At first glance, Danbo Labo looks like a typical ramen shop. But behind the scenes, the newly opened South Brisbane eatery is functioning as a creative lab for Ramen Danbo’s kitchen team – a space where tradition is respected, but not necessarily followed to the letter. To start, the team is exploring the realm of vegan ramen. Come and take a peek at the offering …
When it comes to experimentation, most cuisines have a bit of wriggle room to play with. Though typically underpinned by culinary traditions passed down through generations, even tried and tested recipes have room to evolve through twists, tweaks and technical improvements.
Japanese food is no exception. Though an overarching adherence to long-standing techniques and aesthetics might give off an air of culinary conservatism to the uninitiated, the cuisine is far from static.
Ramen, for instance, has long offered a canvas for innovation. Sure, purists will say it’s hard to top a hearty bowl of creamy tonkotsu ramen or a silky shoyu variation, but the crew at Ramen Danbo reckon there’s plenty of avenues to shake things up in exciting ways.
Last month, Ramen Danbo opened Danbo Labo – a ramen shop that’s all about experimentation. Occupying a tenancy next door to its South Brisbane location on Merivale Street, the concept is positioned as a test kitchen, of sorts. It’s a place where ideas are thrown at the wall and those that stick are given a trial run.
“Labo is kind of the informal Japanified version of the word laboratory,” says Ramen Danbo Australia’s managing director Andrew Hosaka-Zaniewski. “We’re making it a central place for ideas to come together – using [Danbo Labo] as a research kitchen for ourselves. We’re trying new things, but still within the framework of traditional, authentic ramen.”
Aesthetically, Danbo Labo differs from its neighbour thanks to a green exterior colour scheme, otherwise it looks like any traditional ramen shop. The menu, however, is where things deviate.
Currently, Danbo Labo is serving an all-vegan menu – from the ramen to the toppings and sides. Though the brand has offered vegan-friendly menu options before, the creation of Danbo Labo has given the group the ability to dig deep and craft recipes that rival its carnivorous counterparts in depth of flavour.
“I didn’t want to make a vegan menu item that just slapped together the leftover veggies in the back of the fridge,” says Andrew. “I want meat eaters to eat this and not know, or be like, ‘Yeah, I would order this again’.”
There are a few avenues one might take to recreate a mock version of creamy tonkotsu broth – some vegan variations are cashew nut or bean based. At Danbo Labo, the crew is hewing close to tradition with a soy-based broth.
Currently, the Danbo Labo offers three kinds of ramen – a classic Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen with vegan broth, a vegan miso variation and a vegan negi-goma, which comes topped with toasted sesame and spring onion.
“Our vegan menu it’s very simple – it’s very orthodox,” explains Andrew. “It’s pretty much what we serve next door, but a completely vegan version. You look at it and it looks like any other bowl of ramen that we might serve.”
Your choice can be enhanced with spice or extra protein, while toppings like bok choy, moyashi bean sprouts and bamboo shoots are on deck for extra customisation. Danbo Labo is also serving a small selection of sides, including one-bite vegetarian gyoza, vegan kaedama, omsubi rice balls and moyashi namuru.
While Andrew admits that Danbo Labo isn’t trying to sway omnivores to switch to veganism, he is adamant that pescatarians and plant-based diners will leave satisfied.
“They might not have much to compare it to, but when they try it they’ll find it very close to what their friends are eating over at the standard Ramen Danbo,” says Andrew. “They can rest assured that it’s the best vegan ramen out there – at least that I have tried myself.”
When it comes to Danbo Labo’s next experiment, Andrew is keeping things close to his chest. Ramen Danbo’s kitchen staff are given free reign to play around in the kitchen, to either improve on existing recipes or test the boundaries of possibility. The operator also hints that collaborations with other businesses might be on the cards in the future, though nothing has been set in stone.
“We’re really keeping it loose and undefined – the only constant will be that it’s experimental.”
Danbo Labo is now open to the public – head to The Directory for more information.