The folks behind RaRa Ramen in Redfern have been busy lately. Just last month they opened a second outpost, in Randwick. And on Friday March 13 they’ll launch a third venue, in the Newtown nook that used to be home to fine-diner Oscillate Wildly. Lonely Mouth by RaRa – which takes its name from the Japanese word kuchisabishii, which roughly means the longing to put something in your mouth, even if you’re not hungry – will be a little different from its older siblings: it’ll be completely vegan. Scott Gault, who co-owns RaRa with Katie Shortland, has been testing vegan broths; tares (flavour and condiments added to the ramen before it’s served); and sides. It’s a continuation of his interest in ethical produce and sustainability.

“Since launching RaRa in Redfern, we’ve been blown away from the response and love from the vegan community,” Gault tells Broadsheet. “The feedback was almost unanimous, about the perceived lack of well-thought-out, authentic vegan ramen options in Sydney. When the location at Newtown came up we thought it was a good opportunity for the team to give these new dishes the light of day in a dedicated space, while being able to continue hopefully to innovate.” While RaRa’s popular vegan soy miso ramen will be available, the rest of the menu will be brand new. Expect vegan “eggs”; multiple sides, such as house-made pickles, kimchi and cauliflower karaage; and collaborations with vegan winemakers and brewers. Like its predecessors, Lonely Mouth by RaRa will be influenced by Japan’s third-wave cafes, with a stripped-back, modern design. But there’ll also be art installations and a living plant wall. (Expect “a cross between a modern ramen shop and a cat/dog cafe in Tokyo”, says Gault.) They’ve also imported a ramen button-order kiosk from Japan, which allows diners to order what they want.