WHAT WE ATE

• Signature Tonkotsu Ramen, 50/100 (4 Feb 2023)
• Signature Miso Tsukemen, 80/100 (4 Feb 2023)

Nestled along the busy streets of Cross Street is another ramen apart from Beppu. This one however is a little hard to find – the entrance is not along the main walkway with all the bars, but along a rather discrete small road in the back alley. Some of their popular dish includes Tsukemen, Tonkotsu Ramen and their veggie Unagi.

SIGNATURE TONKOTSU RAMEN 50/100

Noodle – 15/35
There’s 2 choices of noodles given when you order. One which is thinner with egg powder and another which is medium thick but without egg powder. For this review, I’ve picked the thinner noodles.

The thinner noodles was served a little on the soft side, its straight and slightly chewy but the texture is on the mushy side.

Soup – 20/35
The broth is savoury with a nice meaty taste to it. The porkiness is obvious but not overwhelming. Overall consistency is a little on the watery side but not too bad. It’s also served with a ball of fresh minced garlic which is quite different from the other garlic Tonkotsu, giving a nice semi-sweet and subtly spicy kick.

In terms of brix, its falling short of the classic Tonkotsu by a small margin.

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

Meat – 10/20
The visual impact of the chashu is great just looking at the grilled marks, but its a little dry and tough in texture. Its one of those thats a little fibrous, requires some chewing but the flavour comes out quite well. The meatiness vs porkiness is balanced and there’s a strong but much appreciated aromatic charred taste to it.

Toppings – 5/10
Texture and flavour is ok but it’s a bit too salty for my liking. Other toppings includes some negi and bamboo shoots. The bamboo shoots are nice and tender but overall nothing really special taste wise.

SIGNATURE MISO TSUKEMEN 80/100

Noodle – 30/35
The noodles are thick like most Tsukemen are. Served cold, it’s slightly chewy yet firm and the bite is al dente. The mouthfeel is perfect and reminds me of the amazing pastas I’ve had in Italy. Its so nice, I actually ordered a 2nd serving.

Soup – 35/35
In lieu of a broth, Tsukemen comes with a thick “sauce” that lets you dip the noodles in. The sauce is a little lighter in terms of viscosity compare to some others I’ve had but taste wise is much more layered. In terms of taste, the nutty umami savouriness of the miso is strong, followed by the refreshing kick of lemon (if you squeeze the lemon into your noodles or the sauce), some peppery and spicy notes towards the end; and finishing with a lingering garlicky aroma. I’m not a big fan of Tsukemen but this might just change my view of it – having to call for Kaedama the first time during my reviews.

And after you are done with your meal, you can also pour in the Dashi broth provided to turn the remaining sauce into a miso soup to wrap up your meal.

In terms of science – you can see the sauce is quite thick and rich at 12.2 brix but still considered light to some others. Salty level wise is on the high side which is expected of a Tsukemen sauce.

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

Meat – 10/20
The visual impact of the chashu is great just looking at the grilled marks, but its a little dry and tough in texture. Its one of those thats a little fibrous, requires some chewing but the flavour comes out quite well. The meatiness vs porkiness is balanced and there’s a strong but much appreciated aromatic charred taste to it.

Toppings – 5/10
Texture and flavour is ok but it’s a bit too salty for my liking. Other toppings includes some negi and bamboo shoots in the sauce, but the star is the lemon here.

DISCLAIMER

One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉