Chabuton – Ramen By The World’s First Michelin-Starred Ramen Chef Now In Singapore

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Chabuton Ramen at 313 Somerset

Ramen has a special place in my heart.

After I left my heart in the chilly streets of Shinjuku where I had the best ramen of my life, what followed was an unwavering search in Singapore – much to my dining companions’ displeasure. “But ramen is just maggi mee!”, they’d grumble in indignance.

Good ramen isn’t dime a dozen in Singapore, so when I learnt that the world’s first Michelin-Starred Ramen is opening its first outlet in town, I found my way there quicker than the congratulatory flowers.On my third visit to Chabuton at 313 Somerset, we tried the creations of Chef Yasuji Morizumi, the first-ever ramen chef to be awarded a Michelin star. The Kurobuta ($18.90) is so exclusive that it is available for a limited period (17 January – 31 March 2015) only in Singapore, not even in Chabuton Thailand or Japan!

Side Dishes

The Ika Karaage ($5) is the Japanese version of Calamari. With the right amount of texture and taste in the batter, the squid was delicately crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. My only complaint is that for $5, there isn’t enough of it to go around!Gyoza is every Japanese restaurant’s must-have menu item. While Cheryl really enjoyed this for the crispy skin, I felt that it was a little too thick for my liking. However, dipping it into a mixture of shoyu and layu really enhanced and the taste and spiced it up. Who knew a condiment could make so much difference!

The Kurobuta

The Kurobuta’s broth is made from blending 3 types of chicken collagen with Tonkotsu. When first served, scoop a spoonful from the broth’s top layer and try the chicken collagen on its own. As you dig in, mix it nicely with the Tonkutsu broth at the bottom and discover a more balanced taste.

While the broth was creamy and luscious, like any other ramen, it gets a little gelat once it cools off. So cut down on the #foodporn shots, tuck in quickly and relish every bit while it’s piping hot.While al-dente is the perfect standard in Italian cuisine, ramen noodles is all about personal preferences. Some may like their noodles soggy, but I like them springy and chewy, and for that reason I found mine a little lacklustre. The good news is that at Chabuton, guests can customise the noodles’ “doneness”, so that makes every tummy happy.Only a true Ramen lover will know the heartbreak of sinking her teeth into a promising looking Ajitsuke Tamago, only to discover it’s nearly hard boiled. Thankfully, this one didn’t disappoint!The egg was tender on the outside with a delicate bounce, and once I bit into it, creamy and golden goodness started oozing out. The texture was excellent – like Braised Egg on the outside and Ya Kun soft boiled egg on the inside, only yummier and infused with soy-based sauce.

Of course, I save the best for last.

Much like the Kobe beef of pork, the Kurbouta is the most highly prized of its kind in Japan. Its taste was spectacular – marbled meat and streaks of fat marrying into one delectable morsel so juicy you forget what cholesterol is. I’m not a pork person at all, but if every piece of pork tasted this sweet and tender, I’m ready to join the dark side.

Verdict

For the price of $18.90, you get to sample the creation of the World’s First Michelin-Starred Ramen Chef. This is a bowl of ramen that has nearly everything on point, combining superior taste with nutritional benefits. Also, there’s no contest over what was the star of the day; the Kurobuta pork wins hands down.

Every day, The Kurobuta is available in limited portions. Such stringent quality control ensures that each bowl of ramen is prepared to perfection. When I revisited Chabuton at 8pm on a Saturday, only 3 portions were left! I highly recommend that you be a kancheong spider and arrive at noon or early evening.

If you call yourself a ramen fan, you’ll be sorry to miss this!