Ramen-ya

Finally visited this recently famous ramen restaurant, @ramenya0103 that really makes you feel like you're in Japan! With just 8 seats in a tight space, expect long queues and waiting times. I queued for 1.5 hours at about 7.30pm on a weekday afternoon 🫠

I got the Tonkotsu Ramen Black ($12.80) which I felt was quite affordable with quite a few pieces of char siu. The main star of the show got to be the broth, as it was extremely thick (almost like a sauce) and it had so much umami flavours while not being too salty. We all agreed that we can definitely drink alot of the soup! Love that the garlic oil added extra umami as well. The noodles were alright, quite al dente. Char Siu was very tender and flavourful!

Definitely a great bowl of ramen, but really does not warrant the 1.5 hour wait. 30 minutes is the maximum I will wait for this!

Their Special Shio Ramen is well-balanced - flavourful yet clean with a nuanced saltiness that doesn't overwhelm your tastebuds or leave you thirsty. It goes really well with their toothsome noodles, and I cleared the entire bowl without realising it. 😅 More importantly, these thick char siu slices adorning the bowl be BUSSIN' HARD! Every slice is not overly fatty and takes on a soft, melt-in-the-mouth consistency, with the rich meaty flavours intensified by a smoky caramelisation from the blowtorch. It's so SHIO-k that I wouldn't mind dropping by for a 2nd bowl despite being a Westie! 🍜

Went past this hole-in-the-wall establishment named Ramen Ya some time not too long ago when we had made a trip Simpang Bedok for an establishment that had just opened its doors back then. Did not pay much attention to this find until fairly recently when we had done a bit of research online on what is being served up — and that was when we realised we have to make a visit for it after viewing some photos that some others had put up about their dining experience there. Taking up a pretty small shop space within East Village, Ramen Ya is an eight-seater diner; the seats all being counter-facing high chairs in the same fashion as what one would expect if they had entered into an actual ramen-ya (i.e. ramen house) in Japan. The establishment features black walls but is actually pretty well-lit; Japanese lanterns hanging from the ceiling while the paintings on the wall depict multiple characters digging into a bowl of ramen. Given how small the establishment is, Ramen Ya is pretty much a one-man show; the same guy cooking the ramen for the folks seated down at the counter would be the same one who is managing the queue outside — patience is key to at Ramen Ya. For an establishment its size, Ramen Ya does serve up quite a menu that can be pretty extensive — the signature offerings at Ramen Ya is undoubtedly the different variations of Shio Ramen and Tonkotsu Ramen that they have to offer. That being said, Ramen Ya does also serve up Curry Rice as well as a Cha Shu Don for those who would prefer to go for something else than Japanese Ramen; they also do have quite a number of side dishes to choose from if one is looking for something to share across the table. Beverages are pretty much limited to canned drinks for the most part, though there is a choice to go for Houjicha as well.

We had went for both the Special Shio Ramen and the Special Tonkotsu Ramen; that being said, the Special Shio Ramen was probably the more outstanding one instead of the two. While a friend did found it surprising how he had preferred the Special Shio Ramen over the Special Tonkotsu Ramen which they tend to enjoy more at any other establishment, we would go quite as far as to say that the Special Shio Ramen is a game-changer; something that makes us ramen converts considering how we aren’t staunch lovers of Japanese Ramen anyway. The Special Shio Ramen is pretty much the “all toppings” variant of their Shio Ramen as some other establishments who name it as — the Special Shio Ramen featuring bamboo shoots, Hanjuku Egg, Cha Shu, seaweed, black fungus and a slice of Naruto Maki (i.e. Japanese Fish Cake) as elements that came along with the yellow ramen noodles that came in the bowl.

Going straight for the broth of the Special Shio Ramen and already we were sold; the broth was especially tasty here — in fact, we found it to be even more flavourful than that of the Tonkotsu broth used in the Special Tonkotsu Ramen that provided quite a flavour kick to the bowl of ramen. The yellow ramen noodles were also done to a consistency that we really liked; one that carried quite a bit of bite without being too soft — a texture that we prefer for ramen. The star of the show apart from the broth in the Special Shio Ramen would be the Cha Shu however; these do come with bit of thickness, though it was free from any undesirable porky stench and was incredibly tender despite being lean — the bonus here being how the slices of Cha Shu came with a smoky note that felt as though they were torched by the blowtorch for an additional oomph. The other elements such as the black fungus and bamboo shoots provided different dimensions of textures to the bowl of ramen; the former carrying a crunch while the latter coming with a bouncy chew, while the Naruto Maki was a good-to-have. Overall, a beautifully-executed package that we really enjoyed — one that we really felt that we could fully appreciate even though we aren’t quite ones who would totally enjoy a bowl of Japanese Ramen; this just felt especially different and one that we could go on and on with.

It seems that while Ramen Ya is relatively unknown to those staying a distance away from the Simpang Bedok neighbourhood, they have already garnered quite a huge following amongst those who are residing in the neighbourhood — one that is a well-kept secret within the community considering how the establishment was actually fully-occupied when we made our visit during a weekend dinner service. Having a small chat with the folks queueing behind us also revealed that they have had previously visited Ramen Ya before — they are returning customers having been sold by the food ever since their first visit there. Having tried both the Special Shio Ramen and the Special Tonkotsu Ramen, both Ramen that we have had really spoke for themselves — they have gotten everything about the broth just about right, while we could see quite a bit effort being placed into the making of their meat toppings. The Special Tonkotsu Ramen featured thinly-sliced Cha Shu that was especially delicate, yet carried a prominent meaty note that was free from any undesirable porky stench — very different from that which is served with the Special Shio Ramen but still as well-executed in comparison. The Okonomiyaki Gyoza was also satisfying — there was just enough of the Okonomiyaki Sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise being drizzled along with some bonito flakes to give it that note which replicates that of Okonomiyaki; all that without being too jelak from being doused in too much sauce and all. The residents around Simpang Bedok are a real lucky bunch — Ramen Ya does remind us a little bit of House of Chirashi prior to its expansion and change of management; really quality Japanese fare at a reasonable price, with prices of the the Shio and Tonkotsu Ramen ranging from $8.80 to $14.50, while Japanese Curry dishes are priced between $12.50 to $15.50. That being said, to be patient with the service and food here (he doesn’t take too much time to push out bowls of ramen however) — the small-sized nook is manned by a single person; just give him all the trust he needs to get everything sorted out for you so that you can enjoy the Ramen Ya experience at its best!