Showing posts with label Ramen Frenzy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ramen Frenzy. Show all posts
3 Feb 2014
Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons - Back again
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| I mentioned before that I would quit ramen dining somewhere in my previous post and I was back here in Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons again. Not that I did not stick to my words but it was my friend's decision to queue for it since he have not tried from this outlet before. We ended up queueing for more than 30 minutes while he kept sharing his recent 3 weeks of experience in Japan with me. He also mentioned that in Japan, many dining places required queueing too and he did not mind waiting at all. (Provided you don't faint from huger first.) As for me, it was my 3rd visit and I admit that this outlet was one of the better ones in Singapore. Like finally we could step into the restaurant and were given the counter seats. Interesting to watch the chefs in action but annoying to have smoke flying directly at my face while enjoying my bowl of ramen. |
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| I suggested the 'Autumn' ramen to my friend since he loves spicy food. He gobbled it hungrily and agreed with me that it was really delicious, one of the better ones he tried in Singapore, even better than Ramen Keisuke Tori King (its sister outlet). As for me, I tried the Tonkotsu King and it sure was addictive and I could have easily drank 4 bowls of such tasty broth. Another YUM factor was the thinly sliced tender pork with some fats and onions which provided an additional bit of sweetness. I really would not mind eating this bowl of ramen for a week! By the way, my previous posts on Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons could be found here and here. |
29 Dec 2013
Menya Mushashi - All the way to the West
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| After this meal at Menya Mushashi which I ate with my friends at Westgate (a newly open mall beside Jem), I somehow felt the pinch of spending so much on a bowl of ramen. A bowl of ramen from any other restaurants could easily hit $15 to $20, more than enough to cover an entire day food expanses. Perhaps I should stop trying so many different outlets and stick to the same few favorite ones to prevent unwanted disappointment. Back to this bowl of Black Special Ramen Set which I ordered that included a choice of side dish. I was once again greatly disappointed about almost every major components this bowl contained. Murky looking broth that lacked flavor, only half a non-molten centre egg, average slice of pork belly and a boring piece of fried bean curd skin. I was quite pissed off about the extremely low amount of broth in my bowl too, not that I enjoyed it. The only thing I liked was the H-shaped noodles that were supposed to 'collect' a bit of broth along its grooves, just like the spirals of fusilli pasta. Thick, smooth, slightly chewy and I guessed mildly salted too. |
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| Dennis had the White Special Ramen Set that was the plainest among all. Simple thick broth with every ingredients exactly the same as what I had described above. |
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| Yong Xian tried the Red Special Ramen Set which looked more orangey than red and was mildly spicy. I hoped they did not choose different types of ramen just for my photography sake or I would be so touched LOL! |
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| Our mediocre side dishes with the gyoza standing out because of its juicy meat fillings. The maki was too cloying due to its tightly compressed rice. No more trying of new ramen outlets for me liao, unless I suffer a major crave! |
27 Dec 2013
Ramen Champion - Getting worse?
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| Before I begin typing this post, I was already questioning myself why the heck I choose to eat the same bowl of ramen the third time? The first time I randomly tried (out of the other outlets), I fell for it. The lovely thick and slightly flat noodles in the salty-savory broth with additional 3 huge spoonful of finely chopped garlic was so addictive. The second time I ate, it was less satisfying but still delicious. This time, I was utterly disappointed with this same type of ramen, but of far-fetched standard. The molten centred eggs were still acceptable but not the broth. There was an obvious layer on the surface (definitely oil), and the broth was rather bland and tasteless. What did I just paid for? |
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| My friend was searching for a bowl of ramen with spicy broth and the picture of Buta God Tonkotse Ramen caught his attention. The flaring red broth from all that chili flakes or spices prevented me from trying. He was thoroughly enjoying both his ramen, as well as the feeling of perspiring non-stop throughout his meal. So not my meaning/sort of enjoyment. |
7 Sept 2013
Rakuzen - A Jap dinner with mum!
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| My mum and I were already starving and I was on a verge of having stomach cramps due to excessive hunger. It was already 7+ and we still have not eaten our dinner! I seriously disliked the feeling of starvation but I still led my mum all the way from Suntec City to Millenia Walk, believing that there would be yummy food existing around that area. I was right! There were quite a couple of restaurants in there as well as hidden around the bends. My mums choose Rakuzen, which I had in mind since I had cravings for Japanese food. The place was rather quiet and dimly lit, so I felt my eyelids getting heavier every moment. I shake myself up, trying to enjoy the peaceful ambiance and the beautifully designed furnishing around me. |
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| My mum ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen which looked like an ordinary bowl of ramen. (Instant noodles would be more liked it.) How do you actually present a bowl of ramen to look more appetizing? Tough one I supposed. Despite the non-attractive presentation, the soup base was really superb! It was soothingly light and the umami flavor was irresistible. My mum really enjoyed her ramen but the greatest disappointment was that the Tonkotsu Ramen here had no Tonkotsu in it. Therefore, it was basically a plain bowl with only some vegetables to go with! |
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| As for me, I had a craving for sashimi but wanted something more filling. So I ended up picking the Sakura Chirashi Don - Mixed sashimi over japanese vinegared rice. Pardon me as I really could not tell if the sashimi were fresh all because I did not get a satisfying feel after consuming them. All I knew was that there were no traces of any fishy smell emitting from them. The prickled ginger slices were unusually good with mild pungentness. I guessed the pink sugar I left behind was sakura sugar as I did not like additional artificial sweetness in my don. On the whole, the price tag was something I should consider before stepping into any Japanese restaurant, which my mum would be oblivious to. |
31 Jul 2013
Tonkutsu King Four Seasons - Artificial beauty blossoming
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| The moment I stepped into Tonkutsu King Four Seasons, I almost went OMG aloud. I was awed and impressed with the effort involved to furnish the restaurant into so Japanese-like. Artificially beautiful cherry blossom hanging along the walls, round lanterns, wall paintings as well as the open kitchen concept made me felt like I was entering a ramen outlet in Japan. |
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| An urge to risk, I ordered the Japanese green tea cola to try as it was a rare beverage option in Singapore and it was my first time coming across one. Upon reading the label, I realised that the brand was from Tonkutsu King itself. Fizzy and tasting like an ordinary can of cola, except that the colour was more towards the darker tone of olive green. |
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| My friend's bowl of 'Autumn' arrived with colour so vibrant that it reminded me of the season's departing leaves. The bright warning colour was a mix of spices and meat cuddled into an orb, slowing diffusing its fieriness across the umami broth. A mouthful of soup was already too much for me to handle and I was thankful that this bowl was not my choice! Not to forget, there were free flow of hard boiled egg and marinated beansprouts (just like Ramen Keisuke Tori King) to bring down the heat. |
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| My 'Summer' arrived shortly after my friend's 'Autumn' and the colour contrast reassured me that I would not have to sweat over my meal. Unlike Autumn, Summer's broth was intensified by a lovely load of mushroomy bits which emitted an unforgettable earthly taste. I felt like I was eating a high class 'bak chor mee' (minced meat noodles) with springy and relatively medium-hard noodles. As for the char shu, it was towards the leaner side with minimal fats, posing a slight challenge for a lazy person like me to chew. On the whole, I would definitely be back to try out the other seasons! |
8 Jul 2013
Marugoto Shokudou Ramen - A place so off the radar
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Marugoto Shokudou is located at Ang Mo Kio Central, in an isolated building where
K-box is. Although that location was pretty off the radar for people who are not
frequent amk wanderers, it was surprisingly packed that night. After browsing the
menu for quite some time, my mum decided to try the Katsu Chicken Ramen. I
always start describing the ramen by its broth, and it sure was slightly thick (even
you could tell just by looking at the picture) and had the pleasing umami taste.
(I accepted the fact that it was natural to be slightly salty for ramen broth.) As for
the chunky katsu chicken, the crispiness was certainly there but due to the thickness
of the batter, it was being dragged down. My mum went to the extend of partially
removing some 'crisp' off those cutlets!
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As for my Tokyo Shoyu Ramen, the broth definitely tasted the same as my mum's
ramen. I had cravings for fatty pork belly that day and my wish was granted. (I meant
over granted in a way.) I had 2 pieces of really thick and extremely fatty, slightly
chewy pork belly sinking halfway in my broth. The meat to fats proportion was
interestingly about 1 : 3 ! So not good for people on a low-fat diet. Despite being
on the pricey side, the overall bowl of ramen tasted unique on its own. However, I
would need to reconsider before coming back for my second round.
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