Sokyo chef Chase Kojima opens Senpai Ramen in Burwood

After spending his summer immersed in the art of shaving ice, chef Chase Kojima is finally ready to unveil his "kakigori" desserts when he opens Senpai Ramen in Burwood on Friday, January 27.

Kojima, the chef behind Pyrmont's hatted Sokyo restaurant, noticed shaved ice desserts were on trend during visits to Japan. "A lot of fine-dining chefs are doing kakigori," he says.

The dishes, similar to Korea's bingsu, are more complex than they appear.

"I bought the equipment, but it's so precise: the temperature of the ice, the angle of the blade. It's very Japanese," Kojima says of the dessert's artisanal qualities.

He'll amp up his kakigori with black sesame, green tea and fresh strawberries at Senpai Ramen, a co-production with restaurateur Howin Chui, who has experience in the Burwood market with Kowloon Cafe. It's a bustling food postcode, but one with plenty of affordable food.

Kojima is sensitive to price point. Where the original Senpai Ramen in Chatswood is set menu, at Burwood you'll be able to drop in for a $17 bowl of ramen. It'll also skip premium-priced produce such as wagyu. But the duo want the menu to be adventurous.

"A lot of people [mightn't] have eaten at Nobu or Sokyo, so we'll do a version of spicy tuna crispy rice," Kojima says.

"We are entering an exciting new phase of the Senpai empire. We are not just expanding the brand, but in Burwood, we will also deliver more unique dishes and a larger menu. The dining atmosphere will be casual, with a fun and sexy edge," Chui adds.

Malatang ramen, which features 16-hour house-made pork bone broth, will debut in Burwood. "Balance is the key," the chef says of the juggling act of fine-tuning the spicy dish.

Senpai Ramen won't be Kojima and Chui's last dance together. The duo is also working on a Japanese steakhouse in the Sydney CBD, with a mid-2023 launch date.

Open daily 11.30am-9pm.

Emerald Square, Lot 14, 27 Belmore Street, Burwood, senpairamen.com