Tsuta @ Pacific Plaza - First and Only Michelin Starred Japanese Ramen Eatery Opens 1st Overseas Outlet In Singapore

In 2015, Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta is awarded the prestigious Michelin Star, the first for a ramen eatery. The Michelin starred ramen eatery is founded by Chef Yuki Onishi in January 2012. The little eatery has only 9 seats in Japan and it only serves 150 bowls of ramen daily.

Now Singaporeans have the chance to savour the award winning taste of Tsuta right on our soil with the opening of Tsuta at Pacific Plaza on 6 November 2016, 11am. The first overseas outlet in Singapore will have 18 seats, more seats compare to the Japan flagship outlet.

The noodles at Tsuta are handmade on site using a blend of several types of whole wheat and whole grains flavours, specially selected by Chef Onishi. The result is a delectable texture that marries well with the ramen soup base.

The other uniqueness of Tsuta ramen is the clear soup base. It is a mixture of its unique blend of shoyu with Chef's dashi recipe made from whole chickens, vegetables, clams and other seafood. The soy base is created from a special blend of shoyu that is formulated in house, as well as a custom brewed shoyu made in Wakayama Prefecture to Chef Onishi's specifications from whole soybeans that have been matured for two years.

Char Siu Ajiama Shoyu Soba 4.2/5

The specialty at Tsuta is their truffle oil shoyu soba that brought it to fame. Hence I just have to give it a try. I had the Char Siu Ajiama Shoyu Soba ($22.80) which comes with 4 slices of char siu, bamboo shoot, leek and flavoured egg. A sip of the soup and my whole mouth is filled with the piquant black truffle scent. It felt like having a rich and robust mushroom clear soup. Instead of using pork belly. Chef Onishi has opted to using the pork collar instead for a more delectable bite. A base bowl of shoyu soba starts from $15 a bowl.

Char Siu Ajiama Shio Soba 4.2/5

The Char Siu Ajiama Shio Soba ($22.80) is a lighter version compare to the shoyu soba. The shio broth is created by adding Okinawa sea salt and Mongolian rock salt. I could also taste hint of truffle in the broth, mild but yet nicely balanced with the saltiness. Overall the broth is light but yet complex which I have difficulty finding words to describe that harmony. A base bowl of shio soba starts from $15.

Ordering at Tsuta is quite similar to the experience in Japan. Instead of vending machine, you just need to touch the screen panel to make your order. Payment can be make using cash, NETS and credit cards. You may wonder why the ramen is called soba at Tsuta? This is because Chef Onishi wants to keep tradition of calling noodles as soba in Japanese. Last but not least, do have a cup of Wheat Tea to wash the down the richness after your meal. The wheat tea is specially selected by Chef Onishi which felt it best complement his ramen.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta
Pacific Plaza
9 Scotts Road
#01-01/02/03
Singapore 228210
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Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily:
11am - 6pm (6-11 Nov 2016)
11am - 10pm (12 Nov 2016 onwards)

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Follow the underpass to Shaw House. On the ground level, walk to Scotts Road. Turn left and walk to down Scotts Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Ninja Cut @ Seah Street - Delicious And Instagrammable Rice Bowls And Matcha Hotcake

The ninja strikes again with a nice outlet at Seah Street. Opened on 1 October 2016, Ninja Cut is the sister outlet of the popular Ninja Bowl. The difference here is that the menu features more premium ingredients such as roast ribeye crackling pork belly, cod etc. Similar to the concept of Ninja Bowl, diners have the option to add a base of choice to the bowl such as soba noodles, quinoa, ninja rice and garden greens at an additional cost of $2-$3.

Oh My Cod 4/5

Oh My Cod ($18) comes with a baked fillet of miso cod, pickled beets, honey-glazed carrots, asparagus, edamame and an onsen egg. For the base we added Soba ($2) to complete the meal. A highlight of the bowl is the umami-filled saikyo shiomiso from Kyoto, giving the buttery cod fish an additional layer of sweetest.

Gimme Chimi Chicken 4/5

Gimme Chimi Chicken ($14) consists of cajun-spiced chicken breast. chimichurri sauce, sauteed brussel sprouts, cherry tomatoes, grilled corn furikake, mixed nuts and an onsen egg. We added quinoa ($3) for the base. The highlight for this bowl has to be the chimichurri sauce that elevated the whole enjoyment of the tender and juicy sous-vide chicken breast.

Squid Fix 4.5/5

The Squid Fix ($18) is my favourite bowl at Ninja Cut. It comes with a whole Japanese squid that is first brushed with a sweet secret recipe sauce blend before it is gently grilled. The bouncy tender rings of squid is accompanied by sauteed mushrooms, miso cucumbers, honey-glazed carrots, furikake and onsen egg. We added garden greens ($2) for the bowl. I probably would add the ninja rice in my next visit for a more substantial meal.

What's Your Beef? 4.2/5

What's Your Beef ($18) features a whole 150g of succulent roast beef ribeye cooked to medium rare. It comes with grilled corn furikake, sauteed mushroom, onsen egg, honey-glazed carrots and garlic chips. Be early if you want to have this as it is limited to only 30 servings per day.

Polenta Mash 4.2/5

Moving to the all-day brunch selection, the Polenta Mash ($18) is owner Darren's favourite. The rendition of the southern creole breakfast of pork and grits rendition at Ninja Cut comes with warm truffle polenta mash, sauteed mushrooms, shaved Parmesan cheese and aburi pork slices. A hearty and comforting dish that can be enjoyed anytime of the day.

The Cheeky Cheese 4.2/5

A crowd favourite has to be the Cheeky Cheese ($18). Upping a notch at Ninja Cut is the 24 hour braised Japanese curry beef cheek, that is seasoned with red wine and braised for a full day in the curry for a full bodied flavour. The other star item on the plate is the grilled cheese brioche sandwich that is so good on its own. Mop the gravy with the sandwich to soak up that beautiful flavour.

Marvellous Matcha 4.2/5

The Marvellous Matcha ($16) is like the upgraded version of the matcha lava cake I first had at Babette, one of the restaurants under the group. The matcha 'hotcake' is filled with a green tea fondant and topped with a dollop of ricotta cheese and adorned with pretty edible flowers, speculoos crumble, yuzu peel, azuki beans and homemade dango. A 15-20 minutes of waiting time is required for this dish.

Ninja Cut is a fuss-free convivial dining concept that offers a collection of ten main dishes and a variety of brunch items. The meals are prepped a la minute to serve and all prices are nett cost. By the way it also serves a good coffee blend that is specially roasted and curated by Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee.

Noted: This is an invited tasting.


Ninja Cut
32 Seah Street
Singapore 188388
Tel: +65 62647727
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Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 930am - 730pm
Sat-Sun: 9am - 6pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to the junction of Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road. Cross the road, walk towards Raffles Hotel direction. Walk down North Bridge Road and turn right on to Seah Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]