I have been walking past this ramen place a couple of times and it has always been crowded during meal times. Finally got to try it one day when I was craving Japanese ramen badly
Located at Harbourfront shopping mall level 1, the shop is not very huge with tables spilling out onto the main atrium of the mall. Started by 2 ex-chef of Keisuke ramen, it is not a surprise why the store is so popular
With seating for slightly over 25 persons, the restaurant is always packed during lunch and dinner times. There are counter seats available for single diners but the space is quite tight at the counters as the staff used the area for storage as well
Each table has its own condiments tray which has sesame seeds, chilli powder, chilli oil, pepper and fried shallots. You will be given an order chit to customise your ramen according to your preference for thickness and doneness of noodles, taste and oiliness of the soup as well as additional toppings or side dishes required. There are also complimentary sweet corn and bean sprouts which are served to you but can be topped up by the staff. Both of the complimentary toppings added sweetness and crunchy texture to the ramen when added to the broth
The only kind of broth available here is the Tonkotsu broth but you can select between the original, spicy and garlic flavoured. You can also choose the ones with only egg toppings or with all toppings which includes an onsen egg, black fungus, seaweed, char siu and spring onion
The noodles I ordered were thin noodles with normal hardness so it has a nice chewy texture which was not too difficult to bite down. The egg was done perfectly as the centre was a melty texture with a creamy egg yolk which was perfect with the noodles and broth
The aburi char siu was the highlight as you bite into a mouthful of equal fats and lean meat with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The meat was well braised as you can taste the deep umami flavours of the soy marinate permeating through the meat and spreading in your mouth. The regular char siew is the lean and thin cut of meat that is drier and tougher to bite into but it is a good balance to the fattier aburi char siu
The broth of my garlic-based ramen was thick and flavourful. The base of the Tonkotsu broth was already thick and packed with flavours. The richness of the soup is due to 8 hours of simmering and refrigerating to bring out the optimal level of richness of the broth. The garlic flavour added the 2nd level of flavour which work hand in hand with the richness of the broth to give it a nice punch amidst the rich Tonkotsu taste
Overall, I think the ramen offering is simple with only a couple of choices but they did a great job nailing the flavours perfectly. Everything from the broth, toppings and noodles was on point and can definitely satisfy my ramen cravings anytime
Address: 1 Maritime Square, #01-99 1st Floor HarbourFront Centre Singapore 099253
Opening hours: 11.30 am to 10 pm (11 am to 10 pm Sat and Sun)
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