I learnt to suck and slurp in Tokyo. In a backstreet, through a tiny door, we chose from a list of three swampy soups, then swallowed as the locals do. There’s no other way to suck the noodles into your gob while in the Land of the Rising Sun. Partly tradition, partly to cool the noodles from the lava-hot soup, slurping is not only common, it’s expected.

Gogyo, Surry Hills’ newest ramen den, housed in the former Salaryman,
is busier than a mosquito at a nudist colony. Where Salaryman had the right idea – izakaya-style snacks and a list of ramen – Gogyo executes it with aplomb. Take a seat on stools in the bar, at the kitchen counter, or at communal tables in a room of rowdy revellers. The booze list adds to the fun. Try the Japanese wine – it may surprise you.

Part of the same empire as global ramen phenomenon Ippudo, Gogyo
is renowned for its signature charred kogashi ramen. Miso or soy sauce is added to a fiery pit of boiling lard, which blackens the chicken broth that follows. Bolstered by cabbage, chashu pork belly and half an egg, the dish’s complexity is a joy, and the wheat noodles are thin and toothsome. The smoky broth, though, is hard to finish. It might be their signature, but it’s not necessarily their best. The lingering depth in the rich pork tonkotsu broth, meanwhile, benefits from bamboo shoots and an umami egg, while soba shine in a clean porcini bouillon.

The ramen is good, but the snacks are better. Chargrilled edamame come lathered in a cracking kombucha sauce. ‘Crackling piggy roll’ is a swag of swine drenched in barbecue sauce inside a soft roll. The creamy texture of kingfish sashimi stars in a combo of red shiso, nori and Japanese tahini. Gyoza are a disappointment, but the nasu dengaku (miso-glazed eggplant) is spot on.

It’s a great night out (just don’t wear white). Come for the ramen;
stay for the snacks.