Ramen Bari-Uma at Tanglin Shopping Centre
Last month, I was invited to a tasting at Ramen Bari-Uma, another Japanese chain to set up shop in Singapore. Hailing from Hiroshima, Ramen Bari-Uma's Singapore branch is located in the basement of Tanglin Shopping Centre.
Ajitama-Uma Ramen @ S$15
Ramen in Pork-flavoured soup (Tonkotsu broth)
with Ajitama (flavoured egg) & thick-cut Aburi (seared) Chashu
Ramen Bari-Uma's signature ramen is the Ajitama-Uma Ramen, which comprises ramen served in Tonkotsu broth (a milky white, collagen-filled broth made from a stock of pork bones that had been simmered for many hours). The ramen is topped with a thick-cut slice of Chashu (that had seared before serving and with a dot of miso), Ajitama (stewed egg), Menma (bamboo shoots) and Negi (chopped Japanese spring onion). The strands of ramen had a bite, done just the way I like it and the broth was rich and silky on the palate. The Chashu was tender and melted in your mouth, unfortunately the menma was a little too tough for my liking. Aside from the tough bamboo shoots, this dish is a Must-Try!
Ajitama (Flavoured lava egg)
available @ S$1 as an extra topping
How was the Ajitama? Check out the viscosity of the yolk! The yolk for the Ajitama was cooked perfectly. Though the egg wasn't as tasty as I would have liked, it is still nonetheless, a well-executed Lava Egg.
If you prefer to try the Tonkotsu-based ramen without the egg, order the Bari-Uma Ramen. The menu at the restaurant is highly confusing as it seems to imply that every soup base is either shoyu or miso-based.
Kara-Uma Ramen @ S$16
Tonkotsu broth (pork-flavoured soup) with chili & thick-cut Aburi (seared) Chashu
After trying the Ajitama-Uma Ramen, the Kara-Uma Ramen seemed to pale in comparison. I love spices and chili but I felt that the chili in this dish overwhelmed the tasty Tonkotsu broth.
Shoyu Ramen @ S$12
Pork-based Shoyu Soup with thick-cut Aburi (seared) Chashu
Like the Kara-Uma Ramen, the Shoyu Ramen paled in comparison to the Ajitama-Uma Ramen. I like my Shoyu Ramen to have a slightly cleaner taste, like the one served at Miharu.
Miso-Uma Ramen @ S$16
Pork-based miso soup with thick-cut Aburi (seared) Chashu & Corn
The Miso-Uma Ramen was pretty good but not something I'd come running back for. Seriously, if you want to truly enjoy all the other flavours, you'd have to not order the Tonkotsu broth so you wouldn't keep comparing them.
Aburi-Chashu @ S$9
Thick-cut seared chashu
We wanted more of the melt-in-your-mouth Chashu so we ordered a side of Aburi-Chashu. If the Chashu in the ramen rocked your world, the Aburi-Chashu will blow your socks off! The smoky, flame-grilled slices of Chashu completely melted on the tongue, this was even more tender than the Chashu in the ramen. This is definitely a MUST-TRY!
Gyoza @ S$6.50 (5 pieces) & S$12 (10 pieces)
Japanese fried pork dumplings
The Gyoza had a lovely delicately browned crust at the base and a tasty pork filling but it didn't have the 'wow' factor that the Aburi-Chashu had.
Yakitori Combo with Tare Sauce @ S$14.80 (5 sticks)
Negima (chicken thigh & leek), Tori-niku (chicken thigh),
Sunazuri (chicken gizzard), Sasami (chicken breast) & Butabara (pork belly)
If you're starving and intending to order Yakitori to stave off hunger whilst waiting for your ramen, do note that Bari-Uma grills Yakitori to order. The skewers are not pre-cooked & kept aside for reheating so you'd need to allow them some time to prepare the dish. The Yakitori Combo features a stick each from the 5 different types of skewered meat. I tried the Butabara (pork belly). Though I generally prefer grilled meats to be seasoned only with salt (shio) and pepper, I have to say that Bari-Uma has a delicioius Tare Sauce that is not too sweet. This is worth a try if you love grilled meats but if you had only one side dish to choose, please just go for the Aburi-Chashu!
The folks at Ramen Bari-Uma are dedicated to good service and has a declaration to service quality prominently displayed within the restaurant. I found the energy in the declaration side-splitting especially the last line.
Located just under Kenko Reflexology & Fish Spa, Ramen Bari-Uma took over the space previously occupied by Bombay Woodlands Restaurant. In spite of its obscure location, the place packed a decent crowd on a rainy Tuesday evening.
Ramen Bari-Uma #B1-01/02 Tanglin Shopping Centre, 19 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247909 Phone: +65 6887-4484 Operating Hours: Daily: 11.30am to 10 pm PS: Thank you, Ramen Bari-Uma for the hospitality.