Men-Tei Ramen @ Robinson Road

Special thanks to Jason for hosting us!

Men-tei in Japanese actually means Noodle Hut and I miss my travels in Japan. The way the Japanese chefs hone their craft is inspiring, they can spend years honing it and when they do, they only sell that one dish - which makes us rethink what Jack of all trades and master of none means. In their case, truly a master of one.

I first came to know of Men-Tei years back when I visited MPH during lunch hours and realised how long the queues for ramen were and they opened up the option of delivery which got me hesitating as well because the noodles would not taste as good when delivered.

DSC_0136

Edamame for nibbles, a great appetizer!

DSC_0150

Tonkotsu ($14.50)

It is signature for a reason, its rich white soup boiled with pork and chicken bones and spices for more than 9 hours and is topped with a signature grilled pork, boiled egg and comes in both original and spicy.

DSC_0141

Spicy Tonkotsu ($15)

Chef Jason let slip that a secret ingredient of Gochujang sauce is added to the spicy version which gives it a pleasant tongue biting sensation.

Shio ($14.50)

The broth is complex, comprising of chicken bones, different smoked fish from Japan and a combination of clams, mussels, dried shrimp and scallops to present a robust broth. I found this a clear winner for me, the intense flavours that outshone the rest. The thickness of the noodles used were also thicker here, giving more texture to the whole ramen experience.

DSC_0145

Shoyu ($14.50)

Seafood is cooked with 4 soya sauces each which gives its name - shoyu. Lighter on the palette than the rest, this is also comforting on the stomach.

DSC_0139

Gyoza

Meet the Japanese version of xiao long bao, rivalling the petit dumpling with a 0.6mm thickness of skin and the usage of leeks and pork to make this a juicy dish. Even when pan fried, the juices are still retained.

DSC_0158

I actually prefer the thicker noodles for a better bite. 

DSC_0160

Yakibuta Cubes ($5)

Tender cubes  made possible in 24 hours with a sous vide machine.

DSC_0168

Salad with Wafu Dressing ($6)

I used to think all salads at Japanese joints would taste the same because of the ubiquitous wafu dressing yet this rocks the socks for the incredibly fresh greens used and topping of yakibuta.


DSC_0172

Icecream ($4.50)

Imported from Japan, Yuzu ranks tops for me then black sesame. I am not sure how they do it but their yuzu sorbets are the best desserts ever - frosty, cleans the palette and tangy too!

The magnitude of effort that goes into a single bowl is astounding, almost back breaking and it is no wonder the Japanese show their appreciation through their slurping sounds and returning an empty bowl.

DSC_0169

Not on the menu and Chef Jason was kind enough to open the bottle.

 DSC_0165

Sake does go with ramen! It was so light that went well with the heavier tasting ramen.

DSC_0163

If not, asahi is the way to go for Japanese food.

DSC_0174

Men-tei, I will be back to brave the lunch crowds.

Men-tei Ramen
61 Robinson Road

Comments