WHAT WE ATE
- Tonkotsu Ramen, 55/100 (20 April 2025, Pasir Panjang Food Centre)
Tucked away in Pasir Panjang Food Centre, Mugiwara Tonkotsu Ramen is one of those quiet finds that punches well above its weight. Despite being housed in a humble hawker stall, it dishes out a surprisingly rich and flavourful tonkotsu broth—milky, savoury, and slow-simmered just like you’d expect from a proper ramen-ya. The charred pork slices and firm noodles round out the experience, and all that for just $6.50. It’s only open from Friday to Sunday, and payment’s digital-only—so come prepared, and come hungry.
Tonkotsu Ramen: 55/100
Noodle: 20/35
Medium-thin and straight, these noodles aren’t your typical Hakata-style ultra-thin tonkotsu noodles, but that’s fair game given the hawker setting and budget-friendly price point. They seem to be semi-low hydration – not very translucent, low starch.
Texture-wise, they’re semi-firm with a smooth slurp and a snappy bite. Mildly chewy, with a faint wheat note. However, if you let them sit and bloat a little, a subtle alkaline taste starts to peek through.
Soup: 20/35
Visually, the soup looks like it packs a punch – creamy and rich looking – but in reality, the consistency feel thinner than expected for tonkotsu. It falls into the same category as something like Takagi – comfort-focused budget tonkotsu.
It opens with a mild soy milk creaminess, with very light savoury notes and only a whisper of pork. There’s a faint nutty edge, but no real depth or layering. It doesn’t evolve much with each sip, but it’s warm and comforting in a low-stakes, easygoing way.
Meat: 10/20
This isn’t chashu – it’s more like a handful of super thin shabu pork slices. Mostly lean, slightly brittle in texture, and quite dry. There’s a hint of savoury marinade and a smoky aburi undertone, but the flavour’s light and the texture just doesn’t hold up. It tastes okay, but lacks juiciness or satisfaction.
Topping: 5/10
Mostly just aesthetic, with little impact on taste.
- Naruto fishcake is just… there
- Seaweed is bland and doesn’t do anything for the broth
- Negi is sparse and lacks punch
- Sesame seeds are decorative, like the ones on burger buns – no aroma, no roastiness
- The sweet corn stands out slightly with a pop of clean, juicy sweetness – probably the only topping pulling any weight
Overall:
Not a standout, but perfectly passable if you’re grading on a hawker ramen curve. At just $6.50, it’s the cheapest ramen I’ve had so far, and for that price, you’re getting a pretty decent bowl. Budget comfort food that fills the ramen void without any frills.
DISCLAIMER
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉
