Santouka, The Central

Of all the ramen shops in the predominantly-occupied-by-Japanese-ramen-shops mall also known as The Central along Clarke Quay, Marutama and Santouka Ramen are arguably 2 of the best known and popular. I'd previously reviewed Marutama, and we wanted to try Santouka to see how it'd compare.

We both got the Santouka specialty, Tokusen Toroniku Shio Ramen ($19.50) Pork Bone and Salt Ramen, with Roasted Pork Cheeks.


The pearl-coloured, collagen-infused pork bone broth is delightfully rich yet mild, and the atypical thicker noodles are springy and light. The ramen's good and the soup broth doesn't leave a thin milky film on the tongue, but I've realised that I'm really not that big a fan of the tonkotsu soup base. I prefer the clear and delicate shio soup base.


The Roasted Pork Cheeks, with a sprinkling of crunchy black fungus and bamboo shoots, is sweet, tender, fatty and practically melted on the tongue. It's separately served on the side instead of being dipped into the noodles, so the soy flavours of the pork don't seep into the salted-just-right broth and make it overtly salty.


The Komi-Tamago ($1 per flavoured egg) was perfectly soft, not runny. The whites were nicely wobbly and never rubbery.


We also supplemented the meal with some Gyoza ($5.50), Japanese pot-stickers. These were non-oily, with chewy thin skin wrapped around a freshly minced pork and chives filling. 


 
Santouka
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#02-76
The Central
Tel: 6224 0668
Open daily from 11am to 9.45pm

Comments

Anonymous said…
prof says : damn overrated this place
23.10.10
Bern said…
A bit, yes. We were lucky, there was no queue/crowd when we dined there. This is not the kind of place that is worth waiting for.
23.10.10
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