WHAT WE ATE
- Nagano Pork Belly Tomato Ramen, 75/100 (5 Jun 2025, Punggol Coast)
LeNu Chef Wai’s Noodle Bar isn’t exactly a ramen joint, but hey—la mian is ramen’s Chinese cousin, right? From the handmade noodles to the rich, simmered broths, there’s a lot that overlaps (just don’t go looking for tare). I stumbled across LeNu while out and about, spotted their tomato broth la mian, and figured—why not give it a slurp and see how it stacks up in the world of ramen-esque comfort bowls?
Nagano Pork Belly Tomato Ramen: 75/100
Noodle: 30/35
The dish gives you a choice of rice noodles, vermicelli, or La Mian (basically Chinese-style ramen). Naturally, I went with the La Mian.
The noodles are medium-thin with a pale yellow hue. Texture-wise, they’re firm, slightly chewy, and have a dense, doughy bite. They seem like a semi–low hydration type—dense but not snappy like the super low-hydration ramen styles. Served al dente, they offer a really satisfying mouthfeel, though they don’t hold up for too long in the soup, so you’ll want to eat quickly. Taste-wise, there’s a pleasant earthy wheat flavour that, paired with the density, gives each bite some weight. Super satisfying.
Soup: 30/35
The soup has a vibrant tomato-red hue and a texture that’s somewhere between broth and tomato purée. It kicks off with a tangy hit, followed by a savoury body and a lingering fruity sweetness. There’s also a faint herbal note—almost parsley-like—that adds depth. Though the base has pork broth in it, it’s incredibly well-balanced. You get the creamy smoothness of a tonkotsu, but with the refreshing brightness of tomato. It’s comforting but not heavy.
Meat: 10/20
This version comes with shabu-style pork belly slices. There’s not much marination, if any, but the meat itself is clean-tasting—no strong porky odour. The lean parts are a bit firm and chewy, while the fatty portions have a nice mochi mochi texture. Not bad at all, though I do wish it were just a touch more tender for that melt-in-your-mouth finish.
Toppings: 5/10
Pretty minimal here:
- Some spring onions, but sadly a bit dried out.
- A few smashed bits of tomato that add nice pops of tangy sweetness—but I really wish there were more.
DISCLAIMER
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉
