changes according to season and availability, with most ingredients utilised in various dishes for maximum use. For instance, the chicken used to make bone broth for the chicken shio (salt-flavoured) ramen is also used for the crispy chicken skins with peach and ponzu sauce.

Though the particulars of each bowl of ramen may change, one constant is the thin, wheat-based noodles, which the team age overnight for the perfect moisture level and bouncy consistency.

The cocktail selection shares ingredients with the kitchen, and the menu includes Japanese-inspired spins on classic mixed drinks such as a whisky highball with saltbush, a shiso vodka Martini with black sesame, and an Old Fashioned with caramelised apricot and housemade eggplant treacle. Beyond cocktails, there’s a range of mainly Australian beers and wines.