Story and photos by Raphael Koh; Edited by Ilyas Sholihyn
COCONUTS HOT SPOT — Ramen is a lot like comfort food to many of us, even though we’re worlds apart from Japan. It’s instantly recognizable with its murky broth full of richness and aroma from slow-cooked pork bones served up with springy noodles, cha shu (pork belly), hanjuku eggs, crunchy bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and spring onions. It’s also cheap and delicious, meant for salarymen around Japan to fill their tummies quickly. That’s about it, right? Not so fast — there’s more.
Ramen Champion is conjuring up some really quirky renditions of the humble yet much loved delicacy. Deciding that there’s more to life than just bog standard, established versions of ramen like Tonkotsu, Shoyu, Shio, etc, it’s decided to go for the ‘quirk factor’ in search of something more with its first full-fledged store located in Clarke Quay.
Try out the Special Tonkotsu Ramen Pink ($15.80) with its pink-hued broth that comes from blending blueberries and beetroot, touted as a healthier alternative for those who are into the eat clean craze.
Or if you’re a spicy daredevil who wants to challenge your tastebuds, the Magma Ramen ($14.80) — which has 20 levels of spiciness — is one worth chowing down. Tread at your own risk, however, because accomplishing its highest spice level will make you work up a proper sweat (it certainly got the best of us).
If you want a taste of lesser-known Japanese cuisine, Ramen Champion also has Fisherman’s Don ($21.80) — a humble donburi with fresh cubes of sashimi served up with a special garlic sauce and doused with dashi broth that’s a long-time favorite of fishermen from Kanazawa Prefecture, so you can trust them on that.
For something more conventional with a slight twist, the California Roll gets a majestic makeover with the Salmon Tower Maki ($21.80). As its name suggests, it’s topped up with an ocean’s worth of salmon sashimi slices. While this didn’t exactly make us go wow, one can’t go wrong with heaps of sashimi at that kind of price.
Best of all, for all you health freaks, there’s a free-flow salad bar with over 20 dishes (we swear by the mentaiko dressing, by the way), all available for just $4 on top of your ramen dish.
Ramen Champion‘s new restaurant is at #03-89 The Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street, 6221-2156. Daily 11am-11pm.
