Mensho Tokyo: Global ramen chain opens in Singapore with innovative Matcha Duck & Chilli Crab Ramen
Mensho Tokyo, an award-winning ramen restaurant, has had a tremendous impact on the global culinary scene. Mensho Tokyo has opened its first Singapore location at Raffles City, bringing its unique and exquisite ramen recipes to yet another eager audience.
Mensho Tokyo, founded in 2005, has received various distinctions, including the coveted Tokyo Ramen of the Year and the Ramen Walker Grand Prix. The restaurant’s philosophy is based on the “farm-to-bowl” approach, which emphasises the use of fresh, seasonal Japanese foods obtained directly from local farmers and ancient storehouses.
Mensho Tokyo’s dedication to quality and authenticity has gained them a devoted following worldwide, with locations in San Francisco, Bangkok, New Delhi, Melbourne, and, most recently, Singapore.
Being also a sister brand to the ever-growing Surrey Hills, Mensho Tokyo Singapore’s menu includes a variety of ramen bowls, each made with painstaking attention to detail.
What I tried at Mensho Tokyo
Starting off light with Enoki Chips (S$8.80) and the Aji Fry (S$8.80). While these seems like simple fried frozen foods, I could promise they are not. These were fried to a crisp yet had no oily aftertaste.
The Aji Fry was a fried horse mackerel which does seem like fried frozen fish fingers but surprised me with the tender meat on the inside and the crust being thin and not greasy at all.
Starting off with the Duck Matcha Ramen (S$34), this dish consists of house-made wavy fresh wheat noodles served in a creamy chicken matcha broth, accompanied by soft duck chashu and a hint of whipped cream.
The savoury duck and earthy tones of matcha create a harmonious and distinct flavour profile. Although it has a creamy green colour, the matcha taste was mild and not too overbearing.
The next was a Garlic Knock Out (S$28). This bowl includes house-made wavy noodles in a rich, creamy chicken broth filled with garlic in 5 various forms: fresh, chips, flakes, roasted, and blackened garlic oil.
The dish is concluded with soft pork chashu, roasted tomatoes, and fried burdock root for a rich and aromatic experience.
Being a garlic lover, this dish lived up to its name being garlic packed and was my favourite from Mensho Tokyo.
If you crave something lighter or a vegan option, then I recommend going for the Yuzu Shio (S$17). It comes with spring onions as well as a slice of grilled tomato to mimic a meat chashu. Because the soup is lighter and has a refreshing zest to it, the noodles are also thinner than the others.
Although I understand the appeal of this ramen, it was not my cup of tea. Being someone who loved bolder flavours with thicker and meatier broth, I found this yuzu broth way too light. Having no chashu was also a deal breaker for me because what’s a ramen without chashu, right?
On top of that, thinner noodles were also just not my thing because I prefer the thicker noodles with bites on it. In summary, this bowl of ramen was just not for me but I liked that they made this vegan-friendly for those who might have dietary restrictions.
One of the highlights of Mensho Tokyo Singapore is the special Chilli Crab Ramen (S$32). This dish reimagines a Singaporean classic by blending house-made wavy noodles in a creamy chicken broth with kombu, shiitake mushrooms, porcini, and a spicy chilli crab rempah.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the ramen bowls in Mensho Tokyo provide a very large serving and I would guarantee, as a big eater myself, that you would be full just from one ramen bowl. While there were some likes and dislikes in Mensho Tokyo, I think being a fan of more traditional ramen, these creative bowls might not have hit the spot for me.
That said, I think if you are in the area, this would still be a fun place to bring your friends to try out crazy flavours.
Expected damage: S$30 – S$50 per pax
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