Gomi Ramen opened up the top of Sydney Road in early 2022 and I somehow noticed that they were promising a wide range of vegan options - Cindy put it on her list and then it took us over a year to actually stop by and check it out. They've taken up the space that Beatbox Kitchen ran their burger joint out of for a while - it's long and skinny and a lot of the seating is at the kitchen bar. There's a nice vibe though - it was quiet enough that we could talk comfortably even when it was relatively busy and the staff are brisk but friendly.
Nearly half of the menu is vegan - Cindy decided to build her dinner from the small plates, while I was in the mood for some sort of noodle soup situation.
Gomi do their own house-made soft drinks - Cindy had a mandarin soda ($7), which was sweet and light. Food-wise, she started off with the a serve of the gyoza ($8.50), which are filled with mushrooms, farro koji and garlic, served with a spicy ponzu sauce. Hard to go wrong with a fried dumpling, but these really hit the mark - crispy and delicious.
She followed these up with eggplant karaage ($9), served on a split pea sauce and garnished with some fresh herbs. More delicious crispiness here, coating beautifully tender eggplant. The split pea sauce was really tasty - the only downside was Cindy's inability to mop up every last skerrick with her chopsticks.
I ordered the cauliflower tantamen ($19.80), a rich Sichuan-spiced noodle soup, filled with a cauliflower mince, gochujang, sesame paste, and rayu. The broth has a mushroom and almond base, but the key to it all is the Sichuan hit, especially on a chilly autumn night - I loved every mouthful and left full and warmed.
Gomi is a really excellent addition to Brunswick's dinner scene - I'm definitely keen to go back and try more of the vegan ramen options. Glad we finally got there.
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Gomi Ramen
692 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
9191 0008
Accessibility: There's a small step on entry and then a relatively wide, flat path through. Most of the seating is high stools at the bar, but there are some regular tables too. We ordered and paid for everything via the QR Code system. We didn't visit the toilets.
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