Hifumiya

A CBD operation that’s as slick as its noodles.

A lunchtime queue snakes into the laneway as a mixed bag of customers file in. Once inside, it’s all method and momentum: orders called out with smiles and camaraderie, chefs moving in sync with each other. You order, then follow your bowl as it progresses down the line – baskets of udon noodles swinging from pots into bowls, showered in broth, then toppings added, all in swift succession. At the self-serve station, diners finish things off themselves – adding oversized, lacy vegetable tempura, crispy karaage chicken, glossy chilli teriyaki skewers – before reaching the till. Weave through the crowd to claim a spot at the cafeteria-style communal tables, walls around you lined with sake and paper lanterns. The noodles, though, are the reason you’re here. Thick, springy and with that chew synonymous with udon, they glisten in the broth as they’re lifted from the bowl. With over 14 variations – both traditional hot and bukkake cold styles – the original is the best place to start for newcomers (or regulars who know what’s good), simple and satisfying with sweet bean curd, nori, spring onion and a softly set egg that melts into the broth. Beef curry udon brings comforting heft – a rich, gravy-like sauce clinging to the noodles, while tender, sweet slices of beef stand on their own, never lost beneath the curry’s power.