For a πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ challenge, Magma Ramen ($14.80) bubbles hot in its stone pot, angry with capsicum peppers, Japanese black pepper, chilli padi, chilli oil, Korean and Japanese chilli flakes. Thick, flat noodles are boiled in chicken broth, topped with an ajitama egg, mixed vegetables, and minced meat. Choose between 20 levels of spiciness; 5 is recommended, but this is 20.
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Level 20 looks impossible, with a copious amount of chilli oil that coats your every spoonful. Heated spices squeeze tears from your eyes as you choke back on pepperiness. It's spicy even when cooled. The burn lingers on your tongue but you'll realise it's addictively tasty.
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Thick noodles, crunchy beansprouts, and bits of minced meat are flavourful, not forgetting that savoury ajitama egg you're breaking open.
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Thank you @ramenchampion_sg for the invite and @brandcellar for hosting!
Miffy meets Kumoya from 5 Oct! The halal menu is inspired by @littlemissbento and Matcha Mountain Azuki Shibuya Toast ($23.90) is the most popular dessert. Shibuya toast is decorated freshly churned Hokkaido soft serve, swirls of cream, π, matcha sticks, and a Miffy πͺ. Itβs sprinkled with pistachio bits, and has two dango balls and some azuki on the side.
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Drizzle sweet and creamy matcha sauce then cut the Shibuya toast open. It's very solid but inside are squares of buttered toast. Pick one up with a fork and scrape the milky and icy ice-cream onto it. The plain cream is also deliciously sweet, but for some bitterness, try the matcha cream. πmay be sour but pluck off the only buttery Miffy πͺ, and soon you'll forget about it!
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Thank you for the invite @kumoya_singapore it was super kawaii! ππ°
Sanuki Udon with Dragon Rib ($11) π is one of @bakbak.sg signatures.
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A piece of dragon rib peeks out of a streaming bowl of udon in clear broth. Sip the soup, its light and clean, not lacking umami flavour and not tasting too peppery. Crush the garlic cloves and mix them in to add to its intensity.
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Slurp up udon that's soft yet chewy, with a thickness that makes it satisfying. It's pleasantly fresh and you know it's soaked up the soupβs flavour. The spring onions add on fragrance. The piece of dragon is rather lean so it may be slightly tough, but it's enough meat to pair with those noodles.
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Thank you @bakbak.sg for hosting!
Zichar gets a creative twist at Jin Hock Seafood with their Double Flavoured Hor Fun ($15). Your fingers dive first for deep-fried hor fun, and it feels like keropok. It's crispy with a slightly chewy middle. Savoury hor fun under it fills your mouth with wok hei, and the copious amount of thick gravy adds savoury flavour. You taste the maximum depth of flavour having both kinds in one mouthful. Tender pork slices, eleven clams, and chye sim are cooked with it. The pork is slightly chewy, with a pleasantly meaty taste, and the plump clams add some brininess.
Braised Pork Rice from @mrlorbak_sg is a comforting meal at $3.50. A warm piece of lor bak (braised pork) in your mouth melts its fats away like butter, leaving you to chew into tender meat. It's infused with a strong herbal aroma and Shaoxing wine. Just enough braising gravy flavours the firm rice grains underneath, balancing out the saltiness of the meat. Black fungus is a crunchy refreshing contrast. A dab of chilli sauce hits your tongue with sharp spiciness, and a hint of zest that easily cuts through the strong savoury flavours of my meal.
Chunky slices of chicken thigh meat are tender in your chew. The batter tastes salty, and is crusted with breadcrumbs. Underneath is a generous amount of sauteed onions that aren't too pungent so you won't feel jelak. Chicken Katsu Don ($5.80) is the cheapest donburi at @donyasingapore. Despite that, it was the most filling bowl we had!
Volcano Seafood Ramen ($9.90) is the priciest bowl from Wakon Ramen, with two scallops, baby squids, half an egg, and a prawn. Choose from less/regular/extra chilli paste for your spicy tonkotsu. I chose extra and choked, but its flavour grows on you. Bits of minced pork swim in the broth you slurp up. Sweet prawn meat, and half a lavalicious ajitama egg are most enjoyable with the soft ramen. Add on sides at a top up, but I'll recommend their charsiew at $1 a piece!
Salmon Tower Maki ($21.80) from @ramenchampion_sg is a twist to your usual California roll. Salmon slices are draped over maki that's loaded with ebiko, avocado, and crabstick. Ikura and cucumber decorate this tower.
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Your salmon slices are just thick enough for a pleasantly meaty bite, with a thin lemon slice adding a touch of zest. The maki tastes a lil flat, and its rice grains are too sticky. But ebiko around it adds saltiness and a slight savouriness. A dab of wasabi lifts its flavour.
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Thank you @ramenchampion_sg for the invite and @brandcellar for hosting! from @ramenchampion_sg is a twist to your usual California roll. Salmon slices are draped over maki that's loaded with ebiko, avocado, and crabstick. Ikura and cucumber decorate this tower.
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Your salmon slices are just thick enough for a pleasantly meaty bite, with a thin lemon slice adding a touch of zest. The maki tastes a lil flat, and its rice grains are too sticky. But ebiko around it adds saltiness and a slight savouriness. A dab of wasabi lifts its flavour.
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Thank you @ramenchampion_sg for the invite and @brandcellar for hosting!
13 Stages, opened by Mark Lee, his wife, and two friends, sells 7 flavours of chicken rice and 13 flavours of coffee.
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Mala Chicken ($8.90) is a large chicken leg steamed in chilli oil. Sichuan spices cover it, with roasted peanuts, strips of bean curd skin, and long beans.
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Meat tears apart easily, tender and juicy. Fiery-looking this may be, but it surprises you with sweetness. A slow burn creeps up the back of your throat, but doesn't quite numb your tongue. The steamed chicken isn't marinated in the spices, allowing the subtle chicken flavour to come through. Avoid the chicken skin if you prefer, but the bouncy fats are tastiest. Your chicken rice is decent, fragrant, and not too greasy. The soup is light but not diluted.
Special Iberico Tonkusen Toroniku Ramen ($21/$22) is served as a bowl of ramen, with a separate dish of six slices of roasted pork cheeks, bamboo shoots, shredded black fungus.
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Picking up a slice of the highlight, the pork cheek glistens with a thin sheen of oil. Its underside looks even more tantalising, with a translucent layer of fats. Each piece of pork is soft in your chew, with a mini foodgasm exploding inside you, as it melts in your mouth, leaving you with a savoury aftertaste.
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The recommended shio broth base is silky, slightly salty, and savoury. Mix in the sides to deepen its flavour. The slightly curly ramen is medium thick. It's soft, pairing well with the crunchy black fungus, and bamboo shoots.
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Full review: http://bit.do/herecomesgin-santouka
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Thanks for the invite @jpassportsg and Santouka! For more deets check https://goo.gl/cpHpXA
Santouka Tantan Men ($15) is one of the dishes on Santouka's new ramen menu launching on Sep 18.
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Your bowl of noodles sits in tonkotsu broth, soy sauce, and sesame paste, garnished with minced pork, diced scallions, and sesame seeds.
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Stir thoroughly before you slurp up the soft noodles. They are toothsome from soaking up the meaty flavours of the broth, and immediately reminded me of Chinese dandan mian. Pair your mouthfuls with chewy minced pork. Its sweet seasoning is a nice touch to the soup. The rich and creamy broth has a mellow, nutty flavour. Chilli oil glistening on its surface gives it slight heat, and didn't feel greasy.
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Aside from this, Santouka is also celebrating their anniversary with 50% off their Toroniku Ramen, from 18th Sep to 21st Sep!
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Full review: http://bit.do/herecomesgin-santouka
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Thanks for the invite @jpassportsg and Santouka! For more deets check https://goo.gl/cpHpXA
Roast Beef Ae-Soba ($17) from Santouka is a substantial serving of salad. Slices of roast beef are arranged into a little monument, and beneath are dry noodles, and fresh greens. Pour in their house-made wasabi sauce that's mixed with soy sauce and chopped onions, then let flow the onsen egg. Give the dish a good mix, because there's sesame dressing at the base.
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Each slice of beef blushes an attractive pink, nicely browned on the outside from roasting. They're gamey, with a meaty chew. The noodles have the scent of sesame oil, and the strands laced with creamy egg yolk are tastiest. The house-made is slightly salty, and its wasabi isn't prominent. It complements the sweet sesame dressing, giving the noodles both sweet and savoury notes.
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Watch out for this dish on the new ramen menu Santouka is launching on the Sep 18! Also, don't say bojio! there's also 50% Off Toroniku Ramen from 18th Sept to 21st Sept in celebration of their anniversary!
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Full review: http://bit.do/herecomesgin-santouka
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Thanks for the invite @jpassportsg and Santouka! For more deets check https://goo.gl/cpHpXA
