Now Open: Ten and Sen Makes Hokkaido-Style Ramen with WA's Best Produce

“I see many parallels between Hokkaido and WA,” says Nobukazu “Nobu” Muraki, owner and head chef of Ten and Sen, a specialist joint bringing spicy ramen from the north of Japan to Leederville. “Combining ingredients from both regions brings me genuine joy as a chef.”

At Ten and Sen, joy sings across each bowl. The signature bowls of spicy ramen are gilded with what seems like an entire grocery aisle’s worth of WA’s vegetables. Its monthly “tapas” rotation riffs on small plates inspired by Hokkaido dishes. Think karaage with Fremantle octopus, and platters with slices of Platta Cheese.

After bringing vegetable-packed Hokkaido-style soup curry to the CBD with Rojiura Curry Samurai , Muraki’s second venture in Perth is a warm homage to the ramen of his hometown in Hokkaido. “Hokkaido boasts more than 1300 ramen shop[s],” Muraki explains, noting that there’s a variety of miso, salt, and soy sauce-based styles. “[Ten and Sen’s] signature spice ramen features a rich tonkotsu broth, an original blend of miso, and our uniquely crafted house spice mix … and we offer both spice ramen and Hokkaido miso ramen at our shop.

“[Hokkaido] is blessed with rich natural resources, especially seafood and agricultural products,” Muraki says. He explains that Hokkaido’s reputation as one of Japan’s top ramen regions comes down to three factors: the three seas that surround it; the wide temperature swings between day and night; and extended daylight hours which lead to a bounty of seafood and fresh produce. “It makes vegetables and fruits sweeter.”

When looking to replicate that same freshness and quality for Ten and Sen, he turned to fresh WA local produce. “Our ramen is built upon a foundation of tonkotsu, miso and spices, but local vegetables also play a crucial role,” he says.

Each bowl of Ten and Sen’s ramen has lightly toasted broccoli (with a light tempura-y crisp), tomatoes and red onions, and other seasonal vegetables. “We simply couldn’t operate without the fresh produce from WA. That’s how much we value and love WA’s flavourful, high-quality vegetables.”

The smoothness of the spicy broth (less numbing, more a cosy hug) hums long after you’ve left the handcrafted wooden tables and waved goodbye to the green doorframes of Ten and Sen. In contrast to the strong pork-based broth tonkotsu that brought in the first boom of ramen shops across Perth, the Hokkaido miso ramen on the menu features a tonkotsu and chicken-broth blend.

Accompanying it all is a selection of Hokkaido’s finest booze. The drinks list goes beyond Sapporo beer with reds and whites from Yoichi Winery alongside a selection of Japanese sakés and whisky.

So yes, Ten and Sen is all about colourful bowls of ramen with an eye-catching rainbow of seasonal WA vegetables, but beyond that it’s an example of how local produce can continue a long culinary tradition – even one that started 8000-kilometres away.

Ten and Sen
747 Newcastle Street, Leederville WA 6007
No phone

Hours:
Mon to Thu 11.30am–2pm, 5pm–8.30pm
Fri 11.30am–2pm, 5pm–9pm
Sat & Sun 11 am–2 pm, 5pm–9pm

@ten_and_sen.perth