Michelin-chef Mr Yamamoto’s ramen creations just got better and better with the opening of each outlet. This new ramen restaurant at Causeway Point, Woodlands is one of the latest Konjiki Hototogisu ramen outlets in Singapore. What’s unique is that every Hototogisu outlet in Singapore features a different series and specialisation of ramen. For instance, their ramen outlet at Great World City features Oyster ramen like their Oyster Shio Ramen and Oyster Paitan ramen. Over here, at their seventh outlet, they are dishing out Tonkotsu ramens like their Barbecue ramen which was really superb.
Konjiki Hototogisu is the only Tokyo Michelin-Starred Ramen in Singapore.
Konjiki Hototogisu in Japan has received 1-Star Michelin Tokyo 2019 and 2020. It is one of the two ramen shops in Japan to be awarded 1-star for 2020. With that, Konjiki Hototogisu now currently holds the title of being the only Tokyo Michelin-Starred Ramen in Singapore after Tsuta slide off the list. Do they deserve the stars? You bet they sure did. And you should really visit their newest outlet at Woodlands to try their barbeque ramen and Chilli crab ramen.
Tonkotsu Hototogisu @ Causeway Point
Their restaurant is located at level 2 of the shopping mall and you won’t miss it because of striking restaurant signboard. It’s a newly-furnished restaurant which can probably house about 40 pax or so in one seating. We went there on a weekday evening for dinner and by 6.30 pm, the restaurant was already packed with customers.
What to order?
Do not leave this restaurant without trying their signature two ramens which are also featured in their menu: Barbecue Ramen and Chilli Crab Ramen. The other Tonkotsu ramen which we tried is their black spicy ramen which is also excellent but it’s nothing quite like their signature ramen.
Black Spicy Ramen
Some notable characteristics of Hototogisu ramen include their wholegrain noodles, thinly-sliced sous vide Cha Shu and umami-flavoured soup base that contains no MSG.
And Hototogisu’s black spicy ramen is an epitome of a typical Hototgisu ramen. What’s unique is their spicy peppery black oil that floats right on top of the soup base. For spicy lovers, I will recommend you to try the other spicy version of this ramen which is their Super Black Spicy ramen which is drizzled with Sriracha sauce.
These wholegrain noodles have a nice and firm texture to it. It doesn’t turn soggy in the soup at all. The noodles are made from a special Hokkaido wheat flour that is rich in minerals, vitamins, and dietary fibre.
Chilli Crab Ramen
This dish isn’t inspired by our local version of Chilli Crab and it tastes nothing like the usual kind of crab we eat. Sitting in this bowl of ramen is a premium snow crab which meat is so flavourful, sweet and tender. To be honest, this crab tastes way better than any crabs I’ve tried. What’s even better is the ramen comes with a generous amount of crab meat which is doused with spicy crab mixed sauce. I love this bowl of ramen to bits because of the generous crab meat portions as well as the umami-flavoured soup base.
The crab meat is served with some creamy crab roe too. I swear that I could finish two bowls of their Chilli crab ramen! This Chilli crab ramen has definitely topped my list of favourite ramens.
They even threw in a slice of Cha Shu to amp up the dish. For $16.90, this ramen is definitely a steal. If I’m craving for a bowl of ramen, I will definitely patronize this Hototogisu ramen outlet.
Barbecue Ramen
If you have some room in your tummy, you should also order their signature ramen – Barbeque ramen to share. This is also another stellar dish that features their barbecue spare ribs which has a super intense smoky flavour. To cut through the richness of the pork ribs and soup, they topped the ramen with assorted grilled vegetables like roasted corn and romaine lettuce. The barbecue flavour in the ramen is further intensified with the chopped onions that are simmered with barbecue sauce.
This is no ordinary barbecue pork ribs. Their version of pork ribs is served with crunchy fried garlic that adds another dimension of flavours.
Once you taste the pork ribs and all of their other individual toppings, remember to mix everything well in the soup to enjoy all the medley of flavours mixed into one broth.
Salmon Teriyaki Gozen
So having been to Hototogisu ramen restaurant for several times now, I sometimes wondered if their other menu items are on par as well. Thus, we ordered a Salmon Teriyaki Gozen set to try. It comes along with a plate of gyozas, a bowl of Japanese rice and a bowl of miso soup. It does not disappoint us at all.
The salmon teriyaki was cooked to perfection and the gyoza was delicious. Thus, if you or your dining partner is not feeling for ramen that day, you can try their gozens or rice sets.
Drinks and desserts
For their beverages, I recommend their Yuzu tea as well as Lemon soda and Lychee mint freeze. In this photo below, we have their hot Yuzu tea as well as Lychee Mint Fizz.
The lemon soda is another refreshing drink that would complement your hot simmering bowl of ramen.
To end your meal on a sweet note, you can try their milk pudding which is imported from Japan. It’s such a pleasant treat to have after enjoying a good bowl of ramen.
My favourite Hototogisu ramen so far is their Chili Crab ramen, Barbecue ramen followed by their Oyster ramen which is only made available at their ramen outlet at Great World City.
With this month’s cold chilly weather, it is the perfect time to indulge in a bowl of savoury ramen!
