Showing posts with label Tsukemen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tsukemen. Show all posts

Saturday, September 28, 2024

Drunken Cat Private Dining - Japanese Cuisine Infused with Asian Influences

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Drunken Cat Private Dining is one of the newer establishments that graces Singapore's home private dining scene. It brings a refreshing twist with its unique blend of Japanese cuisine infused with Asian influences. The majority of private dining menus typically feature Peranakan, Thai, or Chinese fare, making Drunken Cat a standout option for those looking for something a little different. Hosted by Amanda Loo, this dining experience offers a thoughtful and well-crafted six-course meal ($148nett per pax).

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Nama Sotong 4.2/5

The meal kicked off with the Nama Sotong. Thinly sliced, fresh Aori Ika (Japanese bigfin reef squid) is served with a vibrant green curry-like sauce, giving the delicate squid a rich depth of flavour. The chamame (green soybeans) add a welcome contrast in texture, while the kabosu (a Japanese citrus) elevates the dish with a bright and zesty note. This light yet flavourful starter really sets the tone for the meal.

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Summer Breeze 4.2/5

Following the sotong, we were treated to Summer Breeze, a refreshing dish featuring Aji (horse mackerel). The Aji, known for its strong flavour, is balanced by a coconut-based sauce that softens the fish's natural brininess. Crispy puffs were added to the dish, providing a delightful contrast in texture, rounding out this course in both flavour and crunch.

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Green with Curry 4.2/5

The next course, Green with Curry, offers a trio of ingredients, each with a unique texture. Awabi (abalone), with its sweet and bouncy texture, takes centre stage, while lightly battered Kamo Nasu (Japanese eggplant) and Yamaimo (mountain yam) add both flavour and balance to the dish. The Japanese-inspired curry sauce ties everything together, offering warmth and spice without overpowering the delicate ingredients.

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Challenger Tsukemen 4.5/5

The highlight of the evening was, without a doubt, the Challenger Tsukemen. Our group has dined at various home private dining establishments, but this was the first time we encountered tsukemen on the menu. This dish featured Hokkaido pork collar chashu, ajitama (soft-boiled egg), and handmade noodles that had the perfect bite. The broth was a masterful blend of kombu, katsuobushi, niboshi, and gyofun (dried fish powder), giving it an intense umami depth. The tare (dipping sauce) was uniquely infused with roasted Aji bones, creating a rich and memorable flavour profile. It was clear that each component was thoughtfully prepared, making this dish a standout.

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Donabe of the Week 4.5/5

The Donabe of the Week was Wagyu Donabe with Mushroom. Cooked in a traditional claypot, the dish made a grand entrance, and the fragrant aroma of the rice mixed with the umami richness of mushrooms and wagyu beef filled the room. The dish was hearty, satisfying, and packed with flavour — definitely a highlight for those who enjoy rice dishes with a rich, earthy taste.

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Dark and Sunny

The meal concluded with a dessert called Dark and Sunny, a medley of textures and flavours. The dessert featured a scoop of chocolate ice cream alongside cake, peanut candy, and pomelo, all served together with a zesty citrus sabayon. While I appreciated the creativity, I personally felt that there were too many components at play. However, the peanut candy stood out, providing a nostalgic crunch that paired well with the smoother elements of the dish.

Overall, Drunken Cat Private Dining offers a refreshing change from Singapore's typical home private dining offerings. The thoughtful blending of Japanese and Asian flavours created a unique and memorable dining experience. The Challenger Tsukemen was the star of the meal, while the Wagyu Donabe and the opening Nama Sotong further solidified the restaurant's innovative approach to private dining. For those looking to explore new culinary landscapes in the home private dining scene, Drunken Cat is definitely worth a visit.


Drunken Cat Private Dining
23 Akyab Road
Singapore 309978
Tel: +65 9008 4647
Instagram


Sunday, March 4, 2018

Ginza Kamo Soba Kyudaime Keisuke @ Holland Village - Singapore's First Dedicated Duck Ramen Restaurant

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Ramen King, Chef Keisuke Takeda has added another new concept to his ramen empire in Singapore. His latest concept, Ginza Kamo Soba Kyudaime Keisuke is a dedicated duck ramen restaurant at Holland Village.

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Hybrid Duck Broth Ramen Clear Soup 4/5

The Hybrid Duck Broth Ramen, Clear Soup ($19.90 special) consists of two slices of duck, two yuzu duck meatballs, seaweed, flavoured egg, spinach and seaweed. The distinct flavour of the duck can be tasted in the clear soup which is prepared using the whole Irish hybrid duck and kelp, simmered over low heat for 5 hours. If you are not a fan of duck, then you will find the soup a bit ducky for your liking.

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Hybrid Duck Broth Ramen Rich Soup 4.2/5

The Hybrid Duck Broth Ramen, Rich Soup ($19.90 Special) will be closer to the tonkatsu style ramen that we are used to. It is more creamy and salty compare to the clear soup. Like the clear soup version, it also comes with two slices of duck that has been first grilled, before it is marinated in a shoyu based sauce. Lastly, it is steamed at 65 degree Celsius for juicy and tender bite which actually tastes a bit like liver. I am receptive to the flavour but it may be a bit gamey for some.

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Hydrid Duck Tsukeman Dipping Noodles 4.2/5

The noodle used for the Hydrid Duck Tsukeman, Dipping Noodles ($19.90 Special) is thicker than the soup version. The accompanying bowl of rich duck soup is further enhanced with bonito flakes for that extra punch. Dip the noodles into the soup, coating them for that slurping goodness.

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Hybrid Duck Maze Soba. Dry Noodles 3.5/5

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With the soup version, there is a dry version too. The Hybrid Duck Maze Soba, Dry Noodles ($14.90) consists of steamed duck pieces, bamboo shoots and a deep fried egg wrapped in seaweed. Break the egg and give the bowl a good mix before eating. There are 4 ways of eating it. First is just have it on its own after mixing all the components. You can also add chilli, orange vinegar or mayo orange to alter the appreciation of the noodle. My personal recommend is the orange vinegar which gives the noodle a new whole dimension.

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Kamo Ju 4/5

Besides the ramen, not to be missed is the Kamo Ju ($29.90). Opening the bento box, you get 10 slices of the tender duck meat that has been cooked to a beautiful pinkish colour, on top a bed of rice and topped with spring onions.

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I really applaud Chef Keisuke Takeda's continuous creations to bring new flavours to the traditional ramen. After trying out his lobster ramen back in 2016, I thought that was probably the limit but never would I have expected him to open Kaisuke Duck Ramen. You can taste that his duck ramen is not merely by putting different components together but each process from the soup, duck and noodle is carefully thought through and probably many months of taste test until the right formula is obtained.

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Note: This is an invited tasting.


Ginza Kamo Soba Kyudaime Keisuke
Holland Village
16A Lorong Mambong
Singapore 277677
Tel: +65 64634344
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 230pm, 5pm - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 1130am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit B or C. Walk to Lorong Liput. Walk down Lorong Liput. Turn right onto Lorong Mambong. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Menya Sakura @ Boat Quay - Launches New Limited Edition A4 Wagyu Shabu Shabu Tsukemen

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Menya Sakura, a Nagoya-style ramen shop originally established in Nagoya city, Japan started out as a humble 9-seater restaurant. With further expansions to 15 ramen restaurants in Japan, and 7 ramen restaurants in Indonesia, Menya Sakura is the first outlet to land in Singapore, located along the vibrant stretch of Boat Quay and helmed by chef Sho Naganuma. With a dedicated focus on quality ingredients and authenticity in its taste, one would be able to relish in satisfying bowls of slurp-worthy ramen. Here, you can expect a range of items from their menu, predominantly tonkotsu ramen, tsukemen, as well as chuka soba, and dons.

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A4 Wagyu Shabu Shabu Tsukemen 3.8/5

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Acclaimed to be the first of such a dish in Singapore - this newly launched A4 Wagyu Shabu Shabu Tsukemen ($29) comes in an alluring blanket of A4 wagyu sirloin shabu shabu slices atop springy thick noodles, an inviting alternative to their signature pork chasu. Made with ingredients directly imported from Japan and a range of different soy sauces such as the Shibanuma Shoyu (est 1688 in Japan), the soup was blended with dried sardine, bonito flake, organic kelp and double flavoured clear chicken and seafood dashi, amplifying that umami factor as you dip those fork-tender shabu shabu slices into the piping hot broth to 'cook' it. Slurping up the warmed pieces with the dipped dry noodles and soup ensued a harmony of flavours and textures that is simply satisfying. No doubt I found the concept to be a refreshing idea, and this dish full of slurp-goodness to be quite enjoyable, albeit a tad salty which might be overpowering for some.

Note: This dish is only available in limited portions each day for a limited time period.

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Tonkotsu Tsukemen (Dipping Ramen) 4.2/5

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One of the more popular choices in the restaurant includes their Tonkotsu Tsukemen ($17). It comes in the form of thick texture noodles with well-marinated pork chasu slices, and a bowl of rich seafood and tonkotsu dipping soup. The noodles were done al dente, springy yet firm with each bite while the accompanying warm bowl of seafood and tonkotsu broth packs a robust punch with each dip of those sturdy noodles, aptly coating each strand and delivering an intense burst of flavours with each bite. Yet not too overwhelming, it flaunts a fine balance of intensity and savouriness that I really enjoyed. A clear hot stock is also served as an add-on to the remaining broth after finishing the noodles, to make it more drinkable on its own.

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Spicy Premium Tonkotsu Ramen 4/5

The Spicy Premium Tonkotsu Ramen ($16) was created to cater to the local palate which has a propensity for spicier food. It comes in the form of chewy thin noodles in a creamy, full-bodied tonkotsu broth, delivering just a mild spice kick, so perhaps you can add a smidgen of chilli oil to liven it up even more. Although my preference leans more towards the non-spicy version of the Tonkotsu Tsukemen for its richer and more intense flavoured broth less the distraction of the chilli oil, it is no doubt still a straightforward and comforting bowl of ramen that fared well.

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Truffle Chasu Egg Don, includes Mini Tonkotsu Soup  4.2/5

The rice dish we had was the Truffle Chashu Egg Don ($15), which comes with an onsen egg, black truffle oil, minced pork, scallions, kombu, and nestled on a bed of warm Japanese rice. Breaking apart the egg reveals a tempting runny yellow, that just gels all the unami elements together upon mixing them up. What you get is a bowl of comfort food devoid of any pretentiousness, with that strong black truffle aroma still lingering, as you send spoonfuls into your mouth. A sublime dish, I thoroughly enjoyed it from the first bite to the last.

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Menya Sakura has set the standard and certainly yields a considerable edge over its rivals with its hearty bowls of Nagoya-style ramen. I liked the level of authenticity in its taste, which is robust and slightly heavier to the palate as well.

Do note that the A4 Wagyu Shabu Shabu Tsukemen is ony avilable in limited portions for a limited time period till further notice from the outlet.

Written and photography by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Menya Sakura
69 Boat Quay
Singapore 049857
Tel: +65 9469 3366
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat 1130am - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun & PH)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road walk to Upper Circular Road. Walk down Upper Circular Road to North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to the river front. Turn left and walk down Boat Quay. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]