Konjiki Hototogisu Ramen
The Japanese food scene in Singapore is getting exciting with the new addition of Tokyo Michelin recommended restaurants or eateries like the newly-opened Konjiki Hototogisu Ramen. I heard that there’s quite a hype about this ramen shop. Is it truly worth a visit? Having awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand title consecutively from 2015 to 2018, this Ramen Shop opened by Chef Atsushi Yamamoto should be quite something right? 2018. In addition, It is also the Number 1 Ramen in Tokyo for 2016 and 2017 and Number 1 Ramen in the whole of Japan in 2016.
I am not too sure why you are still sitting here drooling over the photos below? What are you waiting for?
Features of Konjiki Hototogisu Ramen
What truly makes Konjiki Hototogisu Ramen stands out is due to the following:
1) No MSG
This is the first ramen shop in Singapore which does not use MSG at all. MSG is not present in their noodles, soup, topping or seasoning. For that, our Health Promotion Board should give them a stamp of approval.
2) Whole Grain Noodles
They used whole grain noodles from Haru-yo-koi, a special Hokkaido wheat flour that is rich in minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber. It is supposedly more nutritious than normal flour. This is great news for all those who are more health-conscious. It definitely excites me to know what they are using high-quality and nutritious ingredients to make their ramen.
3) Umami-flavored Triple Soup Base
Most of the ramen broth out there are made using pork bones. But here, their soup base consists of Hamaguri clams, pork and Japanese broth. Hence, their soup has several layers of flavors. Also, they also used special toppings like Porcini and truffles which added a new dimension of flavor to their ramen. These special toppings truly made their ramens one-of-a-kind.
4) Sous-vide Cha Shu
Their Cha Shu (pork slices) are cooked at low temperatures to give it a texture similar to that of dry-cured ham. More importantly, their Cha Shu slices are lean pork meat so you wouldn’t have to worry about the amount of cholesterol found in each Cha Shu slice.
How to Appreciate Hototogisu’s Ramen
Instead of diving your chopsticks into the bowl of ramen, here’s how you could enhance your ramen eating experience by following these few simple steps.
On the Menu
All in all, we tasted about five different types of ramen that day. Out of the five ramen variety, I enjoyed Tonkotsu Original and Shio Hamaguri Soup signature the most because I could taste the original flavor of the full-bodied broth. Other than the flavourful broth, I also enjoyed the chewy whole grain noodles which really fills you up. The portion is just about right, and you will feel satiated quickly because of the high-fiber noodles. As for the Cha Shu, it tasted like dry-cured ham, but it isn’t what I was looking for in the bowl of ramen. I thought that the Cha Shu should be so moist that it literally just melt in your mouth. But then again, those melt-in-your-mouth kinds of Cha Shu are higher in fat content which might spike up your cholesterol levels.
Recommendations
Shio Hamaguri Soup Signature stood out the most for me because I could taste the distinct truffle flavor in the soup. If you prefer something spicy, you could try their Tonkotsu Spicy Ajitama. If you are feeling brave, you might want to try their Tonkotsu Smoke and Pepper which is more unique. Its broth has a strong BBQ flavor. And if you enjoy saltish ramen, you can go for their Shoyu Hamaguri soup.
In summary, here’s how I would rank the five ramens in order of my preference.
#4: Tonkotsu Original ($13.90)
Also, they offer side dishes like belly Cha Shu with half-boiled eggs, fried chicken and gyoza too. Are you excited to try their ramen or have you tried it? Let me know in the comment box below if you love it!
Konjiki Hototogisu Ramen
30 Victoria Street
#01-17 Chijmes
Singapore 187996
Opening hours: 12pm – 3pm, 5pm – 9.30pm (daily)
Nearest MRT Station: City Hall MRT (about 5 minutes walk)
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KonjikiHototogisuSGP/
