Keisuke Tonkotsu King – 3 words.

First word, creator ‘Keisuke’ Takeda was selected as the top ramen chef in Japan in the Ramen Champion Series which gathered over 30,000 ramen chefs. Second word, ‘Tonkotsu’ represents one of the most popular ramen broth form, cooked with pork marrow bones and fat for hours till it is milky white and thick. Third word, Keisuke Tokyo Ramen was crowned the ‘king’ with the the title of Ramen Champion at Tokyo Ramen Championship 2011 in Japan.

Do you know that there are two Keisuke shops in Singapore – Keisuke Tokyo Ramen at Millenia Walk and Keisuke Tonkotsu King at Orchid Hotel?

Keisuke Takeda is precisely known for his creation of very unusual soup bases cooked with prawns and crabs, not the usual classic soup bases like shio, miso or shoyu. Ironically, Keisuke Ramen in Singapore which initially started selling only the very unique prawn based flavour, switched to selling the usual after customers’ feedback.

Keisuke Tonkotsu King, the little ramen shop at Tanjong Pagar, goes back to the basics.
There is always a queue here, for the reasons that the ramen is really quite authentically delicious, and the shop can only sit about twenty.

You can choose between the basic Tonkotsu Ramen ($10.80), Black Spicy ($11.80) or Red Spicy ($11.80). I would suggest a Tonkotsu Ramen Special All Toppings ($14.80), and you can also indicate if you want your soup to be light, normal or strong.

While I may have preferred the noodles over at Ippudo or Marutama, the char siew at Santouka, and the tamago at Miharu, the Tonkotsu soup at Keisuke is the best – thick, milky, tasteful, flavoursome and slightly salty. I finished till the last drop. The soup wins, hands down (you may still argue it is too salty).

Plus, there is free beansprouts and eggs! The free eggs are not the soft yolk kind, but still can see my neighbouring table busy eating all the egg white.

Loved the very traditional cosy ambience with retro posters pasted all around, and excellent service from the Japanese staff. My only complaint: they don’t accept NETs or cards, so you better come with extra cash.

I would rank Keisuke Tonkotsu King the King of the Japanese Ramen Broth. How about you? Which ramen broth beats this soup in Singapore?

Keisuke Tonkatsu King
1 Tras Link, #01-19 Orchid Hotel, Singapore (5 min from Tanjong Pagar MRT), Tel: +65 6636 0855
Opening Hours: 11:30am-3pm, 6pm-10:30pm Daily

Other Related Entries
Keisuke Ramen (Millenia Walk)
Marukin Ramen (Scotts Square)
Menya Musashi (Raffles City)
Ippudo Tao (UE Square)
Daikokuya (Orchard Paragon)

The post Keisuke Tonkotsu King – Truly the King of the Japanese Ramen Broth appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Talk about the best ramen at Tokyo Japan, and many food blogs would recommend Ippudo (Ebisu), Menya Musashi (Shinjuku), Butamen Kenkyujo (Kanda), Aoba (Nakano) Ramen Jiro (Shinjuku) and Ramen Tetsuya (Higashi Koenji) and Metekiya (Ikebukuro).

What would you recommend? I followed religiously to the Taiwanese written Tokyo guidebook “东京王 Dong Jing Wang” to the ramen warzone of Ikebukuro, and found myself outside the snaking queue of Mutekiya Ramen.

My trusted guidebook recommended that tourists should go at 4pm to avoid the peak hour crowd. Good advice, because when I arrived at 4:10pm, there was already a queue outside the shop of about 15 people! That translated to a 25 minute wait.

Mutekiya is one of those ramen shops with only one branch, and has limited sitting of say 20 pax, but it is worth the effort and time to try its legendary ramen.

Mutekiya Ramen’s “人气王 Ren Qi Wang” (popular dish) is the Goukai Men (1200 Yen, SGD$19.16, USD$15.18) which consist of a 16-hour boiled tonkotsu pork thighbone broth with thick slices of barbecued pork, a flavoured hardboiled egg, and two pinkish fresh prawns.

The first few sips of the ramen are nothing short of sensational, easily beating any ramen broth I had in Singapore (not exaggerating). I knew I cannot compare, but this Goukai Men broth is Wow-tastic, said to be added with fresh pork fat and cooked for an additional 3 hours. The soup is really really flavourful which makes you feel extremely satisfied as it slowly warms the tummy.

The other popular dish is the Homaru Men (780 Yen, SGD$12.46, USD$9.87), where the noodles are medium-thick, chewy and springy, imported directly from Hokkaido Sapporo. There is so much bite, makes a perfect pairing with the melt-in-your-mouth pork slices.

Mutekiya is the best ramen I had in Tokyo so far. So what’s?

Mutekiya Ramen 麺創房無敵家
1-17-1 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku 東京都豊島区南池袋1-17- (Ikebukuro Station East Exit), Tokyo, Japan. Tel: + 03 3982 7656
Opening Hours: 10:30am-4am

Other Related Entries
Sugamo Konaya (Roppongi, Tokyo)
Tsukiji Honten (Shibuya, Japan)
Menya Musashi (Raffles City)
Keisuke Tontotsu King (Orchid Hotel)
Ippudo Tao (UE Square)

The post Mutekiya Ramen – Best Ramen at Ikebukuro Tokyo appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Menya Musashi opens another branch at Ion Orchard, replacing the lackluster Aoba Ramen, with a lot less fanfare as the Raffles City outlet.

For those new to the name, Menya Musashi exploded in the ramen scene in 1996 Tokyo, and have been called “pioneer of the Japanese ramen boom”. Their food and décor is inspired by legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, and therefore continue to challenge themselves every day, creating up to 140 ramen ever since.

Their first shop in Shinjuku Tokyo has only 20 seats, but can sell 750 bowls of ramen daily. For all the ramen I have eaten in Tokyo, Menya Musashi ranks as my Top 3, with an unforgettable Tsukemen (dipped noodles).

Menya Musashi at Ion Orchard is called the Kodou, meaning ‘tiger’s cave’, with the special begin the Kodou Tsukemen ($15.90) which comes in white (original), red (spicy), or black (fried garlic and onion) soup stock.

I noticed many customers around not knowing how to eat the dipping noodles, or they would finish drinking the soup and then complain it’s too salty! This is NOT Bak Chor Mee.

So here are some tips on how to eat Tsukemen
- Lift a small portion of noodles
- Dip the noodles into the bowl of thick soup
- Slurp up the noodles from the bowl of thick soup
- Don’t just drink the soup!

While this Kodou Tsukemen with slightly overcooked noodles and uninspiring stock is nothing compared to the one I had in Shinjuku, it still beats several of the other tsukemen I had in Singapore. Oh, skip the gyoza ($5.90) too. They taste like out-of-the-supermarket.

Instead, I found the seasonal special Tokyo Akiba Curry Ramen ($14.90) rather refreshing and tasty. The ramen comes with a thin curry soup based, topped with a half-cooked egg, and tender slices of beef cooked shabu-shabu style. Let this noodles stay on the menu.

(Just in case you do not know, Menya Musashi is brought to Singapore by Japan Foods Holding who coincidentally owns Aijisen and Aoba.)

Menya Musashi Kodou 麺屋武蔵 虎洞 (Ion Orchard)
2 Orchard Turn #B3-25 Ion Orchard (Nearest MRT Orchard, one floor above Muji, next to Bali Thai), Tel: +65 6509 9394
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm

Other Related Entries
Menya Musashi (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
Menya Musashi (Raffles City)
Keisuke Tontotsu King (Orchid Hotel)
Ippudo Tao (UE Square)
Daikokuya (Orchard Paragon)

The post Menya Musashi Kodou – Another New Ramen Place at Ion Orchard appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Another ramen shop with an impressive CV opens in Singapore – famous Fukuoka ramen chain, 59 years of history, helmed by Ignatius Chan, owned by Iggy’s the top restaurant in Singapore. He is also behind the high-end Kaiseki restaurant Yoshiyuki downstairs.

Looks like there is another reason to go to the rather Forum the Shopping Mall at Orchard now, other than Toys “R” Us and California Pizza Kitchen.

There isn’t very much to choose from as there are only two types of ramen – Uma Uma Ramen ($14) and Spicy Chasiu Ramen ($16).

The former is a spicy miso base, with Hakata-style noodles, and toppings such as charsiu, spring onions and black fungus. The later, is a spicier version at $2 extra, and there really isn’t too much of a difference. Extra tamago at $1.50.

If you like your noodles thin, non-curly and springy (like mee kia, similar to Ippudo’s version), chances are you will enjoy Uma Uma a lot. Not for the Sapporo ramen fans though (ie Ramen Santouka’s version).

The tonkotsu broth is thick, dark, rich, and salty. The portion (or can I say bowl) is small, and therefore the soup cools down faster than usual, not likely to please those heavy eaters who prefer a fuller meal.

Feeling unsatisfied, we ordered an extra Chicken Karaage ($8) which at that price, is equally small portioned and un-filling. If rich broth and thin noodles is your preference, then you should like this ramen uma uma much.

Uma Uma Ramen
583 Orchard Road, #01-41/42/43 Forum The Shopping Mall, Singapore 238884 (10 mins walk from Orchard MRT), Tel: +65 6235 0855 Opening Hours: 11.30am – 3.30pm, 6.30pm – 10pm (Mon – Sat); 11.30am – sold out (Sun)

Other Ramen Entries
Menya Musashi Kodou
Keisuke Tonkotsu King (Orchid Hotel)
Marukin Ramen (Scotts Square)
Marutama Ra-Men (Liang Court)
Ippudo Tao (UE Square)

The post Uma Uma Ramen – Top Restaurant Iggy’s Opens a Ramen Shop appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Ramen Bar Suzuki claims that they sell “the real” traditional tonkotsu (pork bone) noodles, and further says that “there are only 2 places in Singapore” that serves the authentic deal. (When asked, they revealed that the other is Ippudo.)

They have three ramen choices – basic white, red representing hot and spicy, and black, similar to the other ramen shops such as Keisuke Tonkotsu King and Menya Musashi. Plus other perks such unlimited serving of steamed rice, bean sprouts, potato salad and hard-boiled eggs during lunch, and fresh cabbage for dinner.

My preference is with the jet black ramen ($13.90), with added aroma of garlic and squid ink, tasting more flavourful and varied. Otherwise, go for the Tsukemen flavoured with fish, available in limited quantities.

Full Post at InSing.com – Ramen Bar Suzuki

Ramen Bar Suzuki
Boat Quay, 61 Circular Road #01-01 Singapore 049415 (Raffles Place MRT)
Opening Hours: 11:30am-3:00pm, 5:30pm-12:00am (Closed Sun)

Other Ramen Entries
Uma Uma Ramen (Forum Galleria)
Marukin Ramen (Scotts Square)
Marutama Ra-Men (Liang Court)
Ippudo Tao (UE Square)
Sapporo Ramen Miharu (Gallery Hotel)

The post Ramen Bar Suzuki – For Authentic Japanese Tonkotsu Noodles appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Another good news for ramen lovers. Ramen Keisuke Tori King has just opened at the newly renovated Amara Hotel Shopping Mall. This time, the Ramen King is bringing yet another spin to the traditional ramen – chicken thigh with chicken stock!

Keisuke Tokyo Ramen is already well-known for its creative take on ramen, having won the title of Ramen Champion at Tokyo Ramen Championship 2011 in Japan. Founder Keisuke Takeda was also selected as the top ramen chef in Japan and crowned as Ramen King. Singaporeans have also shown Keisuke lots of love with the snaking queues at Orchid Hotel. (Read: Keisuke Tonkotsu King at Orchid Hotel and Keisuke Ramen Millenia Walk)

You may wonder, why are the branches so close together?

Keisuke Takeda made the decision to open his third restaurant at Amara Hotel (which is totally different inside now) because Tonkotsu King has been receiving an average of 350 customers since its opening, drawing huge crowds of locals during both lunch and dinner time. He feels the need to have Tori King within the Tanjong Pagar vicinity just so the loyal diners of Keisuke will have more than one option.

At the new Tori King, chicken is the main attraction. Yes, similar to the Marutama and Marukin Ramen.

My recommendation is the Black Spicy Tori King Ramen Special with All Toppings ($16.90) which includes an amazing tender chicken thigh with a huge slice of pork loin, tamago and seaweed.

The evenly grilled chicken thigh is indeed the show-stopper, with meat coming off the bones so easily, extremely tasty as it is simmered and submerged in premium soy stock overnight. Eating it at some point does remind me an Indonesian ‘ayam panggang’. It is HUGE.

The chicken stock is really warm, thick and flavoursome, yet not overly salty. I would say try not to take your time to savour or don’t finish the stock as it may become over-powering and heavy-going towards the end. For the adventurous, you can also try their green spicy stock which contains wasabi. If not, the original is very safe.

I was asked by Mr Keisuke Takeda which was my preference. It still has to be Keisuke Tonkotsu King at Orchid Hotel because the pork stock feels more authentic, ‘cleaner’ and lighter to me.

Fan photo with Ramen King Mr Keisuke. I was so happy, but I kept my excitement.

Fans of Keisuke will be glad to know that the hard-boiled eggs, beansprouts and sesame seeds remain complimentary. And it does not take a fortune teller to predict that Ramen Keisuke Tori King is going to attract a long long queue as well. Don’t wait – just go!

Ramen Keisuke Tori King
Amara Hotel #03-15, 100 Tras Street , (Tanjong Pagar MRT) Tel: +65 6604 6861
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm

Other Ramen Entries
Uma Uma Ramen (Forum Galleria)
Menya Musashi Kodou (Ion Orchard)
Ippudo Tao (UE Square)
Daikokuya (Orchard Paragon)
Ramen Bar Suzuki (Boat Quay)

The post Ramen Keisuke Tori King – Ramen Alert! Keisuke Opens Their 3rd Shop At Amara appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Ramen alert again! Another ramen shop has opened at Orchard Road, and you probably have not heard of it yet. The new Kitakata Rahmen Yamakichi has found a spot at Orchard Plaza, replacing Noodle House Ken at a more dodgy part of Orchard where there are quite a few authentic Japanese food places.

Kitakata ramen? Eaten before or not? (Read Ramen Keisuke Tori King which opened on the same day.)

Singaporeans are definitely fans of tonkotsu ramen styles, but kitakata style noodles remains very unexplored. Kitakata is a city located in Fukushima, in northern Honshū Japan and also mean ‘northern place’.

The city Kitakata is known for its distinctive style of ramen, said to have the highest per-capita number of ramen establishments in Japan. Word has it that ‘soba’ also refers to ramen here because it is just so prominent here. If you want to order soba there, call it ‘nihon soba’ instead.

Kitakata Rahmen Yamakichi already looks promising: A hole in the wall, small-cramped place, evenly packed on a weekday night, Japanese sprouting customers, and with two Japanese chefs (Chef Kita and Chef Hiro) behind the counter. This is as authentic as it can get.

But I did not know what to order.

The majority of the ramen are Shio-based, which has a pale and clear broth made with plenty of salt and vegetable. I don’t know about you, but shio ramen is the last thing I would order compared to the other varieties of shoyu, miso or tonkotsu. And the other is ‘Jito’, which simply means ‘local’. AND, there is NO tamago. Huh, no eggs?

I had the basic Rahmen ($12.00) which arrived with a clear stock with light yellow, slightly thick and curly noodles (which may remind you of instant noodles). Tonkotsu fans who are used to thick, salty and creamy soup bases may get turned off by this version, which is exactly the opposite – thin, simple and plain.

The Shio Jito Rahmen ($14.00), contrary to its name, is not very salty as well. In fact, I told myself this is the kind of comfort food I would go for if I am not feeling too well. Don’t get me wrong – the soup still taste tasty in its own way.

I just wonder if Singaporeans would take well to this – my guess is not for the moment. Doesn’t sound too good, but I know the modest and unassuming Kitakata Ramen will find its fans.

Kitakata Rahmen Yamakichi
150 Orchard Road #01-18 Orchard Plaza, Singapore 238841

Other Ramen Entries
Ramen Keisuke Tori King (Amara Hotel)
Menya Musashi Kodou
Uma Uma Ramen (Forum Galleria)
Marukin Ramen (Scotts Square)
Sapporo Ramen Miharu (Gallery Hotel)

The post Kitakata Rahmen Yamakichi – Authentic Kitakata-Style Ramen Shop Opens At Orchard appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Am I wrong to say that Singapore is the next best place to have ramen after Japan? We are so fortunate. There are so many ramen restaurants in Singapore, with many more new openings in 2012.

And Ramen is very personal. Tell a Marutama fan that Ippudo is better and you are likely to get angry stares and engage in the debate of “their soup is so salty” or “the noodles are too straight”. (Read: Differentiate the Types of Ramen)

Some of the best ramen places is Singapore has been widely accepted as Ippudo (or Ippudo Tao), Keisuke Tontotsu King, Santouka, Miharu, Daikokuya and Marutama . They are in no particular order and sorry that your favourite is not here.

Daniel’s Food Diary, being a ramen fanatic, thinks it is about time to update the list and will attempt to rank 5 new and best ramen places in Singapore, all opened in 2012.

Ramen Keisuke Tori King (Amara Hotel)
Ramen Keisuke Tori King which is just opened at the newly renovated Amara Hotel Shopping Mall has been attracting long queues. This is the popular Keisuke bringing a spin to the traditional ramen – chicken thigh with chicken stock! My recommendation is the Black Spicy Tori King Ramen Special with All Toppings ($16.90) which includes an amazing tender chicken thigh with a huge slice of pork loin, tamago and seaweed. Some people hate this – too big chicken (too big also complain?), troublesome chicken bone, and ‘strange’ chicken stock, especially with wasabi. Yes, I still prefer the Tontotsu version any time, but this really comes very close in terms of Wow-factor.

Ramen Bar Suzuki (Boat Quay)
This ramen bar at Boat Quay would have been easily my Number One if I stopped at my first bowl. My 2nd and 3rd visits were inconsistent both in terms of service and taste. Otherwise their thin straight noodles noodles and warm Tonkotsu broth should appeal to many Singaporeans, and I know many CBD workers swear by this shop. Go during crowded lunchtime and you will know why. My preference is with the jet black ramen ($13.90), with added aroma of garlic and squid ink, tasting more flavourful and varied. Otherwise, go for the Tsukemen flavoured with fish, available in limited quantities.

Menya Musashi (Raffles City, Ion Orchard, The Star Vista)
We know how Menya Musashi continues to enjoy queues (though not as long as before) at Raffles City, Ion Orchard and The Star Vista. I am more inclined to think this is slightly over-rated and inconsistent as well. Perhaps it was because I tried the original Menya Musashi at Shinjuku Tokyo which was way way better than the local versions. Still, the black kakuni ramen ($14.90) is quite ‘oishii’, with a thick and salty broth cooked from a mixture of pork bones and dried saury fish. You would appreciate its noodles are different from the usual Sapporo or Kyushu types, cooked ‘al dente’ style with a slight chewy bite. (And do you know Menya Musashi is brought to Singapore by Ajisen?)

Uma Uma Ramen (Forum Galleria)
There isn’t very much to choose from as there are only two types of ramen – Uma Uma Ramen ($14) and Spicy Chasiu Ramen ($16). If you like your noodles thin, non-curly and springy (like mee kia, similar to Ippudo’s version), chances are you will enjoy Uma Uma a lot. Not for the Sapporo ramen fans though (ie Ramen Santouka’s version). The tonkotsu broth is thick, dark, rich, and salty. On the flipside, the portion (or can I say bowl) is small, and therefore the soup cools down faster than usual, not likely to please those heavy eaters who prefer a fuller meal.

Kitakata Rahmen Tamakichi (Orchard Plaza)
Ironically, this is the most authentic ramen shop of the lot – hole in the wall, and real Japanese chefs. The majority of the ramen are Shio-based, which has a pale and clear broth made with plenty of salt and vegetable. I had the basic Rahmen ($12.00) which arrived with a clear stock with light yellow, slightly thick and curly noodles (which may remind you of instant noodles). Tonkotsu fans who are used to thick, salty and creamy soup bases may get turned off by this version, which is exactly the opposite – thin, simple and plain.

There are some other new ramen shops that I tried like Marukin Ramen at Scotts Square, Keishoken at Great World City, Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen at Novena Square 2 and the new stalls at Ramen Champion Changi Airport Terminal 3 which have their own fans as well.

So which do you think is the Best Ramen Newcomer in Singapore 2012?

The Ramen Entries
Ramen Keisuke Tori King (Amara Hotel)
Ramen Bar Suzuki (Boat Quay)
Menya Musashi Kodou (Ion Orchard)
Uma Uma Ramen (Forum Galleria)
Kitakata Rahmen Tamakichi (Orchard Plaza)

The post 5 New & Best Ramen Places in Singapore appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

There is a very delicious new ramen shop at Orchid Hotel Tanjong Pagar. No, no, no. I am not talking about Keisuke Tontotsu King. It’s been there, done that. (Read: 5 New & Best Ramen Places in Singapore)

Say Hello to Menya Sanji 麺屋三士, which refers to the ‘three warriors’ of the Meiji restoration, thus the warrior graphics in the shop interior, though not to be confused with a similar sounding Menya Musashi.

Located very closely to the immensely popular Keisuke, this shop facing the main road (near Teppei Japanese Restaurant and next to Two Blur Guys) has obviously less customers, perhaps due to lack of publicity.

Other than Tokyo, Guam and Taiwan, Singapore is the next country that sells Menya Sanji ramen. Its ramen is Kagoshima style – largely unheard of in this region. Kagoshima ramen is considered tonkotsu style ramen, though very different from the long and thin Kyushu Kurume style ramen we are familiar with.

The noodles are medium-thick, not entirely curly like Sapporo’s, and can be considered much closer to the better-known Hakata ramen.

In this small 18-seater shop, the typical choices are the original Sanji Ramen ($11.50), Black Sesame Ramen ($10.50) and Spicy Ramen ($11.00). If you ask me which I enjoy most – this is tough – I happen to like all three types (which is rare). Go for the original Sanji for the more authenic savour.

The broth is overall a lot milkier and opaque than usual, yet not overly greasy or salty. Some other ramen soups though tasty can give a heavy uncomfortable feeling (like Miharu’s) after consumption of the entire bowl. Sanji’s version boiled with pork and chicken remains even-bodied and somewhat taste ‘healthier’

According to Chef Kaiyama, Sanji’s broth is cooked for a full 20 hours (!) in Kagoshima before it is imported back into Singapore. Not sure how the dynamics work, but this does taste like it has been cooked that long.

The main pitfall is the chashu roast pork, looking succulent and mouthwatering, but was in fact a tad too dry and tough for my liking. Also, the tamago could have been runnier.

They also serve Bukkake Ramen ($9.90), somewhat similar to Tsukemen, but the sauce you pour over is cold. With options of sesame, spicy and soy sauce, the goma sesame is the elite choice for tossing in a hot summer weather of Singapore’s.

So is it Keisuke or Sanji? I still think Keisuke ranks as my Top 3 ramen. But on any given day, I would rather give the newer and more atypical Sanji a chance. This is one of the best recent ramen shops that finally serves an unforgettable bowl of comfort.

Menya Sanji 麺屋三士
Orchid Hotel #01-14 1 Tras Link (5 min from Tanjong Pagar MRT) Tel: +65 6604 8891
Opening Hours: 11:30pm – 3:00pm, 5:30pm – 11:00pm Daily

Other Ramen Entries
Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen (Novena Square 2)
Keishoken Ramen (Great World City)
Kitakata Rahmen Tamakichi (Orchard Plaza)
Ramen Keisuke Tori King (Amara Hotel)
Uma Uma Ramen (Forum Galleria)

The post Menya Sanji – Delicious Kagoshima Ramen at Orchid Hotel. No, It’s Not Keisuke appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

New ramen shop Daruma Ramen House is actually not from Japan, but first set up in Hong Kong, re-created and updated by proprietor Charlie Chan. Before you feel too suspicious about its quality, Daruma is named one of the top 5 ramen restaurants in Hong Kong by Tatler, with endorsement from singer Eason Chan saying “You’ll know it when you taste it”. (Read: 5 New & Best Ramen Places in Singapore)

Very brave. This new ramen shop went to the extent to opening two new outlets , one at TripleOne Somerset and the Greenwood Estate in Bukit Timah. Are these the best choice for location? Because both times I been to the Somerset branch, I was the only customer. With that said, the only restaurants that are packing customers there are Imperial Treasures Windows of Hong Kong and the Imperial Treasure Steamboat Restaurant.

There is no fuss to Daruma’s menu: just three choices of Shoyu, Spicy and Tonkotsu. Toppings varieties are barbeque pork, braised pork belly and the ultimate bowl with both meats and mentaiko. No peripherals like gyoza, yakitori and salads, yet.

If in doubt, go for the Tonkotsu with braised pork belly, barbecued pork and mentaiko combination ($18). The broth is said to be cooked by boiling over 90 kilograms of premium pork bones imported from Holland for 8-10 hours every day.

Hmm… Daruma’s broth was thinner than expected for that number of hours boiled, but at least it was still cloudy and not too salty. I can imagine those who keep complaining that the Japanese ramen soups are too oily, salty and thick would like this version.

P.S. I hear that you can request for thicker broth as long as you asked for it. Did it for my second bowl, and that was more satisfying and to my preference.

The Spicy Ramen ($18) may need some getting used to. It was not the hot-spiciness I was expecting, and had somewhat a ‘Chinese’ taste to it. The soup really tasted a lot better after dissolving the mentaiko within, adding a more layered dimension.

The winner was really the braised pork belly which was unpredictably soft and tender, with lovely proportion of melt-in-your-mouth fats.

I spotted Artease’s Iced Yuzu Passion Green Tea and Plum Apple Vinegar Tea being sold, and a fridge stored with Happy Boy Tau Hway. No doubt that I am a fan of both, but from a branding perspective, would any self-respecting Japanese ramen shops sell any of these? (So I hear that the boss is a friend of both brands.)

Perhaps not the best and sensational out there, but the Daruma Ramen has a taste you may grow to like.

Daruma Ramen House
TripleOne Somerset 111 Somerset Road, #02-15 Tel: +65 6235 6079
Greenwood Estate (Bukit Timah), 10 Greenwood Avenue, Tel: +65 62199 447
Opening Hours: 12pm – 3pm & 5pm – 10pm (Mon-Fri), 12pm – 10pm (Sat-Sun)

Other Ramen Entries
Menya Sanji (Orchid Hotel, Tanjong Pagar)
Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen (Novena Square 2)
Keishoken Ramen (Great World City)
Kitakata Rahmen Tamakichi (Orchard Plaza)
Ramen Keisuke Tori King (Amara Hotel)

The post Daruma Ramen House – A Japanese Ramen Shop from… Hong Kong appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Marina Square has recently undergone a $15 million with a dedicated food-restaurant section called The Dining Edition – featuring 16 mid-to-upscale restaurants and cafés.

Several of these are new-to-local market brands like Lady M, Carnivore Appetite, Nuvo, Saigon Lotus, Shallots, Supreme Tastes Jiang Nan Cuisine and Hamanoya. Good excuse for Singaporeans to visit this slightly-forgotten mall.

If you read this blog long enough, it isn’t hard to predict the first restaurant I would patronise would be a ramen shop. Menzo Butao is new ramen brand in Singapore, though its founder, Mr Yasuhiko Kurata is already well-known ramen producer in Japan with more than 23 branches in Japan and overseas.

Menzo Butao’s offerings at first glance feels suspiciously like Menya Musashi with three soup bases of Butaõ (White), Kuroõ (Black) and Akaõ (Red).

The suspicion was confirmed when I found out that they were brought in by the same people behind Ajisen and Menya Musashi.

Other than Hakata style ramen, which has the straight, thin, resilient noodles, they also offer the Hokkaido style which is thicker and curlier.

I was recommended the Kuroō Taro Ramen ($14.90), which soup is said to be boiled for over 14 hours with pork bones from Kagoshima, and the black broth as fried shallots and vegetable oil added which makes it more fragrant. I usually have no problem finish ramen broths, though this version felt a little heavy and ‘too-much’.

The Hokkaido style Gyokai Seafood Ramen ($13.90) was passable, but forgettable. The soup lacked the warm ‘oomph’ and noodles could have been cooked slightly springier.

Overall, Menzo Butao’s ramen is o-kay. The menu has a huge offering, with close to 30 variations of ramen. But correct me if I am wrong. To me, the better ramen shops in Singapore just serve a few items, and do each one really well.

Menzo Butao
Marina Square #02-180 Tel: +65 6338 0840
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm Daily

Other Ramen Entries
Ramen Kagetsu Arashi (The Star Vista)
Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons (Bugis Village)
Daruma Ramen House (TripleOne Somerset)
Menya Sanji (Orchid Hotel, Tanjong Pagar)
Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen (Novena Square 2)

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Traditionalist ramen lovers would frown upon Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen aka the Volcano Ramen, while those who likes a bit of fun and freshness tossed up together should go for this.

Originating from Osaka Japan, Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen has quickly replaced Kraze Burger at Liang Court (and one wonders why a Korean burger joint would even want to set business at a predominantly Japanese mall). Its first branch locally is at Novena Square 2.

This whole idea of Volcano ramen is quite gimmicky. Ramen soup is poured into a preheated 300 stone bowl with noodles and ingredients inside, and then covered with a conical lid. Then hot steam would come out from the top of the lid, thus the ‘volcanic eruption’.

There are four basic flavours: Shoyu, Kaisen-shio, miso and curry ($15.00 for small, $18.00). Get the large and share with a friend (unless you came alone). It even comes with a bowl of rice, so don’t finish all your broth yet. (They won’t refill it – this is not bak kut teh.)

I tried a few different broths, and the curry worked best for me. The noodles tend to be flatter, like another version of our flat Hokkien mee, and gets soggy after immersing in the stone bowl. The texture of the noodles goes better with curry gravy and since the bowl helps it start hot, the curry noodles remains quite ‘aromatic’ throughout the meal.

If I have miso tonkotsu ramen, I would prefer my noodles thin and springy, more to the kyushu style.

As I was there on the week of its opening, the service lapses were obvious. Wrong orders, service staff forgetting orders (3 different people asked for my order 7 times – my friend almost wanted to leave), items for big groups coming at long time difference apart.

Plus, the space is rather crumped, and tables small. If two people would order curry volcanoes, that’s it. You would smell like one.

The Matcha Shiratama with Ice Cream ($8) is a Japanese ice kachang volcano. Okay, I am more picky about matcha items, so this syrupy thing won’t get a pass from me.

The Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen experience still remains an entertaining one. I feel that this ‘volcano’ thing sometimes overshadow other offerings on the menu, such as the usual Shoyu or Karamiso Ramen ($12.00) which is on par with some of the other ramen shops in Singapore.

Tonkatsu Kazan Ramen
Liang Court, #01-09/10 Tel: +65 6397 6636
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Daily

Other Ramen Entries
Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen (Novena Square 2)
Menzo Butao (Marina Square)
Ramen Kagetsu Arashi (The Star Vista)
Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons (Bugis Village)
Menya Sanji (Orchid Hotel, Tanjong Pagar)

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Ippudo has always been one of my favourite ramen, easily my top three. Compared to the original Ippudo at Mandarin Gallery. I somehow prefer the Mohamed Sultan Ippudo Tao branch. There is more life and vibrancy over there, with a slightly bigger selection yet less customers in the waiting.

That branch recently made a significant change – dropping the Tao brand into Ippudo SG (no more dramatic drum rhythms), and offering mainly Hakata-style thin and straight noodles. The thicker noodles (which I would call the mee-pok) have also been removed from the menu.

I have always wondered about Ippudo’s lack of expansion. After all it has been around 3 years in the Singapore market, being one of the first to lead the ramen craze in the country, yet remaining at 2 branches while the rest have caught on or exceeded.

Ippudo SG at Mohamed Sultan continues to serve its signature ramen: original tonkotsu broth Shiromaru Matoaji ($15), Akamaru Shinaji which includes a special blended miso paste ($16) and Spicy Tonkotsu ($16). For something not available at Mandarin Gallery, the Bonito Tonkotsu ramen ($16) is unique to this branch.

Unfortunately during one of my visits to try its new menu, I was met with a reservation mess-up from their staff and the rude service subsequently did not help. Long story short, they made a mistake, put the blame on the customer, and wanted to ‘chase’ my friends away. Their Japanese in-charge was prompt enough to savage the situation.

Normally I would not return but I liked the food so much that I wanted to give Ippudo another chance.

The Hakata Shoyu ramen is like how it is presented, simple and clear without any fanciful condiments or presentation. Usually I am a thick milky tonkotsu person, but am able to appreciate the distinct pureness in this broth. The thin and slight curly noodles cooked al-dente hard continued to work for me.

The Bonito Tonkotsu is a love or hate. Those who are bored are simple flavours would find this thick bonito fish stock a much-needed inclusion, while some would find the bonito overpowering, distracting the original taste of the tonkotsu broth.

Ippudo SG’s ramen still maintains its consistency. On my wish list, a lower price and a more approachable Ippudo would help push up its ranking.

Ippudo SG @ Mohamed Sultan
207 River Valley Road #01-55/56 UE Square (Along Mohamed Sultan Rd) Singapore 238275, Tel: +65 6887 5315
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 5:30pm – 12am (Mon-Thurs), 11:30am -3pm, 5:30pm -2am (Fri-Sat), 11:30am-11pm (Sun)

Other Ramen Entries
Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen (Liang Court)
Menzo Butao (Marina Square)
Ramen Kagetsu Arashi (The Star Vista)
Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons (Bugis Village)
Menya Sanji (Orchid Hotel, Tanjong Pagar)

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Ebisboshi Shotengai made its exit from Great World City, replaced with Ramen Champion (also operated by the same group). Good move. The lack of staff was a major problem at the former restaurant who took up such a big space with several concepts in one. Some dining tables were so hidden that waving for extended periods won’t even et any waitress to spot you.

Ramen Champion at Great World City is a self-service concept where you order from one of the four ramen shops, and collect the bowl later. That would usually about 10 minutes. Fuss free and less labour intensive.

The thing about Ramen Champion is, usually one or two shops out of the group are worth the try, while the rest are can be quite mediocre, or just weird. However, an uninformed new customer would usually need to try all the shops to decide which your favourite is. Or you judge it from the longest queue or gut feeling.

Butaou by Chef Toshikazu Yoneda
This is my champion from this branch. Butaou’s Special Sukiyaki Ramen ($16) is easily the most impressionable amongst the 4 shops at Great World City. Ramen meets Sukiyaki? Win already. A new ramen champion contender, the creation won the Outstanding Ramen Rookie Award at Hong Kong’s The Ultimate Ramen Champion competition. Compared to the usual ramen, this has a sweet Sukiyaki-ish taste, coming mainly from the sliced meat (pork or beef). Love the thin noodles, but not so much of the slow boiled egg and spiciness which went slightly over-powering.

Bishamon Zero by Chef Wang Hu Rong
For a China born chef to make it as the head chef position of Bishamon Zero, Chef Wang Hu Rong took 9 years of intensive training. Their signature is the Sapporo Miso Special Ramen ($14.80).I had the Tokyo-style ramen with a light flavourful broth, drinking it makes you feel easy and cleansed, without that heavy-going salty feeling. The pork belly cha shu is tantalizing, cooked in a special home-made sauce.

Tonkotsu Itto by Chef Yukihiko Sakamoto
I have always been a fan of the Hakata style ramen, with straight resilient noodles cooked quite al-dente. Tonkotsu Itto’s noodles falls into this category, which is also ranked the number one ramen shop in Tokyo (ranked by who I don’t know – but I think there are definitely better ones out there.) The pork-based soup should be what many local customers are familiar with and can take a liking to. I only wished there was more rich intense flavours in the soup. The tonkotsu felt a little weak. But if I want a safe no-fuss choice, this would be it.

Miyamoto by Chef Ryutaro Miyamoto
A recipient of 3 awards within 3 years, Miyamoto won the award of 2012 Narita City Most Popular Ramen. Maybe the taste got ‘lost in translation’ here. This ramen took longest to be served, even though I ordered it before the rest and all my friends have finished the other bowls. They have a Pork and Vegetable Ramen ($16), but I am glad I ordered the normal bowl which came with less char siew. Otherwise, it would have been tough to finish. The noodles were thick and curly (somewhat like flat Hokkien meet), not my personal favourite as it is too filling. In the end, I couldn’t finish it. The refreshing part is the sweetness that comes from the vegetables of cabbage and beansprouts.

Tried Ramen Champion before? Tell me which bowls can make it, so we make how to make wiser selections.

Ramen Champion Great World City
1 Kim Seng Promenade, Great World City #01-22, Singapore 237994 Tel: +65 6235 1295
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:30pm

Other Ramen Entries
Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen (Liang Court)
Menya Sanji (Orchid Hotel, Tanjong Pagar)
Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons (Bugis Village)
Ramen Kagetsu Arashi (The Star Vista)
Menzo Butao (Marina Square)

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While ramen shops are opening to varying degrees of success in Singapore, Sanpoutei Ramen which just opened at Holland Avenue looks like the one which will set itself apart from its competition.

Good location (Holland Village), good ramen (at least for now when the Japanese chefs are around), good ambience (must have spent a lot of interior décor), and good service (5-6 service staff for such as small restaurant), I have no crystal ball but I predict there will be a long queue soon at Sanpoutei Ramen.

Sanpoutei is known for its classic Shoyu ramen ($14.00) which originates from Niigata (north of Tokyo) since 1967. Its broth is boiled for six hours using vegetables, chicken, pork bone and 2 types of dried sardine all imported from Japan – one of the few ramen shops in Singapore with fish base in its soup.

Oohh. The signature shoyu soup stock while looking clear and thin, packs flavour with the a light touch of fish savour without being too powering. Could present an uplifting change for those used to tonkotsu bases. The aburi chashu is melt-in-your-mouth tender. Though I rarely talk about menma (bamboo shoots), this bowl has delicious ones within.

The ramen while tasty, didn’t make me want to pull all stops, yet. The noodles which are made in-house with a $45k machine, could have been more springy and less thick and soft. But that is purely personal preferences.

Leave some space for the side dishes, such as the Deep Fried Spring Chicken with Oroshi Yuzu Ponzu Sauce ($7.80), and the must must must order Minced Chicken Niigata Rice Mini Don ($4.00). The Niigata Kurorori Rice which is imported from Japan and polished in Singapore, is probably good enough to eat on its own.

Okay.

My suspicion bells rang when I thought that this ramen tasted very familiar, as though I had it ever before. The feeling of déjà vu. In addition, after I noticed the number of service staff that they had for a small shop, definitely must have rich boss and backing.

So I did some questioning and found out …

Turns out that Sanpoutei is brought in by RamenPlay. Ah-huh. It may be strange to say this, but Sanpoutei does taste like RamenPlay when they first started in Singapore, before the store continued in a mass-market direction.

There is this charm, friendliness and closeness from smaller ramen shops that the chains cannot provide. Rest assured that Sanpoutei Ramen still feels and taste authentically Japanese, for now.

Sanpoutei Ramen
#01-01, 253 Holland Avenue (Holland MRT), Tel: +65 64637277
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 11:00pm

Other Ramen Entries
Ikkousha Ramen 博多一幸舎 (Tanjong Pagar Plaza)
Bari Uma Ramen (Tanglin Shopping Centre)
Ramen Matsuri (Boat Quay)
Buta Ramen (Far East Square)
Ippudo Singapore (UE Square)

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Are there really that many new ramen places in Singapore? Apparantly yes. While searching for the Best Ramen in Singapore, it’s time to look beyond the usual favourites of Ippudo, Keisuke and Santouka, to check out some of the newcomers.

From Niigata styled fish soup base, localised ramen with pork ribs to sukiyaki ramen, it is not just about tonkotsu and miso any more, but every bowl a distinct flavour and character.

Here are 10 New Ramen Places in Singapore:

Sanpoutei Ramen
#01-01, 253 Holland Avenue (Holland MRT), Tel: +65 64637277
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 11:00pm Daily

Sanpoutei, probably the ‘hottest’ new ramen shop at Holland Village, is known for its classic Shoyu ramen ($14.00) which originates from Niigata (north of Tokyo) since 1967. Its broth is boiled for six hours using vegetables, chicken, pork bone and 2 types of dried sardine all imported from Japan – one of the few ramen shops in Singapore with fish base in its soup. One of the most promising new comers with authentic taste and prompt service. (Read: Sanpoutei Ramen Holland Village)

Ikkousha Hakata Ramen Singapore 博多一幸舎
Block 7, #01-104 Tanjong Pagar Plaza Singapore 081007 Tel +65 65381880
Opening Hours: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm (Mon – Sat), 11:30 am – 9:00 pm (Sun)

Ikkousha Hakata Ramen 博多一幸舎 by Kousuke Yoshimura won the Ultimate Ramen Champion twice in a row, and now has his own shop at Tanjong Pagar (surrounded by Keisuke Tonkotsu King, Menya Sanji, and Tori King). He held his own with the signature two types of ramen – the original Tonkotsu Ramen ($12.00) with thick pork broth with thin long noodles, or the God Fire ($13.50) spicy ramen specially created for the Singapore market. This is, the champion of the ramen champions. (Read: Ikkousha Ramen Tanjong Pagar Plaza)

Tsukada Nojo
#03-04 Westgate, 3 Gateaway Drive (Jurong East MRT)
Opening Hours: 10:00am – 10:00pm (Ramen only available during lunch)

Beauty pot ramen! Tsukada Nojo famous for their Bijin Nabe (I know it may sound like a bad word) collagen beauty hotpot.has already been getting long queues at its Plaza Sing and Chinatown Point outlet. Few may know that they opened another branch at Westgate (good news for westies) and actually serve ramen for lunch. Their version of ramen comes with 3 choices of thin egg noodles (take this please), thick mochi-mochi and rice noodles, with soup bases of shio, curry and shoyu. The toppings come separately so you can add them on your own. I can assure you that the chicken soup broth is very very intense and rich. (Read: Tsukada Nojo Chinatown Point))

Ramen Matsuri
7 North Canal Road Singapore 048820 (Behind Boat Quay), Tel: +65 65330845
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3:00pm, 6:00pm – 10:00pm (last order 9:45pm), Closed Sun, PH

Ramen Matsuri’s Chef Ikehata was previously from Marutama Ra-Men, and created this Sakura Chicken Ramen (ie chicken is bred without antibiotics and growth hormones, contain less fat and cholesterol, and listen to Mozart). The Sakura Chicken Ramen Rich Super ($16.90) is a hearty bowl containing 3 slices of chicken, 2 slices of pork char siew, 1 egg, 2 pieces of seaweed, black fungus and spring onion. For once, I preferred the chicken soup base than its pork. (Read: Ramen Matsuri Boat Quay)

Ramen Bari-Uma ばり馬のらーめん
101 Thomson Road #B1-08 United Square Singapore 307591 Tel: +65 6354 3711
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 9.30pm (Mon – Sun)

While shoyu based ramen typically has a clear brown broth which is light on the palate, Bari Uma’s version is a richly flavoured tonkotsu shoyu soup. Hailing from Hiroshima, the recommended ramen is the Ajitama-Uma ($15), with thick cut flamed chashu, uncut egg and shoyu soup. The soup is cooked for 6 hours using both pork and chicken bones with various vegetables. This is Bari Uma’s newest and second branch at United Square. My personal take? The Tanglin original branch feels better. (Read: Bari Uma Ramen Tanglin Shopping Centre)

Buta Ramen
Far East Square, 137 Amoy Street, #01-04 (Raffles Place MRT)
Opening Hours: 11am to 8pm (Mon-Fri), Closed Sat, Sun, PH

Buta ramen at Far East Square, already quite popular with the office crowd, is developed by 3 local guy friends – Chris Tan, John Ng and Sandy Yeo. Their specialty is Boss Rib Ramen ($13.90, no GST or service charges), created as they are fans of our local bak kut teh, where the ribs are sous vide and cha shu cooked over 24 hours so that they become certainly tender. This is ramen with a local twist. (Read: Buta Ramen Far East Square)

Butaou by Chef Toshikazu Yoneda at Ramen Champion
1 Kim Seng Promenade, Great World City #01-22, Singapore 237994 Tel: +65 6235 1295
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:30pm

This is my champion from the newest Ramen Champion Great World City. Ramen meets Sukiyaki? Win already. Butaou’s Special Sukiyaki Ramen ($16) has a sweet Sukiyaki-ish taste, coming mainly from the sliced meat (pork or beef) and is quite addictive. Love the thin noodles, but not so much of the slow boiled egg and spiciness which went slightly over-powering.

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi
2 Handy Road #B1-01/02/03 The Cathay Singapore 229233 (Dhoby Gaut MRT), Tel: +65 6736 3055
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm

Ramen Kagestsu Ramen is supposedly one of Japan’s top ramen chain, though did not receive much fanfare with local ramen lovers. It opens a 3rd branch at The Cathay Orchard, and the outlet seemed rather quiet. Its newest offering, the Ginjiro ($13.90) scores on its broth, being thick, rich and flavourful with an aftertaste of bonito. The char siew was thin and tender, no major complains. Actually can give it a chance if you are nearby.

Tonkatsu Kazan Ramen
Liang Court, #01-09/10 Tel: +65 6397 6636
Opening Hours: 11am – 10:30pm Sun-Thurs, 11am – 3am Fri-Sat

This whole idea of Volcano ramen is quite gimmicky. Ramen soup is poured into a preheated 300 stone bowl with noodles and ingredients inside, and then covered with a conical lid. Then hot steam would come out from the top of the lid, thus the ‘volcanic eruption’. There are four basic flavours: Shoyu, Kaisen-shio, miso and curry ($15.00 for small, $18.00). Get the large and share with a friend (unless you came alone). It even comes with a bowl of rice, so don’t finish all your broth yet. (Read: Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen Liang Court)

Ramen Mitsubachi
150 Orchard Road #01-018 Orchard Plaza Singapore 238841 (Somerset MRT), Tel: +65 62353503
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm (Mon-Fri), 6:00pm – 1:00am (Mon-Sat), Closed Sun (cash only)

This location at Orchard Plaza is where Noodle House Ken (owner fled the country) and Kitakata Ramen (short-lived stay) used to be. I worry about Ramen Mitsubachi’s fate. Only two customers during lunch, and one of them is me. The shop is small and cosy, and service sincere. The Tonkotsu Ramen ($12) while at a wallet-friendly price, had bland stock which was in between thick and thin. The texture of the noodles did not work for me as well. Let’s hope they can continue to fine-tune.

Note: The author ate every single bowl of ramen featured in this entry, sometimes more than once. He is still in a search for the Best Ramen in Singapore. Please keep him updated if you see a new ramen shop that is worthy of his calories and time. Arigatoo Gozaimasu!

Other 5/10 Best Entries
50 Singapore Hawker Food and Their Calories
10 of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014
10 Best Salad Shops in Singapore
10 Best Dim Sum Restaurants In Hong Kong
10 Stalls To Try At The New Chinatown Food Street

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The press release states that Ramen Kagetsu Arashi is the third most popular ramen chain in Japan. So I wonder who is one and two? Ajisen? Nagasaki Chanpon? Ippudo?

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi opens a 3rd branch The Cathay Orchard (the first two are at The Star Vista and Tampines 1), which has unfortunately become a very empty building with a lack of attractive tenants.

The ramen shop, popular for its garlic tonkotsu broth, has just released two new dishes: Ginjiro Ramen ($13.90) and Itameshi Dry Curry Rice ($12.90).

While my first experience with Ramen Kagetsu Arashi at The Star Vista had not been that positive, this time was much better.

The Ginjiro (which means ‘good silver in Japanese’) Ramen scores on its broth, being thick, rich and flavourful with an aftertaste of bonito. The char siew was thin and tender, no major complains.

Its noodles could have been springier with bite. And really, we would have liked the bowl to be served with ajitama egg. The reason (or excuse) given was the egg yolk would interfere with the taste of the bowl. Point taken. Then serve it on a separate saucer, can or not?

The Itameshi Dry Curry Rice ($12.90) is so peppery-lunchy, but unfortunately a saltier and less meaty version. There are some merits. The spices are addictive though could go lower in quantity, as it almost feels like I am consuming a pack of chips. If they placed a few slices of char siew instead of thinly cut sausages, it would have been a lot more satisfying.

An order came wrong and I ended up with the Arashi Genkotsu Barikara Ramen with Sio Broth ($14.90), and it turned out to be a beautiful mistake – it was the best ramen I had at Kagetsu.

The broth was sweet, salty and spicy with a kick, with the natural sea salt and deep red paste giving it a multi-layer taste every spoonful.

Actually, the ramen here is not too bad. Except that some of the side dishes such as Tori Karaage ($6.00) were unevenly salty, and Gyoza ($6.00 for 5) soggy. Its inconsistency may have put on some people, but if you are in luck and choose wisely, you may dine with one pleasing bowl.

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi
2 Handy Road #B1-01/02/03 The Cathay Singapore 229233 (Dhoby Gaut MRT), Tel: +65 6736 3055
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm
Other branches: The Star Vista #01-41, Tampines 1 #02-09/10

Other Related Entries
Ramen Kagetsu Arashi (The Star Vista)
Sanpoutei Ramen (Holland Village)
Buta Ramen (Far East Square)
Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen (Liang Court)
Ramen Matsuri (Boat Quay)

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Ramen Mitsubachi (not Mitsubishi) is a new tonkotsu ramen shop. This location at Orchard Plaza is where Noodle House Ken (owner fled the country) and Kitakata Rahmen Tamakichi (short-lived stay) used to be. What does this say about the next? (Read: 10 New Ramen Places In Singapore)

Upon entering the shop during a weekday lunch, I noticed something amiss. Wait, no customers in the house? Hmmm… Maybe they will be the new, undiscovered and promising. But it is both frightening to the owner (the rent!) and customer (is it that bad?).

Ramen Mitsubachi is small and cosy, with service sincere. The signature is the Tonkotsu ($12), while others such as Cha-shu ($16), Kuro ma-yu ($13.50), Miso ($13.50), Tomato ($13.50), Fish ($13), Pork Karaage ($18.50) are available. There are some rice don sets and daily specials, so feel free to ask what else is available.

The Tonkotsu Ramen ($12) while at a wallet-friendly price, had bland stock with texture which was in between thick and thin. The service staff mentioned they used to serve either thick or light soup upon customer’s request, but have now chosen to go middle-ground. Seems like it would please neither now.

The texture of the noodles did not work for me as well. Let’s hope they can continue to fine-tune.

When I mentioned I liked something spicy, they recommended the Tan-Tan Ramen ($13.50) which is off the menu. Unfortunately, the choice wasn’t favourable, as the spiciness of the soup did not blend with the rest of the ingredients, with an awkward clash.

The good thing is: they served sliced garlic and a black sesame sauce at the side. After adding those to the broth, the noodles became more palatable. That’s not saying much about their soup base either.

My sense is local customers prefer a soup broth which is richer in flavours, very hot in temperature. Some online reviews commented the ramen was quite delicious. Perhaps I just caught them on a wrong day.

Ramen Mitsubachi
150 Orchard Road #01-018 Orchard Plaza Singapore 238841 (Somerset MRT)
Tel: +65 62353503
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm (Mon-Fri), 6:00pm – 1:00am (Mon-Sat), Closed Sun (cash only)

Other Related Entries
10 New Ramen Places In Singapore
Ramen Kagetsu Arashi (The Cathay)
Sanpoutei Ramen (Holland Village)
Ramen Champion (Great World City)
Buta Ramen (Far East Square)

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Chef Keisuke Takeda opened his fifth ramen outlet in Singapore at Suntec City Mall. Technically, it is his first – a move from his original Tokyo-styled branch at Millenia Walk. Fans craving for his crab stock ramen must be relieved it is back.

For those unfamiliar with Keisuke’s style, every store must have a different concept and is experimental, from the authentic style at Tonkotsu King (Orchid Hotel), ramen topped with fleshy drumstick at Tori King (Amara Hotel), diverse 5 different bowls at Four Seasons (Bugis Village) and Gyoza King (Orchid Hotel).

It is possible to love one, and not so much the other.

Ramen Dining Keisuke Tokyo is totally unlike his most popularTonkotsu King at Orchid Hotel. It is restaurant style, spacious with comfortable seats, more contemporary than rustic, and has quite a diverse menu. (The music is horrid though, think 90s radio ads jingle on constant replay.)

The size dish is not just about gyoza anymore! There is a Ramen Dog ($3.50) – Japanese style hotdog topped with chashu, fried noodles and teriyaki sauce, crab stock flavoured Ramen Gartin ($8.00), Deep Fried Prawn with mayonnaise ($8.00), Teriyaki Chicken ($8.00) and Deep Fried Chicken with spicy sauce and mixed leek ($8.00).

The waitress described that Singaporeans would like the Menchi Cutlet ($9.00), “Got pork, got chicken, and cut open the sauce will flow out. Juicy, Singaporeans will like.” True that.

I think most come for the Crab Stock Ramen ($13.90, $15.90 with egg, $18.90 with all toppings), the thick aromatic seafoody kani-flavoured stock makes it quite distinctive from any other ramen stocks in the local market, yet the broth is not too oily or heavy. The ajitama egg is deliciously flavourful, though noodles are of the thick kind, not exactly my personal favourite type of pairing.

My take is Chef could be taking a lighter slant on its broth this time, perhaps due to customers’ feedback. Personally, I would have preferred the soup to be more intense.

Whenever I go to Japan, I try all means to look for a fish-stock ramen, because it is not readily available in Singapore, or just not done well enough. To my surprise, a fried fish stock Niboshi Ramen ($13.90) is on Keisuke’s menu.

This version may please fans who enjoy a fish-based stock, but with a milder take. Still delicious in many ways, tender char siew with a balanced-tasting soup.

Keisuke has always been on the forefront for introducing ingredients not typically used in ramen – shrimp and crab are already good examples. Risk-taking and experimental. The new Ramen Dining Keisuke Tokyo treads somewhere in the middle, being family and masses-friendly, but compromising on the boldness that some of the other branches present.

Ramen Dining Keisuke Tokyo
Suntec City Mall Level 2 (above H&M)
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm

Other Ramen Entries
10 New Ramen Places In Singapore
Ramen Matsuri (Boat Quay)
Sanpoutei Ramen (Holland Village)
Ramen Kagetsu Arashi (The Cathay)
Ramen Mitsubachi (Orchard)

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Natsuttei was one of my favourite ramen from Singapore, easily top 5 amongst all the brands. When the shop closed temporary in Parco Millenia, it became a long wait for the “ramen of the year” to reopen at Orchard Central.

Its telegenic founder Ichiro Furuya has won many ramen competitions in Japan, making the joint hugely popular with long queues.

Fans will know them for their signature Black Ma-yu, with a black layer of garlic (fried over seven phases) and sesame oil blend floating on top the ramen broth, giving the bowl a distinguishable fragrance and creamy oily taste.

The moment I touched down in Singapore after a 2-weeks travel, I went straight for Nantsuttei. That is how much I have been craving for it.

But, the ramen bowl ($12) was disappointing.

Perhaps the shop is still getting a hang of things, the distinctive aroma was not intense enough, the homemade straight Kumamoto style noodles were soft and limp, and could have been more al dente.

The other important factor to me – the Ajitsuke tama egg (additional $1) was plain and strangely missing in flavour-ness. To their credit, the soup remained rich and creamy, but wasn’t as inspiring as it used to be.

Their rice bowl Buta-manma ($6.00) is a value-for-money option for a lighter meal, with chopped chashu is stewed in a slightly sweet dashi soup and placed on top of a hot bowl of rice.

I am one of those who will anticipate juice flowing out of pan-fried dumplings. That to me is the test if the gyoza can make it or not. The Fuufu Enman Gyoza ($6.00) was unfortunately limp, lacking in sweet juices.

Also on my wish-list: they could have served some hot or cold green tea, not just canned ones.

Don’t get me wrong, Nantsuttei is still considered much better than many of the average ramen brands in Singapore, but need to something to keep that consistency up. They are still good, but I remember that they used to be better.

Natsuttei Ramen
Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road, #07-12/13 Singapore 238896 (Somerset MRT)
Tel: +65 6337 7166
Opening Hours: 11am – 10:30pm, Last order 10 pm

Other Ramen Entries
10 New Ramen Places In Singapore
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Sanpoutei Ramen (Holland Village)
Ramen Kagetsu Arashi (The Cathay)
Ramen Mitsubachi (Orchard)

The post Nantsuttei – Popular Ramen Shop Reopens, And They Used To Be Better appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.