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The chicken flesh was stuffed and grilled to beautiful golden-brown on bamboo sticks. The bamboo imparted a natural sweetness to the chicken flesh and the dish was completed with a dip of egg yolk.

Unlike the usual yakitori grilled meatball we usually get, this deep-fried rendition adorned with mayonnaise and plum sauce was a simple pleasure to everyone at the table. Although it was deep-fried, the chicken meatball was crispy and not overly oily, best served as a side dish.

Another side delicacy that's worth trying and a must-order at any Japanese restaurant, the chicken gyoza was stuffed with minced meat pan-fried till crisp and finished with a touch of goma sauce. The juicy flesh was starkly juxtaposed with the crispy dough skin, which made every mouthful a joyful munch.

It is almost a mantra to feature matcha in any classic Japanese dessert. The matcha ice cream served with azuki beans and chewy mochi dusted with kinako 'roasted soy bean flour'. The ice cream was a bit too milky for my liking and I would prefer it to have stronger matcha taste.

A refreshing beverage to go along with the savoury dishes, concocted with yuzu juice, soda and yuzu peel, there's even an alcoholic version filled with 15% of soju available.

When there's not much good food in your area, you would know how blessed you are when you have food that are consistently good at affordable prices!

Overall Verdict: 7.5/10

RamenPlay

#01-03 BreadTalk Mall

30 Tai Seng St 

+65 6444 5516

http://www.ramenplay.com.sg/

Singapore's only German microbrewery and restaurant, Paulaner Brauhaus has been a favourite haunt of ours for the last decade. With a very typical German interior decor and Bavarian menu, we are quite honestly, more of a fan for their fresh lager!

For those interested in how their beer are being brewed, you may wish to learn more here.

While Paulaner offers a Sunday brunch menu typically, we visited during the extended weekend over Easter holidays for their special brunch buffet that not only offers free-flow freshly brewed Paulaner beer but also  German delectables such as roast leg of lamb and crackling pork knuckle!


Roast pork belly with burgundy sauce

For those who love their meat, this would be an absolute delight. Other than the nice crackling of the skin, there was a beautiful layer of well-defined fat amidst the tender soft pork belly. The variation in textures made it a must-have for those who love a juicy cut!


Crispy grilled pork knuckle

One of the reasons why Paulaner remains one of my favourite go-to restaurants is that consistently good crispy pork knuckle that goes perfectly with a pint of fresh brew. Hearing the golden crispy pork skin crackle with each mouthful is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Do not forget the various types of mustard sauces, both hot and sweet, to pair with this!


Selection of Paulaner grill sausages | Numberger, Thuringer and Sausage snails

For the sausage lovers, be sure not to miss the hot stations as these are one of the must-haves in my opinion! Beautifully grilled to golden brown delicious, the juicy mince on the inside would make you crave for more. While the ladies at the table however thought that it was too salty for them, it pleased me perfectly fine!


Apple strudel

While the mains and various appetisers did the magic for us, we found the desserts slightly disappointing. The desserts looked and sounded good with the likes of classic Blackforest cake, cheesecakes, apple strudel and tiramisu but when it comes to taste, each of these tasted pedestrian with no real star.


While dessert is usually the last course of the meal to bring everything together, it was the fresh lager that did it on this occasion. No gentlemen or ladies for the matter would ever complain about free-flow beer to complement a good meal!

With six buffet stations, there were the cold and salad stations which offered must-tries such as the Marinated Atlantic Salmon with dill mustard sauce or even the thin Beef Carpaccio with Parmesan cheese. What we also enjoyed was the Bavarian potato salad with fresh chive and bacon bits that added some grind to the carbs.

For those who love their soups and bread, there were two separate stations to bring you just that. It is impossible to resist fresh and warm pretzels that would go perfectly well with some butter and liver mousse!


Overall, we enjoyed the buffet really well and it came in at an affordable S$58/++ per person. Apart from special occasion meals such as the Easter brunch, Citibank and AMEX cardholders can also enjoy an additional 15% discount to the bill!

With Singapore and Hong Kong surrounded with quality ramen places such as Sanpoutei and Ichiran, we have cultivated quite a demanding palate for "the bowl of ramen". As shared by founder of Ippudo, Shigemi Kawahara san, ramen is indeed cosmos served in a bowl with a delicate balance of ingredients, broth and finely crafted noodles while the chef brings everything alive in the kitchen. 

"Just another ramen place" was the usual connotation we have when we pass by a newly opened stall and while we were about to label Ippudo in the same fashion, our perception changed after a sumptuous dinner paired by dedicated service from the serving crew.

While many would be familiar with the recently revamped Shaw Centre (located adjacent to the more renowned Shaw House that has Isetan), it would require quite a fair amount of exploration before we arrived at level 4 to the doorsteps of Ippudo! Being the fifth addition to the group, the outlet at Shaw Centre only opened doors in March 2015. Designed with a slightly casual touch, this outlet was meant to be a place for friends and families alike to gather in a comfortable environment.

Crispy corn | S$6/++

Available only at Ippudo's Singapore outlets, this was highly recommended and there was no reason to say no! The lightly battered deep-fried corn on the cob, sprinkled with smoked paprika powder is a must-try for those who enjoy texture in each mouthful. The crisp and crunch from the batter surely added another dimension to the otherwise simple sweet corn. The natural sweetness from the corn also complemented the smoked paprika powder, giving a nice balance of sweet and savoury flavours.

Beef Tataki | S$6/++

Well-marbled prime beef slices were delicately constructed, overlying some finely sliced onions. Served with a refreshing citrus soy sauce, there was a nice balance of acidity and salinity to the lightly pan-seared red meat, retaining just the desired amount of pinkness to the beautiful cut. Almost melt-in-your-mouth delicate, the sesame seeds added a layer of fragrance to the appetiser.

Ippudo original buns - pork | S$4/++

The famed international best-seller, we enjoyed the beautiful marinade and seared chashu that was melt-in-your-mouth delicate. Sandwiched between a soft and chewy bun, it surely made our calories count with just one complaint, the pork slice could be slightly thicker so that one can enjoy the juiciness of the meat better than the bun.

Umakara Ton Toro Pork | S$12/++

Available only from 5pm onwards, the teppan dishes are almost guaranteed to win one over with the irresistible aroma upon service. We had the mildly spicy premium pork-cheek slices pan-fried with cabbage and served on the sizzling hot plate. While we enjoyed the juiciness that oozed from the layers of fat on the pork cheek, the dish lacked a punch in flavours to make it a memorable dish.

Akamaru Shin-Aji (Small) | S$13/++

The red bowl containing the original tonkotsu broth represents enhanced flavours to the luscious bowl of goodness while a white bowl is the original creamy version. With specially blended miso paste and garlic oil that intensified the flavours, we certainly preferred the red bowl.

Served with thin noodles, pork belly black fungus and spring onions, the rich flavours of the broth was undeniably the champion. One could also choose the hardness of noodles from soft to very hard to ensure that you have the desired texture to match. Despite the robustness of the broth, it was not overpowering and certainly did not leave us scouring for a drink to wash it down.

The beautifully marinated pork belly slices were also hard to resist as it was delicate and almost melt-in-your-mouth that made us digging in for just the next slice.

Tan Tan Tonkotsu | S$16/++

For those looking for some heat in their bowl of ramen, do try out their Singapore's twist to the ramen served, available exclusively at the various outlets here. With the original Tonkotsu broth as the base, spicy minced pork miso together with Japanese sesame paste are added to elevate the flavours. While the spice level might impress some, it was hardly enough to make us break into a sweat! We however enjoyed the nice twist to the creamy broth as the acidity from the wedge of lemon introduced an element of surprise with each spoonful.

Matcha ice cream with shiratama | S$5/++

After some savoury dishes that pleased our palate, we had to seek some sweet treats to end on a high note, somewhat literally too! While the recommended dessert was the strawberry parfait, it might have been too much for us to share and we opted for the classic matcha ice cream.

The matcha ice cream was a touch too sweet for my liking but the lightly warm Azuki bean paste was done just nice. Tasting the rugged edges of the Azuki beans gave a nice texture to the otherwise velvety ice cream. What really differentiated this simple dessert was the added effort to serve the Azuki bean paste warm so you have a divine combination with ice cream when consumed together.

Being able to watch the chefs at work is always a delight for me as you witness the transformation of various ingredients coming alive in his or her hands into a piping hot dish! 

If you are familiar with Ippudo, you would have noticed the similarity in design with their other outlets worldwide. Lined with illustrations and decorations on the wall, it set a perfect ambience for casual dining with family and friends, just the way it was intended.

Apart from the nice and comfortable setting, the service was impeccable. Guests can expect to be greeted in Japanese by the entire restaurant upon entering and similarly being bid farewell in an equally courteous fashion.

Overall, it was a really enjoyable experience and we will definitely return to try some of their other ramen and even rice dishes!

Overall verdict: 8.0/10

1 Scotts Road,

#04-22/23

Shaw Centre

Singapore 228208

Tel: (65) 6235 2547

Website: http://www.ippudo.com.sg/ 

P.S: Special thanks to Vivien for the invite and Kate for hosting us!