WHAT WE ATE
- “Crowd Pleaser” Spicy Prawn Ramen, 60/100 (17 May 2025, Raffles City Mall)
Omoté, a standout in Singapore’s Japanese dining scene, offers an inventive take on ramen that blends traditional flavors with modern flair. Their noodle menu frequently features unique creations like the Kurobuta “Dry” Bak Chor Ramen, combining black pork char siu and umami garlic sauce, or the Spicy Prawn Ramen, made with a 72-hour aged prawn stock and minced black pork . These dishes showcase Omoté’s commitment to quality and innovation, making it a must-visit for ramen enthusiasts seeking a fresh twist on classic Japanese noodles in Singapore.
“Crowd Pleaser” Spicy Prawn Ramen – 60/100
Noodle: 0/35
This one really hurt. The noodles looked amazing—medium thin, slightly wavy, the kind of low-hydration appearance that usually screams bite and structure. But the first mouthful shattered all expectations. The texture was completely off—soft, clay-like, and oddly smudgy, as if the dough hadn’t rested properly before hitting the pot. It breaks apart in your mouth like overcooked dumpling skins, leaving none of the chew or bounce you’d expect. Great flavour, ruined by execution. A complete miss.
Soup: 30/35
Now this is where the bowl redeems itself. The broth is dark, rich, and unapologetically bold. Brewed for 72 hours, it opens with a sweet, briny richness before spiking into a sharp, throat-catching spiciness. As the heat settles, the umami-laden essence of seafood—especially prawn—lingers beautifully. The soup balances savoury, sweet, and spicy quite well, though I wouldn’t mind if the spice was dialed down slightly to let the broth’s natural sweetness and complexity shine through more clearly. Still, a strong and memorable soup.
Meat: 20/20
Prawns take center stage here—and they absolutely deliver.
You get four in total: three peeled, deveined, and pan-seared to perfection, and one served shell-on for show (personally, I’d prefer all four peeled to avoid greasy fingers). The peeled prawns are impressively prepped—clean, juicy, and slightly smoky, likely pan-tossed in garlic paste or similar. The texture is firm with just enough bounce, and the marination brings out their natural sweetness.
The shelled one is simpler—tastes freshly boiled—but the springy, clean prawn meat proves the quality is there. It’s rare to see prawn this well-handled in ramen. Easily full marks.
Topping: 10/10
The supporting cast is just as thoughtful:
- Tiny shrimp (likely sakura ebi) pack intense briny umami into every spoonful, adding depth and crunch.
- Minced meat floats throughout the soup—soft, savoury, and slightly sweet, it feels like part of the tare and adds welcome richness.
- Diced shiranegi and garlic offer little sparks of pungency and mellow bite that cut through the heavier elements nicely.
Toppings were generous, well-integrated, and clearly thought through. - Negi were all over but more for visuals and hardly made much difference in this heavy soup.
Summary: An incredibly well-executed prawn broth with fantastic meat and toppings—but tragically let down by noodles that disintegrate into paste. With proper noodle prep, this could have been something special. As it stands, it’s an uneven experience—delicious in parts, disappointing in others.
DISCLAIMER
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉
