The variety of ramen places here in Singapore never ceases to amaze an avid fan such as myself. A few weeks ago I visited one place that opened recently called Chabuton. Though every so often, I still love to go back to my favourite ramen place called Tonkotsu Kazan. Ever since I tried their ramen a while back, I still remain a loyal patron till this day.
Famous for their “Kazan” or volcano ramen, their signature ramen dish is made to simulate an erupting volcano as it is served in a large bowl made out of a hot stone along with a red cylinder top, and hot broth is added to produce the effect of smoke and sizzling. Apart from their Kazan ramen, they also have a variety of other ramen, along with rice and side dishes to choose from. This includes their Karamiso Ramen, Chashu ramen, Shoyu Ramen, Chashu-Don, Karaage and Gyoza. As tempting as the Kazan ramen was, the size led me to order their shoyu ramen instead ($12.80 ). I learned from the waitress that there was an offer of a free side for each main dish which was limited time only. Utilising the deal I ordered the karaage as the side with green tea since 1 drink was included.
The Shoyu ramen came with the standard toppings such as beansprouts, spring onions, 2 pieces of Chashu, a Japanese egg and a big piece of nori(seaweed). The noodles were al dente. The bean sprouts added a nice crunch and freshness to the bowl, although they could have added more. The Chashu was tender to the point that it kept falling apart upon the slightest touch of my chopsticks. Indeed it melted in my mouth as well as the egg which had a creamy and rich yolk. It was delicious! The highlight of the whole dish was the fragrant and aromatic broth which I fell in love with after my first sip. Even though it’s called Shoyu ramen, I am sure they mixed some tonkotsu broth in as it tasted so creamy and rich. The umami paired so well with the noodles.
In addition, the chicken karaage that came after the ramen was juicy, tender and well seasoned. I enjoyed eating the skin as it was extremely crispy, and I could hear the crunch when I bit on it. I’ll be sure to order it again the next time I’m here!
Apart from the ramen, one other impressive element about the restaurant was the ambience which makes it feel like an authentic Japanese restaurant. The music played certainly rang a few bells, such as Kanade and Secret Base.
All in all, it was a satisfying meal and experience. In the future I’ll definitely be returning for their Kazan ramen!
Tonkotsu Kazan
Bukit Panjang Plaza
1 Jelebu Rd, #01-64/65, Singapore 677743
Various Outlets, including Northpoint City, Novena Square 2 and Funan
