WHAT WE ATE

• Volcano Ramen L1, 15/100 (5 Nov 2022)
• Chicken Chashu Ramen, 15/100 (5 Nov 2022)

VOLCANO RAMEN 15/100 POINTS

Noodle – 0/35
The noodles used is very different from others that we’ve came across. It’s thick, round and soft bite with a rather doughy texture. The noodle itself doesn’t have any alkaline taste, if not I would have mistaken it for the typical alkaline yellow noodles in Singapore. Taste wise, the noodles hardly have any taste and doesn’t add much to the flavour especially in spicy broths like this one.

Soup – 0/35
The Volcano Ramen comes in 3 different levels – L1 to L3. In this review, I’m having just the L1 version and the spiciness pretty much overpowers everything in the meal less the sharp and oddly familiar after taste from the soup base and the sweet corn. Its a flat combination.

On the refractometer, it shows 7.8 brix – pretty good but can’t seem to taste any umami-ness from it. Perhaps covered by the spices. Saltiness wise, slightly higher than average but not very noticeable.

Note: You can read what this refractometer reading is about here.

Meat – 10/20
The chicken chashu is pretty good. Tender, savoury and nicely marinated. Could be a bit better if they can grill it slightly before serving since they already operate a grill for the yakitori stuff on their menu.

Toppings – 5/10
The yolk is done ok – not runny but still acceptable. Taste wise also seem to be slightly over-marinated. The 2 eggs we had have different degree of marination. One was too salty and another too sweet. Other topping includes seaweed that seems overcooked and a little too mushy – or maybe its just the type of seaweed they used. The mushrooms didn’t make any difference since the taste is too subtle in this volcano broth. The only thing that made the meal better is the sweet corns as it gave a little balance in between the flatly spicy meal.

CHICKEN CHASHU RAMEN 15/100 POINTS

Noodle – 0/35
Same noodles used here and the doughy texture seems more pronounced with this broth – not in a good way.

Soup – 0/35
The base is chicken but tasted like there’s more of something else in there – there’s a pronounced familiar aftertaste. Is it bonito? Or is it miso? Can’t tell. But overall the combination wasn’t great somehow – flat with an odd aftertaste.

Meat – 10/20
Same chicken chashu used here.

Toppings – 5/10
Same tamago used here. The other toppings are seaweed and corn. Nothing particular here that made a difference to the meal.