Visiting a Japanese restaurant doesn’t mean you are guaranteed a great bowl of ramen noodles. It just means you’re offered a menu with donburi options, comparing meat portions with your gyozas and a matcha dessert or two worthy of showing off on your Instagram feed.
So what’s the benchmark? In our opinion, a well-balanced serving of toppings, securing that rich broth, and of course, overall consistency that promises not to let you down even on your umpteenth visit.
We’ve made our rounds — here’s the inside scoop on some of the latest (and possibly best) ramen on our shores.
Menya Kokoro – 100AM
Dish: Furious Mala Soup
The thought of Mala-inspired meals might bring to mind an onslaught of chilli heat. We can’t blame you, when all that is within sight is usually a sea of red chilli oil. The perfect evidence to our claim, the Furious Mala Ramen Soup promises a fiery palette that permeates the chashu, enhancing the meat’s sweetness and ending with a spicy tingle on the tongue. Taking centre stage is selecting within their three levels of spiciness! Something tells us it won’t take too long before this dish receives a horde of (competitive and) hungry folks.
Price: $14.80
Website: Facebook.com/Menyakokorosg
Address: 100 Tras Street, #02-10, Singapore 079027
Ippudo
Dish: Chill Crab Ramen
What did we appreciate most about this dish? The intimate union of No Signboard Seafood and IPPUDO’s blend of soups. A homemade chilli crab sauce gives a refreshing sweetness and spice to the crab’s claw, lending volumes to the simplicity of the Tonkotsu broth. Fried mantou is also served on the side so do remember to dip each bun into the stock for the ultimate experience.
Price: $28++ (Available till 12 Aug 2019)
Website: Ippudo.com.sg
Address: Mandarin Gallery, #04-02, Singapore 238897
Le Shrimp Ramen
Dish: Le Shrimp Trio Tossed
Brimming with cucumber strips, wok hei, prawn dumplings, prawns together with Chinese la mian, brace yourself for a sobering charge of tanginess. The chilli vinaigrette tossed noodles delivers facades of comfort, while the stock mixed with a blend of cinnamon and white peppercorn provides a smoky aroma. Neither is the same without the either, and it looks like a promising synchronisation of Chinese and Japanese culinary influences
Price: $19.90
Website: Paradisegp.com/le-shrimp-ramen
Address: Changi Airport, Terminal 3, #B2-49, Singapore 819963
Tsuta Singapore
Dish: Mame Miso Ramen
For something heavier, go for this bowl of thick noodles by Tsuta. The chashu is well-marinated, but the real star is the toppings — sweet, savoury and sharp. Served with porcini mushroom oil, bean sprouts, watercress and pan-fried corn for extra sweetness, it is replete with hearty, wholesome flavours.
Website: Tsuta.com
Address: Maple Tree 18, #01-01, Singapore 539775
Uma Uma Ramen
Dish: Uma Uma
Uma Uma is no stranger to folks who love their traditional ramen. We say go for the in-house special that features a cloudy and flavourful broth made thanks to spicy miso and Tonkotsu. Find sliced chashu, spring onions, black fungus and onsen egg.
Price: $16.80
Website: Umaumaramen.com
Address: Forum Shopping Mall, #01-41, Singapore 238884
Menya SANJI Boat Quay
Dish: Signature Sanji
When it comes to generous portions of ramen and toppings, a shout-out must go out to Menya SANJI. Off to a strong start, the bowl is loaded with ingredients. Each one of these moreish bowls boasts a juicy richness that comes from the infusion of their Tonkotsu broth simmered with vegetables. And with no such thing as shortcuts, this joint actually handmade all their noodles from scratch.
Price: $15++
Website: Sanji.frp.sg/home
Address: 66 Circular Road, #01-01, Singapore 049420
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