WHAT WE ATE
- Shio Sapporo Nabeyaki Ramen (Smoked Duck), 45/100 (2 May 2025, Woodleigh Mall)
- Miso Sapporo Nabeyaki Ramen (Chicken), 40/100 (2 May 2025, Woodleigh Mall)
Kumachan Onsen, a beloved Japanese dining concept from Hokkaido, has made its way to Singapore, bringing with it the whimsical charm of its signature teddy bear-shaped hotpot. This unique restaurant offers a delightful fusion of traditional Japanese cuisine and playful presentation, making it a must-visit spot for Instagram aficionados.
At the heart of Kumachan Onsen’s appeal is its iconic bear-shaped collagen jelly, affectionately known as “Kuma-chan.” This gelatinous bear sits serenely in your hotpot, resembling a bear enjoying a hot spring bath. As the broth is being boiled, the bear gradually melts, infusing the soup with rich flavors and a nourishing texture.
Note: Heard the staff saying that they are in the midst of Halal certification.
Shio Sapporo Nabeyaki Ramen (Smoked Duck) – 45/100
Noodle: 15/35
The noodles here are medium-thick and curly, with a firm, springy bite and a decent mochi mochi texture. They’re alright, but the flavour is really muted—just a whisper of wheat, and nothing particularly distinctive. On the plus side, there’s no weird alkaline or kansui taste, so it goes down easy. Just not super memorable.
Soup: 10/35
The base is likely a straightforward chicken stock, with a Shio tare added in—a thick, gooey sauce that’s aggressively salty on its own. But because you only get a small amount, dumping the whole thing into the soup just gives it a light savoury boost, nothing too punchy.
Then there’s the “gelatin bear,” which slowly melts into the boiling pot. It’s a fun gimmick, but once it’s fully melted, the soup becomes this ultra-sticky, collagen-heavy broth that honestly doesn’t taste like much. It’s more texture than flavour. Once it cools, the whole thing turns into a jelly-like blob. Fun to watch, but not so great to eat.
Note: As the ramen functions more like a Nabe hotpot, soup gets added continuously as it dries up. The brix reading ranges from 8 or 9 at the start and drops to 5 or 6 as it gets watered down.
Meat: 10/20
I went with the smoked duck option. It’s got a firm, slightly chewy bite, and a savoury, ham-like smokiness that’s pretty decent. But be warned: if you leave it boiling in the pot too long while the bear melts, it gets overcooked fast. Pull it out early unless you like your duck rubbery.
Topping: 10/10
Toppings are where this shines—lots of variety, much like a proper nabe hotpot. You have full control over how cooked you want each ingredient, which is fun:
- Leafy greens and cabbage gives a light bitterness
- Bean sprouts add a nice vegetal crunch
- Black fungus kind of disappears into the mix
- Sweet onions bring a mellow sweetness
- Sweet corn pops with freshness
- Marinated egg was surprisingly good—balanced flavour and still runny (if you remove it in time)
Pro tip: Take out the egg and duck while melting the bear or risk overcooking them.
Summary: The gimmick—the melting bear—is cute and fun to watch, but it doesn’t do much in terms of flavour. The whole dish ends up being more nabe than ramen, with the soup leaning bland and sticky. Great toppings save it from being a total miss, but the noodles and soup leave a lot to be desired.
Miso Sapporo Nabeyaki Ramen (Chicken) – 40/100
Noodle: 15/35
Same noodles as the Shio version—medium-thick and curly with a nice firm bounce and mochi mochi texture. They hold up well in the pot, but flavour-wise, they’re still pretty muted. There’s a mild wheatiness but not much else to get excited about. At least there’s no unpleasant alkaline taste, so it’s an easy chew—just not a very memorable one.
Soup: 10/35
The soup starts off with the same basic chicken stock as the Shio version. This time, you get two miso-based sauces to mix in—one sweet and savoury, the other packing a spicy punch. You’re free to adjust the heat to your liking, but even adding just half the spicy one gave the broth a pretty serious kick. It was enough to drown out the other flavours.
The signature “gelatin bear” makes another appearance, slowly dissolving into the broth to add that collagen-y, sticky texture. Again, it’s more fun to watch than it is to eat. Once fully melted, the broth becomes thick and gelatinous, but not particularly rich or complex.
Flavour-wise, it starts off well enough—sweet, savoury, spicy—but then just… falls flat. It’s like a song that kicks off strong but loses its melody halfway through. Something’s missing in the middle.
Note: As the ramen functions more like a Nabe hotpot, soup gets added continuously as it dries up. The brix reading ranges from 8 or 9 at the start and drops to 5 or 6 as it gets watered down.
Meat: 5/20
Tried the chicken option this time, and honestly, it was disappointing. The texture was firm and slightly chewy, but it tasted plain—like it had been prepped more for a generic hotpot than a ramen dish. If there was any marination, it was way too subtle. And like before, leave it in the soup too long and it’ll go dry and rubbery fast. Pull it out early if you want to save what little texture it has.
Topping: 10/10
Toppings are still the best part of this bowl. Just like a proper nabe hotpot, you get variety and control over how much to cook each element:
- Leafy greens and napa cabbage adds gentle bitterness
- Bean sprouts give a nice vegetal crunch
- Black fungus kind of gets lost in the crowd
- Sweet onions bring mellow sweetness
- Sweet corn adds a bright, juicy pop
- Marinated egg is surprisingly well done—nice flavour and still runny if you’re quick about it
Summary: This version has a bit more excitement upfront with the miso sauces—especially the spicy one—but once you get past that initial punch, it still lacks depth. The broth gets sticky, the chicken underwhelms, and the noodles are just okay. The toppings save the day again, but overall, it’s more fun to look at than to actually eat.
DISCLAIMER
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉
