Home Food Reviews The Ultimate Ramen Champion 2011 – Menya Iroha

RAMEN SHOWDOWN PART 6: Menya Iroha at Ramen Champion, Iluma

Negitama Ramen

The winner of the Tokyo Ramen Show in 2009 and 2010, Menya Iroha (from Toyama) specializes in two types of ramen, the black shoyu ramen and the traditional miso with chilli mara ramen. The signature here is the Negitama Ramen (SGD13.50), which features the black shoyu broth made with chicken, soy sauce and black soybeans for a fragrant aroma. Each bowl comes with two slices of chashu, bamboo shoots, seaweed, spring onions and egg.

Tasty chashu and perfectly runny egg

I found this broth the simplest of the six ramen I’ve tried. It had a clearer flavour with a district shoyu base and a crisp aroma from the spring onions. While the broth was a tad one-note, I found it quite salty. Menya Iroha was the only ramen stall that served the egg with the best doneness – perfectly runny at the centre with a nice and firm white.

Noodles with a good tooth

The noodles were slightly thicker compared to Ikkousha’s, but not as thick as Bario’s. They were cooked just right, with a touch of tooth. The chashu – meltingly tender with a tasty layer of fat – was well-infused with the essence of the broth. Good stuff!

In all honesty, I wasn’t a fan of this ramen. Not because it wasn’t good, but because I prefer my ramen broth to be thick and unctuous from the pork bones (and fat). That said, those who prefer a lighter tasting broth and like the taste of shoyu should give this a try.

Other ramen posts:
Yoshimaru Ramen Bar
Ippudo at Mandarin Gallery
Bario (contender for The Ultimate Ramen Champion 2011)
Gantetsu (contender for The Ultimate Ramen Champion 2011)
Ikkousha (contender for The Ultimate Ramen Champion 2011)

Ambiance: 6/10
Price: 5/10
Food: 5.5/10 (non halal)
Verdict: Good noodles, chashu and perfectly runny egg, but the broth tasted rather one-dimensional.


Menya Iroha
(Ramen Champion at Iluma)
201 Victoria Street
#04-08/09/10 Iluma (near Bugis MRT)
Tel: 6238 1011
Opening Hours: 11.30 am – 10.30 pm daily
Website: https://www.ramenchampion.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theultimateramenchampion2011

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8 comments

Michelle C March 21, 2012 - 5:01 pm

You still have two more right? How did you fit in so much of ramen!!

Reply
Bangsar Babe March 21, 2012 - 5:04 pm

Yup. Two more to go!

I have no idea how I did it. But it was a good experience. Would totally go there again! :)

Reply
Sean March 21, 2012 - 5:33 pm

gosh, i can’t keep track of all the ramen outlets’ names anymore! mind-boggling! btw i just realized what an ultimate ramen might have … foie gras for a topping alongside the usual cha siu :D

Reply
Bangsar Babe March 21, 2012 - 5:36 pm

Hahahaha! Only six stalls la lol! Yes…foie gras and cha shu. That’s super sinful…

Reply
rif March 21, 2012 - 9:10 pm

i think foie gras/wahyu/kobe/Matsusaka might melt in the ramen. i would add truffles but that we change the ramen taste.

Reply
Bangsar Babe March 22, 2012 - 8:46 am

Truffles?! o_o

Reply
Simple Person March 21, 2012 - 6:53 pm

So many types of ramen ..
d japs are really good inventor… I loves japs food…

Reply
Bangsar Babe March 22, 2012 - 8:46 am

Ya lor…makes me want to go SG more often hahaha!

Reply

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