Udon that knocks my socks off!
When I visited Liang Court last month, I noticed that the Udon restaurant, Tamoya, is no longer in operation. Has it closed down? It turns out that they have shifted to Plaza Singapura and has been operating there since last year December. I’m so glad that there are still around as their value-for-money udon are really tasty. And there’s always a long line of people queuing outside their restaurant at Liang Court. It goes the same for Plaza Singapura too. Despite the COVID-19 situation, their business is still thriving.
And here’s the good news: they have also recently launched new outlet-exclusive udon – Truffle Tonkotsu Udon – which is something worth queuing up for. Besides this new udon, you have to also try their signature beef udon if you have not tried it before. Their signature beef udon totally knocks my socks off. And the best part? You can get a piping hot bowl of udon at Tamoya for less than $12.
That day, I walked out of Tamoya feeling so satisfied and blessed after eating their udon.
What makes Tamoya the best Udon restaurant in Singapore?
Tamoya is a no-frill Japanese udon restaurant that offers several different types of udon, Oden and tempura. It is an award-winning Udon chain from Japan which started in 1996 by Sanuki udon champion, Chef Tamotsu Kurokawa.
Tamoya’s udon noodles are all freshly-made daily with imported ingredients from Japan and they contain no preservatives. They are known for their ultra-thick and chewy udon which is made from their own special flour mixture, comprising of three different types of flour. This speciality of theirs has made them stood out from other Japanese udon restaurants. So when food critics and food bloggers claim that Tamoya is Singapore’s best udon restaurant, they are really not lying. I can attest to that.
All prices are already inclusive of GST and there is no service charge so what you see on the price list are all Nett prices. Thus, even if the economy is down, you can still enjoy Tamoya’s freshly handmade udon without feeling the pinch.
Truffle Tonkotsu Udon ($11.80)
I don’t think I have ever tried a ramen version of Udon but it is really genius of them to serve ramen broth with Udon instead of the usual dashi broth. Ramen broths are thicker and more flavourful than dashi broths so no doubt, their tonkatsu udon would be tastier. On top of that, they have infused the broth with truffle oil and truffle paste which enhances the flavour profile of the soup.
Though I would not say it is the best truffle tonkatsu broth I’ve tasted, this bowl of udon still tasted really good. It’s creamy and has a well-balanced of flavours. The addition of sweet corn helps to cut the savouriness of the soup so that it does not come off as too overpowering on the palate.
On first sight, you might think that the bowl of udon in front of you seemed really small. But to be honest, you would not want to stomach too much udon or creamy soup either. To me, the portion is just about right.
For $11.80, you get a bowl of handmade udon, an ajitama egg (seasoned half-boiled egg), Japanese leek, nori and Cha Siu slices swimming in this creamy and rich pork bone broth. What’s there to complain?
Check out their fat and chewy udon! That’s what I was walking about!
Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen ($11.80)
It’s refreshing to see that they have included ramen in their menu. I would say it’s a pretty decent bowl of ramen as the noodles are chewy and the broth is rich. However, the black garlic flavours did not really come through.
But then again, it’s something I would rather skip having especially when they have awesome must-try udon – like their to-die-for signature beef udon.
But suppose if you are not a fan of udon but got dragged by a group of your colleagues or friends which are into udon, then this Black Garlic Tonkotsu ramen is your best bet.
Signature Beef Udon ($10.80)
I could not remember if I tried beef udon at Tamoya before because I wasn’t a fan of beef in the first place. But now that I’ve tried their signature beef udon, I am definitely going to order their signature beef udon again when I am back here at Tamoya. Yes, I know. It’s a life-changing decision I’ve just made a few days ago.
There’s magic to their thin beef slices which are so soft and tender. The beef slices have this buttery flavour which simply melts in your mouth. It is unbelievably tasty, so much so that it changes my impression of beef. What sorcery is this?
Maybe because the beef slices are fatty and thus they tasted great. But whatever it is, I was feeling so satisfied after eating the beef slices along with the ‘golden’ dashi broth and udon. It’s so simple yet delicious.
But if you don’t like to have it plain with just the beef and noodles, you can head over to their condiment counter and spam your bowl of udon with spring onion, tempura flakes, ginger paste and seaweed. Did I mention that the condiments are free-flow?
Add some crunch to your meal with tempuras
If you want to amp up your meal, you can always order some tempura to go along with your udon. Their value-for-money tempura tasted pretty ordinary but I really like their Kakiage or vegetable fritter which is their better-tasting tempura. I’ve not tried all of it yet to see which is the best but my safest bet is their Kakiage.
If you have tried their tempuras before, let me know which is their better ones in the comment box below!
Don’t miss out on this good deal!
If you would not mind having a super late lunch or early dinner, you can make use of their tea time promo to save some money. They are running a $3.90 NETT promotion for their signature items like the Beef Udon, Pork Udon, Black Garlic Tonkotsu Udon and Kake Udon on weekdays from 3 pm to 5:30 pm.
This no-frills udon restaurant definitely deserves a 5-star rating. And I dare say that their signature udon actually tasted much better than the average udon restaurant in Japan.
Tamoya Udon Singapore
Address: Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Road, #06-11/12, Singapore 238839
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11.30 am to 9.30 pm
Capacity: 60-seater
