Taishoken. Before Tsukemen, there was Mori Soba

Char Shu Mori Soba. 1100 Yen

Summers in Japan can reach dangerous levels (up to 38 degrees Celsius), but that doesn't stop its people from finding ways to enjoy their food. A steaming bowl of ramen with piping hot soup is not the best way to enjoy a bowl of noodles in the sweltering heat, hence the need for Tsukemen arises.

Back in 1955, Kazuo Yamigishi, owner of the legendary Taishoken, would eat noodles with leftover broth and soy sauce for staff meals in his days as a kitchen apprentice. It sparked the inspiration and birth of the Tsukemen as we know it today. Yamigishi christened his new creation "Mori Soba" and it became an instant success. Passing away on 1st April 2015, the pioneer of Tsukemen left behind a legacy spanning over 100 restaurants all over Japan and a dish which still continues to evolve to this day.

The heart of a bowl of Ramen lies in its soup. But for Tsukemen it is an entirely different ball game altogether. Consisting of 2 separate components, both the broth and noodles must be able to stand on its own and at the same time not disrupt their symbiotic relationship in order to create a flavourful yet balanced dish.

For starters, noodles are usually served cold and are thicker than your average ramen. The texture of noodles hold high importance as it must be nicely chewy and be able to hold the broth as it is dipped. The taste of the noodle without the broth is also what separates a normal Tsukemen from an exceptional one.

The broth is served hot and is a heavily reduced version of the normal soup base and may consist of additional ingredients such as bonito powder, shrimp oil and scallions. Ingredients used for the soup stock can vary from beef bones, pork, leek and many others which the chef deem fit.

Mori Soba. 800 yen

The process to eat this is simple. Take some noodles with your chopsticks, mix it well inside the bowl of broth and slurp it (ala soba). The shape of Taishoken's noodles are made specifically for the broth to cling onto them. The contrast in temperature is a pleasant sensation, and each chew releases intense flavours of the broth which has been on a rolling boil for hours.
The well-marbled char siew is grilled on a pan before being topped onto a noodles which lends a rich, smoky fragrance to the Tsukemen also.

Tsukemen is perfect for any occasion, but enjoyed especially in summer. Bringing chewy, faintly sweet noodles together with a well-seasoned intense broth you can't get enough of, it's one of those fine food pairings in life.

Taishoken (Narita Branch)
88 Wing Tsuchiya, Narita, Chiba Prefecture
+81 476-29-4868

Nearest Station: JR Narita.

Operating Hours:
Open Daily
Lunch: 1100 to 1500 (L.O 1430)
Dinner: 1800 to 0200

Link to their website.

Rokurinsha: Slurp it up to the last drop

Tsukemen: Thick, al dente noodles that are cool to the touch, dipped in a highly concentrated broth that has been reduced under the watchful eyes of a master and finally slurped up quickly in one breath, bringing a savoury and chewy sensation to the diner.

The origins of  Tsukemen can be traced back to a certain Kazuo Yamagishi, founder and chef of the timeless Taishoken ramen stall at Higashi Ikebukuro. It's said that Yamagishi discovered this dish while he ate noodles with some left over broth and soy sauce, and hence the concept was born.

In recent years however, the title of "Most Popular Tsukemen" would probably go to Rokurinsha. Ever since their first original branch in Osaki, they have expanded aggressively to 5 outlets. The branch at the Tokyo Skytree (Solamachi) commands queues of up to 2 to 3 hours during lunch/dinner time.

Noodles made in house (Normal Portion)

The advantage of Tsukemen is that diners get to fully appreciate the texture of the noodles in its entirety without worry of carry-over cooking due to the hot soup in normal ramen. Rokurinsha's noodles are about 1.5 times thicker than the average ramen noodle which makes it easier to pick up the broth when dipping. The portions for noodles are generous so order the large portion only if you are absolutely dying of starvation. You have been warned.

Dipping Broth

Rokurinsha's broth is one to behold. Carrying the consistency of a gravy, the broth is made from pork bones, bonito, sardines, vegetables and other undisclosed ingredients then carefully boiled and reduced until it achieves the desired thickness and viscosity. Taking one spoonful by itself, it was akin to drinking liquid umami as all the goodness of the ingredients have been fully extracted and concentrated into a small bowl.


It is practically impossible to take just one mouthful as I found myself slurping continuously, stopping only to catch my breath. The chewy, cool and clean tasting noodles complements the warm and rich broth and the flavours dance and mingle nicely."Shiok" would be the word to accurately describe this.

Rokurinsha
Tokyo Solamachi 6F
Tokyo Skytree
1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo

Operating Hours
1100-2300 Daily unless otherwise specified.
Last Order at 2200

Nearest Station: Oshiage

Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Matsuri at Parkway Parade: Less is More?

Yuki Matsuri 'Snow Ramen" with Special toppings (Pork Bone Broth Ramen with Cheese). $18.90

Keisuke Takeda's outlets are sprouting like rabbits here in our Sunny Island. With over 6 different outlets scattered all over, it is difficult to miss the name and fame which comes with Keisuke Takeda's ramen.

So it was with great joy when I saw that Tonkotsu King Matsuri replaced Ajisen Instant Noodles Ramen at Parkway Parade. "Finally, a decent ramen joint so close to home", I thought to myself.

Naturally, it was the Yuki Matsuri Ramen which stood out above the rest of its other counterparts, and I was curious to see how cheese would blend with a dish that by itself, is already so rich and hearty.

Sadly, it did not work out as well as I would have imagined.

While aesthetically pleasing, the cheese powder only served to mask the natural taste of the tonkotsu broth, modifying the flavour profile drastically. I could no longer taste the sweetness of the soup at the tip of my tongue.

Secondly, while adding considerable body to the soup, the cheese/pork broth concoction made me feel bloated and 'jer lat (read: eating until I got sick of it) halfway into the ramen. It was just too rich and overpowering for my liking.

6 pieces Gyoza. $9

But special mention and due credit must be given to the side dish for saving the day. The gyoza, while not as crispy as I would have liked, arrived piping hot and squirted out scalding, savoury juices the moment I sank my teeth into one piece. The dumplings were well-seasoned and tender, and was a wonderful complement to the Ramen.

Left: Green Tea Cola
Right: Wasabi Ginger Ale
$3.80 each

Adding a little novelty were their in-house sodas. The combination of ingredients in the soda is not as unpalatable as the Ramen with Cheese, I must say. The Green Tea Cola was fruity without being too astringent or sickeningly sweet as your typical Cola, while the Wasabi Ginger Ale had only a hint of wasabi incorporated into the Ginger Ale and gave a slight 'rush-into-the-nose' feeling. Both beverages were nicely fizzy and refreshing, especially on a hot afternoon.


Perhaps I caught them on a bad day with a long crowd (Monday after National Day, off-in-lieu given to most companies), or I might have ordered the wrong Ramen to begin with. So I would greatly appreciate any recommendations on a particular Ramen/Outlet of the Keisuke brand so I can give myself a second chance to be wowed by them.


Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Matsuri
80 Marine Parade Road
#B1-18A Parkway Parade
Singapore 449269

Operating Hours:
11:30 - 22:00

+65 6440 5548

Nearest MRT Station: Bedok/Kembangan

Ichiran Ramen: 24 Hour Slurpilicious Ramen in Dotonbori (Osaka Series Part 2/6)

Ahh...Ramen.

If there was one comfort food I had to pick if I was born a Japanese, nothing else can come quite close to Ramen. There is certainly nothing more heartwarming and soul-enriching than a bowl of piping hot noodle soup which is available anytime of the day. While I know Osaka may have their own regional foods, there are just certain things I cannot do without, viz. ramen and sushi.

Along the Dotonbori Canal in Namba, Osaka, there is just one Ramen shop that stands out above the rest. Just come around 6pm and you can see a snaking long queue of tourists and locals alike, all waiting patiently to satisfy growling stomachs with Ichiran's Hakata style Ramen (thin whitish noodles with tonkotsu soup base).

The system here is a little different and not as simple as any other ramen shop due to the high demand of seats so the process of getting in is as follows:

-Start queuing at the stairs outside the restaurant.
-Once you enter the restaurant, you will see a vending machine. Choose the item(s) you want,  pay and get your meal ticket.
- Once that's done, a service staff will show you to a room once seats are available. It might be on the 2nd or 3rd floor, and if you're in a party size of 3 or more, getting to sit together is not guaranteed.

The dining room of Ichiran Ramen is shaped out as a long corridor, and all patrons sit along one long table, with wooden side partitions (which can be retracted if you're sitting with friends) to give that extra sense of privacy especially if you wish to slurp in solitude. Your coat and bags are put behind your seat.

Custom Order Chit. Available in English, Mandarin, Korean and Japanese.

They say it is impossible to please everybody. But Ichiran tries its level best to do so by allowing their guests to customize their own ramen in terms of the texture and tastes of each component. From the noodle texture and char shu, to the strength and richness of the soup and the amount of garlic and chili, it can be suited to your individual palate to ensure you get the bowl of ramen you want.

Strong flavour soup,
 Medium richness,
1/2 clove garlic,
Thick green onion,
Sliced pork,
No red sauce,
Extra firm noodles.

Having been here on two (or five) occasions in the course of my trip, it was a rather fun process of trial and error trying to achieve that ultimate bowl. There were certain factors that would remain as constants for me (Strength of soup, firmness of noodles and having sliced pork) so I experimented with the others like the amount of garlic and red sauce.

I must mention that the red sauce, made with 30 different spices, is really spicy enough to alter the taste of the soup, so may I suggest omitting it on your first time. However, far be it from me to stop you if you love your Ramen to bring a burning sensation with every scoop.

The noodles here were exactly what I wanted; chewy and slightly bouncy. The char shu here is sliced thinly but so meltingly tender and flavourful. The soup itself? Beautiful. The perfect consistency, temperature and just the right amount of flavouring. Mind you, I am not usually a big fan of the Hakata style of Ramen, but Ichiran has converted me duly.

If you're done with your noodles but still have sufficient soup remaining, you can do a kaedama, which means to refill your noodles. There is an option to do so at the back of your order chit. Just indicate and hand it to the service staff.

There is a tendency for restaurants, once they become globally famous, to become tourist traps. But the same cannot be said for Ichiran. It has delivered consistently without fail and wowed me with its efforts and focus to give their customers their very best, and I recommend anyone and everyone who's going to Osaka, to satisfy their Ramen cravings here.

And the best part? It's open 24 hours. :)

Ichiran Ramen
7-18 1F Soumencho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week, unless otherwise stated.

How to get there:

Ichiran Ramen is located at the Dotonbori Canal. (There is literally a canal in the centre of Dotonbori that divides the rows of shops)
The nearest subway station would be Namba Station on the Osaka Subway. Take Exit 14, and you can walk for about 5-10 minutes to the Dotonbori Canal.

For more information, here's a link to their website.

Sanpoutei Ramen: Niigata Ramen and Koshihikari Rice Hand in Hand.

Niigata Shoyu Ramen with Special Full-topping (5 slices of aburi char shu, bamboo shoots and seaweed)
$16.80

When it comes to Ramen, there are many regional variations and specialities within Japan itself. Ramen in Hokkaido are famed for their miso ramen topped with a generous heap of corn and a slab of butter, while Ramen from Kyushu features thin white noodles accompanied with a tonkotsu (pork bone) soup base.

But today's Ramen hails from the Niigata prefecture, found along a row of shops at Holland Village.

Opened less than a month ago, Sanpoutei Ramen is something of a mish-mash of ramen featuring certain characteristics from each individual region. They use thick yellow noodles similar to Hokkaido Ramen, a clear soup broth normally associated with the Kyushu style, but flavor it with shoyu, something more common in Tokyo.

One unique aspect however, is the addition of fish, or in this case, sardines, as one of the signature ingredients in their soup base. The taste of the soup has a strong attack on the palate, the flavours from the sardine, chicken and and pork bones coming bold and fast, but does not linger on to the point of being uncomfortable. The noodles (which are all made in house with a machine, so credit to them) are thick and slightly chewy, able to carry more soup when picking them up with chopsticks. Just the way I like it.

The Char Shu was excellent in my opinion. Pleasantly smoky, flavourful and tender almost to the point of breaking apart at the slightest touch of my chopsticks. If I were being pedantic, I would wish it would not be that tender as I want the whole piece of meat to end up where it belongs (i.e. my mouth) but other than that, it was very well done.

Butariki Niigata Rice Mini-Don $4.00

Whenever "Niigata" is mentioned, the word "Koshihikari" often comes to mind, which actually refers to the rice that is grown in the region. Factors like the optimal weather and temperature, coupled with sufficient rainfall per year have turned Niigata into a specialist of the highly coveted Japanese short-grain rice. Niigata rice is highly prized both in Japan and globally and most top-end sushi restaurants choose to use Niigata rice as the foundation of their sushi.

So it was with great excitement when I saw that they were featuring the very same rice in Sanpoutei Ramen. The Pork mini-don was perhaps the show stealer of the night! Thinly sliced marinated pork with an egg yolk blanketing a scoop (or three) of that wonderful, heavenly and delicate rice.
This is Japanese rice as I remembered from my previous trips to the country, and I was so happy that it totally hit the spot and quelled my incessant lamentations of why countries in Southeast Asia are using long grain rice. And for just $4? This is a great cheap thrill.

The restaurant was a little cramped, just like how it is in Japan, but still comfortable enough to eat in. Service was polite, brisk and my food arrived promptly without fuss.


With other more famous ramen chains falling short of my expectations and failing to displace Santouka from my Numero Uno spot, I was pleasantly surprised by Sanpoutei's Ramen. Though very different in terms of character, it had its own merits and is definitely able to hold its own against the other giants like Ippudo and Keisuke. This place definitely warrants a trip especially if you are looking for something a little different, but that is still able to qualify as comfort food.

Sanpoutei Ramen
253 Holland Avenue #01-01
S278982

6463 7277

Operating Hours:
Daily from 11.30am - 11pm

Nearest MRT Station: Holland Village

Link to their website

Ramen Santouka. Hearty, Generous and Piping Hot as Ramen should be.

For the virgin post of the blog, I felt it only appropriate that I should choose a place that was imperative to forming the foodie in me. It was only after becoming a foodie where I began to take greater care of the form of substinence I was putting into my body, not only in terms of health, but also in terms of taste and texture. No longer was I content to be ruled by the opinions of others of what was "supposed to be tasty and delicious" as most people in my age tend to be in their formative years. Food is a universal topic that binds us all, and everyone has their own indiviual tastes and palates, which is what makes food such a dynamic subject of conversation. No one single opinion is more important than the other because after all, it is you eating and enjoying it.

With that aside, I shall start proper. 

Ramen is an every day food in Japan, present in every street and corner selling different variatons, depending on the region you are in. From the type of noodles used, to the soup base and ingredients, each version can provide a totally different experience and sensation. For example, the Sapporo, Hokkaido style of ramen usually features thick, curly yellow noodles and relies heavily on Miso as the main flavouring agent.

Which brings me to Ramen Santouka.

Santouka originated from the town of Asahikawa, Hokkaido and is one of the most popular Ramen stalls here in Singapore for its unadulterated and no-nonsense Ramen. It comes in a hearty portion, topped with condiments like black fungus, freshly chopped spring onions, bamboo shoots and a small piece of naruto (japanese fish cake).

Tokusen Toroniku (Choice Pork Cheeks)

If you are a first timer to this establishment, the tokusen toroniku, or pork cheeks is the signature of the shop. According to their menu, only 200-300 grams can be harvested per pig, which makes this cut of pork that much more prized and rare. But funnily enough, despite its perpetual long queues and popularity over the years, there was never a time where the waitress told me that they had run out of them.

Each slice is a sinful indulgence of the tender, unctuous kurobuta pork with the fats evenly interspersed along the meat, and it brings the level of Ramen enjoyment to a whole new level altogether. What I usually like to do is to pick up one slice of cheek, dip and swirl it around inside the soup for a good 5 seconds to warm it up and emulsify the fat within the meat and finally popping it into the crevices of my mouth, with my taste buds in overdrive, slowly savouring the flavour of the meat. Rinse and repeat for another 5 times.

Tokusen Toroniku Ramen, Miso Soup base. $19.90 ++

 In Santouka, they offer their customers 3 different kinds of soup flavours, namely Shio (Salt), Shoyu (Soy Sauce) and Miso (Soy bean paste). Santouka uses the "Tonkotsu" soup base as the foundation for the soup for its Ramen, which is made with pork bones, dried fish, kombu (kelp) and many other special and secret ingredients and, according to their website, simmering it for 20 hours to truly extract the flavour from these ingredients which results in a hearty, rich and full-bodied broth which I never fail to finish to the last drop every, single, time.

But therein lies the other side of the coin, where some people would say that Ramen Santouka is too salty and heavy for their liking, and they prefer something a little lighter on their palates. To some extent I can see where they are coming from due to the higher fat content of the pork cheeks and also the shimmering layer of oil that is conspicuous to the health conscious which results in thoughts of cholesterol filling up their arteries, making them shudder in fear.

That said, to me Ramen is simply comfort food that should be hearty, rustic and just served simply and simply served. Few things are as good as having a bowl of Santouka's Ramen on a cold, rainy night, with its steaming, hot soup and its al dente noodles and of course, that ever so sinful piece of pork cheek.

For 3 years I have been patronizing Santouka, and I have still yet to find another place both in Singapore and in Japan to claim top spot for "Best Ramen" in my heart. Santouka is my place to go when I have that nagging craving for a bowl of warm, rich and tasty Ramen.

Ramen Santouka
#02-76 The Central
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
62440668

Nearest MRT Station: Clarke Quay

Open Daily
Operating Hours:
1100 - 2200
Last Order at 2145

Please note that they do not accept reservations.