Perth’s original udon noodle house offers casual excellence.
An alleyway at the less salubrious end of Murray Street doesn’t sound like the strongest dining recommendation, but Hifumiya has built a bustling trade on McLean Lane without relying on passing footfall. That immediately tells you something. Rather than haunt them with the label of ‘authenticity’ you could just say that in Perth’s original udon noodle house, chef Daisuke Hiramatsu has created somewhere that’s well-loved, functional, and sure of its purpose.
In Perth’s original udon noodle house, chef Daisuke Hiramatsu has created somewhere that’s well-loved, functional, and sure of its purpose.
Regulars queue, ready to order, while newbies scan the photo menu above the pass. Bukkake-style udon, a dish centred around cold noodles and a specialty of Hiramatsu’s hometown Kurashiki, is perfect for warmer months. Spicy miso pork ups the heat, and the sake on display hints at Hifumiya’s evening transformation into Jigoro izakaya, when the bottles are offered.
Much is made of the fine-dining theatre of chefs tweezering plates on an open pass, but at humble Hifumiya the spectacle of muscle memory in action is no less impressive: bowls assembled with deep dashi broth, notable housemade udon noodles that present their elasticity as inhaled, an onsen egg cracked and carefully placed alongside toppings. Everything in its place.
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