[F.T] Sampoutei Ramen - Best of Nigata Ramen

Established Popular Japanese Ramen Chain - Sampoutei Ramen from Niigata recently unveiled its flagship outlet among the stretch of shophouses in Holland Village! 

Sanpoutei Ramen

253 Holland Avenue #01-01

Singapore 278982

https://www.facebook.com/sanpouteisg

Founded in 1967 by Mr Yukihiro Kaneko, sampoutei presents to customers the most authentic Niigata-style Ramen; easily identified by its unique noodles and selection of soup base.

Ramen noodles are freshly made in the shop daily with specially-imported top quality flour from Niigata, the Rice Capital of Japan, each strand of noodle is crimped instead of straight or wavy and possesses a light gold hue. Only 200 Portions of Ramen noodles are prepared daily, I seriously hope the next time I head down for it at dinner time, it is still available!

Boasting premium quality ingredients prepared with careful precision, each bowl of ramen aims to woo the palate of discerning ramen lovers with its noodles; prepared fresh everyday in the shop, and flavourful broths, such as the signature Niigata Shoyu ramen in a clear fish stock-based broth.

Start your journey at Sanpoutei with some sanpoutei Deep fried spring chicken with the refreshing Oroshi Yuzu Ponzu Sauce($7.80) or take on a exciting ride with the Mori-miso cucmber ($3) - Chilled Crunchy Japanese Cucmbers topped with a relatively spicy miso paste despite it being stated as mildly-spiced, or the Bamboo shoots dressed with spicy miso ($3). In-between your meal, enjoy the plump and juicy Edamame which is grown with them drinking water from natural waterfalls in Niigata. I do not eat Edamame but I can't stop eating them so it means they are very good!

The Sanpoutei signature Niigata Shoyu Ramen ($14) is made from a proprietary recipe, the soup base, which is simmered for 6 hours, consist of chicken, pork, mushrooms and most importantly, two kinds of premium niboshi(dried sardines). Each bowl of ramen is then topped with aburi(torched) cha shu which has beautiful marbling and every bite melts in your mouth, onsen egg, bamboo shoots and a huge piece of seaweed completes this beautiful masterpiece. Okay, i need a bowl of this right now!

W Soup Tonkutsu Ramen ($16) - Collagen-rich pork bone based broth that has been simmered for 12 hours, which gives it the milky colour is the popular choice among locals. Owner of Sanpoutei said that they did not understand why Singaporeans love tonkutsu based ramen so much, because in Japan, they love the Shoyu Ramen more than Tonkutsu ones!

Besides piping hot bowls of ramen, sanpoutei also serves up delicious rice specialties using only the most premium rice in Japan - Niigata's crystal clear waters renders top quality Kurotori rice which is prized for it's exquisite taste & bite. Used in the Butariki Niigata Rice Mini Don ($4); a satisfying bowl of pan-fried shoyu flavoured pork slices, spring onions, raw egg and sanpoutei's special sauce.

Complement the meal with a thoughful selection of Niigata's finest sake which is available from $10 for a 140ml pour. Alternatively, you can enjoy ice cold beer such as Sapporo Premium Beer or Tiger Beer.

And a meal is never complete without desserts, at least for me. Sanpoutei offers three flavours of ice cream at $3 per scoop or $8 for 3 scoops. Indulge in the pretty yellow Yuzu sherbet, the ever popular Matcha or the yummy Black sesame! Each have their own distinct charisma that I would recommend all to try!

Thank you Sanpoutei Ramen for this wonderful invite for the yummiest Niigata Shoyu Ramen and I'm sure I'm heading back soon!! I need my fix of both Ramen & Kurotori rice!

With Love, M♥

[F.T] Ramen Kagetsu Arashi - Bringing in the Top Selling Ramen to our shores.

You might have seen this Ramen Shop in Singapore for some time already but I'm here to share with you that they have a New Outlet at The Cathay! And this time, they have something impressive to bring to you from Japan!

Established in 1992, The year I was born *coughs*, Ramen Kagetsu Arashi is one of the largest Ramen Chain in Japan with over 290 worldwide! Now that they have opened their new outlet in The Cathay, they have introduced 2 new items. The Ginjiro Ramen ($13.90) and the Itameshi Dry Curry Rice ($12.90) both were equally exciting and I couldn't wait to dig in.

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi offers not only the usual chives, chilli powder and shoyu to add flavour, they offer a wider variety of japanese condiments and even Freshly pressed garlic to add that oomph into the already delectable broth. Of course, I would recommend you to try the broth on its own first. The Tonkotsu-based Broth (made by simmering pork bones over long hours to extract the natural sweetness) is fortified with the addition of umami-rich ingredients, Dried Bonito (Katsuoboshi) and Kelp (Kombu). And you noticed that they served the Ginjiro Ramen with a Hard Boiled Egg, reason being that they think that it would benefit the broth more, I have no complains to that.

Another Hot Sizzling New Item is the Itameshi Dry Curry Rice ($12.90). Fragrant japanese rice resting on top a bed of beautiful fluffy egg, topped with a slice of butter, sliced sausages & Scallion, the staff will pour the sauce over the rice and will mix everything together, reminding me of the Korean Bibimbap. The fragrant of the final product is wonderful, with hints of the curry and yet not too spicy, I'm sure the kids will enjoy it too, just becareful of the heat from the pan!

I could not give a miss to any Gyoza in Japanese Restaurants, I just cant. The Gyoza at Ramen Kagetsu Arashi is just nice with the crispy base accompanied with the soft chewy skin on top due to the skin being specially imported from Japan. The fillings are a well mixture of meat & vegetables, dip it in our special concoction, Vinegar, Layu & Shoyu.

My Recommendation: Try this range of fruit juice from MoutainFresh, all are pretty interesting and delicious.

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi

The Cathay

2 Handy Road #B1-01/02/03

Singapore 229223

Tel: +65 673630

With Love, M♥

[F.T] TAMPINES 1 - T1FOODIE PART TWO

Just In Case you have not read about my Tampines 1 Food Trail - Part One, you can start on that, or you can just skip it and read on this second part, because there are more delicious food that I want to introduce to you, all located in Tampines 1 Shopping Mall! Read On!

STOP 4: Ramen Kagetsu Arashi #02-09/10 - One of the Largest Ramen Chain Shops in Japan is now in Singapore. 

Established in 1992, It is as old as me, Ok sorry, just saying. With a Great record of 260 outlets worldwide, I could not wait to try out their Ramen!

We were invited to try out 4 different ramens with different soup bases like Miso base, Tonkatsu Base and Soya Base. Each one has their own unique flavour. I could not decide on which one I liked the most, but I did not find my favourite. What's your favourite? :)

Freshly garlic for you to D.I.Y, Freshly.

STOP 5: J.Co Donuts #01-08/10 - J.CO Donuts & Coffee is committed to serve only the best products combined with excellent service to provide a convenient place to chill out with family or friends at a price that is affordable for their customers.

J.POPS Baby Doughnuts

J.CO Donuts & Coffee is a unique lifestyle cafe concept, offering premium quality donuts, coffee and yogurt. Established on 26 June 2005 in Indonesia, J.CO has expanded all over Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines. Since its introduction, J.CO has been presented with accolades from the media institutions in Indonesia for its breakthrough in introducing a unique lifestyle cafe experience with premium quality products. 

J.POPS Baby Doughnuts 

An Introduction to their signature drink, Jcoccino is J.CO’s take on the traditional cappuccino drink. It is a perfect composition of espresso, milk and foam; topped with latte art as a final touch. For coffee lovers, Jcoccino is a perfect choice of drink, as one can enjoy both it's aroma and it's thicker taste.

Jcoccino Coffee

For the Health concious Gurus, You can try out J.Co's Yogurts, choose your favourite toppings ranging from fresh fruits to my personal favourite, Oreo and Nuts! There's bound to be something for everyone!

J.cool 97% Fat Free Yogurt

STOP 6: Hong Kong Sheng Kee Desserts #B1-K12 - At Hong Kong Sheng Kee Dessert, desserts come first. Be prepared to be delighted by their tempting range of authentic Hong Kong style desserts, prepared with quality ingredients to tantalize your taste buds. With a wide variety of desserts and food catering to the different palates and pockets of diners, They want to make the culture of eating desserts an integral part of Singaporeans’ daily life.

Sheng Kee Mango Hor Fun - $5.90

Unique "Hor Fun" made from Coconut which is fragrant and smooth to the mouth, accompanied with the Mango Puree  and the many strawberry bits, this is a delight to any Mango Lover. It is not too sweet neither not too sour, I am always on the lookout for the most non-sourish mango dessert I can find, am I the only one?

Surprisingly refreshing dessert. The Lemongrass flavour is not too strong which is to my personal delight. And the cubes of aloe vera and Strawberries adds the sweet factor to this bowl of dessert but not too sweet to make it "gelat"

Lemongrass Jelly with Strawberry & Aloe Vera S$4.30

And of course, any dessert joint in Singapore needs to have at least 1 Durian Dessert in their Menus and Sheng Kee Does not disappoint! Their Smooth Durian Sago made everyone at the table crave for a second but we had to leave our stomach spaces more more sweets afterwards.

Durian Sago - $5.90

So how is this sweet little post enough to cheer up our monday blue? :) I'm trying my best to sort out something for the christmas season as well! And Christmas is my favourite season of the year, I might go "christmas tree hunting" again this year, anyone wants to join me on my journey around Singapore to find all the Huge Decorative Christmas trees? :)

Stay Tune to PART THREE, which is also the last part of the Food Trail Journey with Tampines 1.

Tampines 1 - http://www.tampines1.com.sg/

10 Tampines Central 1

Right Beside Tampines MRT Station (Right Side exit)

With Love, M♥

[F.T] Ramen Champion New Introduction to the Family

Since it started in 2011, the ULTIMATE RAMEN CHAMPION competition has established itself to be a favorite amongst lovers of Japanese cuisine. Over 13 brands have participated and the spirit of competition has brought about the desire to produce high-quality and good-tasting ramen to the delight of ramen lovers everywhere.

Currently one of the largest ramen operations in Singapore, it has served over a million satisfied customers from its 2 outlets in Changi Airport and Bugis+, with new outlet at Great World City opening in early November 2013. Despite its success, Ramen Champion still continues to strive to provide for the best in order to satisfy the cravings of its customers.

This Year, Ramen champion came up with a Ramen Big Eater Challenge, which is part of Food Challenge Asia Championship which involves Ramen Champion branches in Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore. Eight lucky participants will be selected during the qualifying round on 2 October 2013 to take part in the final challenge against renowned big eater Tomoko Miyake on 14 November 2013. In the qualifying round, participants will compete based on the number of bowls of ramen that they can consume from the new Tonkotsu brands, Mendokoro Aoi and Tonkotsu Itto from Japan.

So who are these 2 New Ramen Contenders added to the Ramen Champion Family, Tonkatsu Itto and Mendokoro Aoi?

Deemed as the new generation of Tonkotsu ramen, armed with flashy red light-box signage, Mendokoro Aoi is a popular joint with a large following of female customers. Chef Kazuo Sakuraoka’s secret formulated broth is light and does not contain the smell of pork bones. The Light Broth will allow anyone who dislikes the strong taste of pork to enjoy a decent bowl of ramen and the tantalising pork belly swimming in it.

Tonkotsu-Ramen Champion - $16.50

Also known as a Cha Shu Salad if you cant pronounce the name of the dish like I did. 

Tender Pieces of Cha Chu with Melty Pieces of Fat layered between, paired with the unique sauce and the crisp vegetables, its a pleasure to savour it.

Chashu Carpaccio - $7.00

Garlic Butter Potato - $5.00 

Deep-fried Tofu with Japanese Sauce - $4.00

All of the above is from Mendokoro Aoi..

In contrast, Tonkotsu Itto chooses to remain true to the traditional style of Tonkotsu. Owned by Tokyo’s number 1 ramen shop, Menya Itto, this is the establishment’s first overseas outlet. Its Broth is Full on Flavour and with the Generous pieces of Cha Shu that practically hangs themselves over the edge of the bowl, I love this bowl more. But I could not imagine myself competing in the Big Ramen Eater Championship and swallowing too many of this goodness at 1 go. ><

Special Tonkotsu Ramen - $16.50

The Popular Choice in Ramen Champion, Recommended by Fellow Blogger Gin Wong, Was Buta God's Yakiniku Ramen. Not Beef But Pork Yakiniku. Flavourful broth that's sweet and the thinly sliced meat was cooked to a tender finish. the Broth was full but also sweet from the Yakiniku I guess, A little over powering for me but fellow blogger Gin Wong Loved it to bits.

Yakiniku Ramen - Buta 

Sukiyaki Bun - $3 each

So, Be sure to catch the Final Round of the Big Ramen Eater Competition as watch them battle it out against the petite Miss Tomoko Miyake ! It still shockes me at how much she can eat despite her body size. >< And Please do head over to Ramen Champion Outlets in Bugis+ Level 4 and give your vote to your Ramen Champion!

Final Round

Date: 14th November 2013 (Thursday)

Time: 3.00pm to 5.00pm

Location: Ramen Champion @ Great World City (1 Kim Seng Promenade, Great World City, #01-21/22, Singapore 237994)

For more information, visit Ramen Champion Singapore at www.ramenchampion.com.sg 

And Like their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RamenChampionSingapore for all the lastest offers and news, all about their Ramen. 

With Love, M♥

RamenPlay @ 313 Somerset

HEY HEY ! IM Here to update this little space of mine again ! ^o^

Visited RamenPlay at 313 Somerset !

This is the must try Ramen that I will recommend to everyone !!

They have rice menus too!

Gyoza $9.90 - Crispy on the outside, Juicy and Tender on the inside. Dip it in the sauce for a different taste.

Brown Rice with Hokkaido Milk Ice Cream - Its more fragrant as compared to the White Rice one.

White Rice with Hokkaido Milk Ice Cream

If you are looking for affordable and delicious Ramen, Hate queuing, Don't want to eat Ajisen again, Why not try out RamenPlay! They have so many outlets islandwide!

With Love, M♥