WHAT WE ATE

• Premium Kiwami Tonkotsu Ramen, 40/100 (25 Nov 2022)
• Lobster Laksa Ramen, 40/100 (25 Nov 2022)

PREMIUM KIWAMI TONKOTSU RAMEN 40/100

Noodle – 5/35
The noodles are medium thick and slightly wavy. Slurps well with the soup but mouthfeel and taste isn’t great. The texture is a little soggy and chewy in a more mushy way. The noodles also seems to have an alkaline heavy taste.

Broth – 10/25
The broth is milky and has a sweet start but satisfaction tapers off as the alkaline-ish after taste hits you along with a hint of bitterness. Not sure whether its the noodles influencing the taste here or its the other way around. On my refractometer, it shows a reading of 10.2 brix is pretty good – standard for Tonkotsu ramen. But overall taste wise seems a bit off.

Note: You can read what this refractometer reading is about here.

Meat – 20/20
The pork cheeks made a difference here. Its tender, juicy and the light marination really brings out the sweetness of the meat itself.

Toppings – 5/10
The texture is nicely done with runny yolk. Marination was just nice, not too salty and leaves a nice lingering flavour in the mouth. Some black fungus, seaweed and negi – nothing out of the norm but the black fungus was pretty fresh, tender yet crunchy.

LOBSTER LAKSA RAMEN 40/100

We were hoping that this would be a fusion take of 2 classic dishes – should have taken their description more seriously when they say “traditional spicy laksa broth” as it’s really just a fancy laksa with ramen noodles. Overall, it feels like ingredients were pieced together without thinking about how they complement each other which in contrary, balance is what makes a good ramen meal.

Noodle – 5/35
Seems to be the same noodles used here. The thickness of the noodles don’t slurp well with the laksa soup – brings up too little to the mouth. The pronounced “yellow noodle” taste also seems un-maskable by the strong tasting soup. Texture wise is a little too mushy for our liking.

Broth – 20/35
A very typical laksa broth. It’s slightly creamy and mildly spicy (by Singaporean standards). The aroma of the laksa spices however didn’t quite come through and lacks that heavy prawn umami-ness you find in some laksa. Viscosity can also be richer / thicker.

On my refractometer, it shows a reading of 7.8 brix – no benchmark at the moment so I’ll probably have to go visit one of the nice laksa stalls out there to see whats the difference.

Note: You can read what this refractometer reading is about here.

Meat – 10/20
In place of regular chashu, you’ll have a instagram worthy half-a-lobster. The shell is nicely cracked on the underside to make sure you get that perfect shot. That’s all about it because taste wise is pretty bland. The meat is tough and the lobster sweetness is not there.

Toppings – 5/10
Same eggs here – nicely done with runny yolk. Marination was just nice, not too salty and leaves a nice lingering flavour in the mouth. Other toppings includes some shiraganegi, Japanese fishcake and sprinkle of laksa leaves. The shiraganegi and fishcake were more decorative as the taste is pretty overwhelmed by the laksa soup. The laksa leaves could be more generous since nothing else is going to complement the taste more.

DISCLAIMER

One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉