麺 House Yamamoto @ Raffles City - Exclusive Chicken Soup Ramen

Chef Yamamoto, the man behind the 4-time Tokyo Michelin Bib Gourmand listed Konjiki Hototogisu Ramen, has recently opened a new concept - 麺 (Men) House Yamamoto, at Raffles City. Like all his 5 outlets in Singapore, House Yamamoto has a menu exclusive to this shop, and that is Chef Yamamoto's first chicken soup ramen in Singapore. On top of the exclusive ramen, the menu also has a few vegetarian-friendly dishes.

Truffle Shio Ramen 3/5

There are steps to appreciate Chef Yamamoto's ramen. Take the Truffle Shio Ramen ($14.80), you should start off by taking a spoonful of the original soup, followed by the portion with truffle oil. Then move on to the part with oyster paste, before mixing everything together into one. I find the taste of this Truffle Shio Ramen somewhat similar to Shio Hamaguri Ramen offered at Chijmes but lacks the harmony of flavours of the latter. The white truffle oil was a tad overwhelming, but if you like truffles, that won't bother you at all.

Porcini Shoyu Ramen 4/5

The use of lemon in ramen left a deep impression when I tried Chef Yamamoto's creation at Great World City. Porcini Shoyu Ramen ($14.80) uses lemon slices as well, which brightens the broth with a soft citrusy note. The broth smells comforting and uplifting at the same time. Mushrooms are not a common ingredient in ramen, but these stir-fried porcini and button mushrooms go well with the lemony chicken soup.

Salmon Snow 3.8/5

Other than the 2 signatures, there are 3 options dedicated to salmon. This combination of chicken broth and salmon has 3 variants to it, and my choice was Salmon Snow ($14.80). Other than the slice of slow-cooked char siew, it comes with salmon flakes, arugula, lemon and sour cream. The smell of the lemon and sour cream reminded me of a sweet pastry, which was somewhat appetising. Lemon, sour cream, arugula, salmon, a classic combination of a sandwich filling being incorporated into ramen! The presence of salmon can definitely be a lot more in the ramen, and a sweeter broth may be more suitable for the flavours to stand out as well.

Porcini Gyoza 3.5/5

A vegetarian-friendly side is this Porcini Gyoza. The filling is a mixture of diced Porcini mushrooms and leeks. The gyoza skin was really good, with a perfectly seared bottom and they were not at all greasy. As for the filling, I would prefer higher mushrooms to leeks ratio for a better texture and taste. I find the leek was a bit heavy on the seasoning.

Cold Tofu 4.2/5

The Cold Tofu here is made inhouse. A straightforward dish but just by looking at the 3 different toppings on each tofu cube, you can feel the efforts and thoughts behind it.

Wings Gyoza 4/5

A crowd-pleaser is the Wings Gyoza. Connected by a crisp skirt, each gyoza was plump and juicy with a right portion of filling within each pocket. This is probably one of the better ones I have tried in a ramen house.

Chef Yamamoto's creations always depart from your regular tonkatsu ramen. A great example is the newly launched vegetarian Avocado Ramen, which I didn't get to try. On the menu, it looks really delicious with buttered corn and avocado, definitely not your usual cabbages and beansprouts kind of ramen. It will be available as of this Thursday 10 Oct 2019 onwards, so be sure to give it a try.

Written and photography by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.


麺 (Men) House Yamamoto
Raffles City
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-44C
Singapore 179103
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Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Jiang-Nan Chun @ Four Seasons Hotel Singapore - New Winter Menu To Celebrate Its Second Consecutive Michelin One Star Award

Jiang-Nan Chun at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore has once again received One Michelin Star in the Michelin Guide Singapore 2019. Being the second consecutive year to be awarded this accolade, Jiang-Nan Chun has launched a Winter Menu to celebrate this occasion. Designed by Executive Chinese Chef Tim Lam, the man who brought Jiang-Nan Chun to where it is today, this six-course seasonal menu embodies the principle of "align and nourish" during the cold season. Each dish is meant to rebalance and re-energise you from within, starting from using only the best available ingredients at this time of the year.

Trio Platter 3.8/5

Starting your meal is a trio platter of Steamed Xiao Long Bao with Black Truffle, Deep-fried Japanese Oyster and Honey Glazed Pork Collar. What sync these 3 items together was the luscious mouthfeel that each provides. The Xiao Long Bao oozed warm and savoury juice infused with earthy flavours of the truffle, which have developed over time inside the heated pocket. The Japanese oyster was plump and deep-frying it gives a crust that contrasts nicely with its texture, which may otherwise be a tad gooey for diners who ain't into oysters.

Double-boiled Mini Buddha Jumps Over the Wall 4.5/5

The second course is Double-boiled Mini Buddha Jumps Over the Wall in Thick Chicken Broth. Much consideration has been given to the preparation work. As boiling the soup for too long may cause it to be overly "heaty", even though the common belief of the brewing period is the longer the better, the soup is boiled for only 2 hours, and then simply let it sit for a period of time for the ingredients to slowly release their nutrients. Hence the soup, even with its clear consistency, laced my lips with a gelatinous layer with every sip.

Steamed Prawn with Crab Roe 4.5/5

Next up was Steamed Prawn with Crab Roe and Jade Sauce on Egg White. I like how the crab roe gives that boost of texture to the egg white and fire up the dish with its vibrant colour and flavours.

Deep-fried Beef Cheek 4.2/5

Moving on to a more highly flavoured dish, we had Deep-fried Beef Cheek with Radish and Sakura Shrimps in Chu Hou Sauce. Radish is a winter produce that is good for nourishing, and its qualities are apt to pair with meat. The beef cheek has been braised for 4 hours before being deep-fried. I enjoy the paper-thin tempura-like crust, which further brings out the tenderness of the beef and its gelatinous qualities.

Simmered Inaniwa Udon 4.2/5

To balance the heavier course, the meal will end with a very light Simmered Inaniwa Udon with Scallop and Tomato. With the soup so flavourful yet gentle, I believe I could finish it even if the portion is that of a standard ramen bowl.

Chilled Chinese Pear with Peach Resin and Lotus Seed 4.5/5

The Winter Menu ends with a Chilled Chinese Pear with Peach Resin and Lotus Seed. The huge, chewy peach resin was such a treat.

The Winter Menu is available at $168 per person, from 1 October to 22 December at both Lunch and Dinner Daily.

Written and photography by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.


Jiang Nan Chun (江南春)
Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
Second Floor
190 Orchard Boulevard
Singapore 248646
Tel: +65 68317220
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Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheelock Place via ION. Exit Wheelock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Continue walking along Orchard Road. Walk to Hilton Hotel. Go to level 2. Follow the passageway to Four Seasons Hotel. Walk to destination. Journey time is about 12 minutes. [Map]