WHAT WE ATE
- Prawn Broth Ramen with Crispy Pork Belly, 45/100 (16 July 2025, New Bahru)
Singapore’s ramen scene has no shortage of tonkotsu and miso heavyweights, but One Prawn & Co shakes things up with a bold, seafood-driven approach. Tucked away in a cosy corner of New Bahru, this spot swaps out the usual pork bone broth for something brinier — a prawn-based soup that draws inspiration from both Japanese ramen and Southeast Asian flavours. It’s a bowl that immediately piques curiosity, especially if you’re used to the richness of classic ramen styles.
From the smoky aroma that greets you at the door to the promise of crustacean depth in every sip, One Prawn & Co offers something different for ramen lovers in Singapore. Whether that difference works in its favour? Well, that’s what we’re here to find out.
Note: Prawn Ramen is only available for lunch menu.
Prawn Broth Ramen: 45/100
Noodle: 20/35
Medium-thick curly noodles that look promising but don’t quite deliver. The texture is firm but veers into doughy territory, and there’s a slight stickiness to the teeth with each bite. Flavour-wise, the wheat notes are subtle and earthy, but they clash with the broth — somehow amplifying the sweetness of the shallots in the soup, which throws the balance off. Overall, a bit mismatched for this bowl.
Soup: 15/35
The broth opens with a fleeting umami flash from the prawn, but it disappears almost as soon as it arrives. The body feels thin and hollow despite its dark colour, offering a mild savoury base overshadowed by the strong sweetness of fried shallots. That sweetness lingers at the end and dominates the aftertaste. While the broth has layers in theory, the fried shallots are too forward, making the soup feel one-dimensional and lacking depth.
Meat: 5/20
The bowl features a sizeable block of crispy pork belly, but size is where the positives end. The lean portions are overly tough, and the fat is disappointingly rubbery rather than melt-in-your-mouth. There are occasional tender bites, but they lean dry.
Flavour-wise, the marination is light, and the porky taste dominates. Most of the seasoning sits at the skin layer, which brings a strong wok hei aroma, but the char is overdone — tipping into bitterness that seeps through. To make matters worse, the crispy skin can’t hold up in the soup, losing its crunch within minutes.
Other Toppings: 5/10
- Bamboo shoots: Crunchy with a sweet-fruity undertone and mild pungency, but they could be more tender.
- Egg: A complete miss — bland, dry, and lacking any real marination.
- Seaweed: A large sheet that soaks up the broth well, adding a subtle umami note, though it doesn’t do much heavy lifting for the overall flavour.
Summary
This prawn broth ramen had potential but missed the mark across almost every category. The soup’s lack of depth, poorly executed meat, and mismatched noodles make it hard to recommend. At 45/100, it feels like a bowl searching for harmony — but falling short at every turn.
DISCLAIMER
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉
