"Go to Hell" Ramen by Buta God at Ramen Champion, Bugis+
Buta God, is an cool Ultimate Ramen Champion 2013 contender to check out. "Buta" is Japanese for pig so I guess they've called themselves Pig God because they specialise in pork ramen. Although I love spicy food, I prefer Tonkotsu Ramen to Spicy Ramen but I must say, Buta God sure has a way of marketing their spicy Ramen. I thought it was very interesting that a shop that has "God" in its name would name one of it's dishes "Red Hell". I love spicy food so when I saw the word "Hell" in the name of the dish, I figured it sounded really promising in the "heat" department.
Amongst the five levels of heat for Buta God's Red Hell Ramen, "Go to Hell" caught my eye because you could actually say it out loud without being judged. I was also very thrilled by the prospect of a "hot like Hell" burn from the chili. My chili-loving lunch buddy, C, was similarly intrigued. We looked at each other in a conspiratorial manner as we knew we'd get nagged at by our other lunch companions because we apparently eat too much chili for our own good. Then I heard a voice, "Are you seriously going to order that? It looks so spicy!" Busted! I made a show of checking out all the other stalls before sneaking back to order my 5th level of Hell from Buta God. Somehow, the competitive atmosphere of Ramen Champion must have rubbed off on me because I felt like I was entering a duel in Street Fighter when I placed my order. "Here comes a new challenger" flashed before me when I chose to take on "Go to Hell" Red Hell Ramen as my lunch time challenge.
Level 5 Go To Hell
I figured it was all or nothing and stirred in all the dried chili flakes as well as the spicy chili paste. Served with sweet marinated pork belly slices and an onsen egg, the thin springy ramen and meat helped to temper the "heat" from the burning hot broth. In spite of the burning sensation that was building up on my palate and in my tummy, I loved the smoky aroma of the chili paste and the slight sweetness of the dried chili. Whilst my tongue loved the flavours, my tummy was not pleased and was starting to burn. Fearful of triggering a gastric attack, I had to stop after about half a bowl and switch to a non-spicy bowl of Ramen. I bought a bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen from another stall that had caught my eye. C soldiered on and finished almost the whole bowl of Ramen before giving up. We both loved the fragrance of the chili sauce, if only our tummies were as iron-clad as our palates. We now have a game plan to share a bowl the next time we visit, that way we can have our spice without burning up our stomachs too much. This has to be the spiciest bowl of Ramen either of us has had in a while. It's a Must-Try if you can handle the heat!
Buta God at Ramen Champion Bugis+
201 Victoria Street, #04-10 Bugis+
Singapore 188607
Phone: +65 6238 1011
Click here for Buta God's Facebook Page
Operating Hours: 11.30 am to 10.30 pm (daily)