Ippudo caused quite a splash in the Singapore ramen scene when it first appeared with the outlet at Mandarin Galleria. The ramen is quite spectacular...very good...and the long queues during meal times testify to their goodness.
And following quite fast on the heels of the first outlet, is the second. Named Tao, after the Japanese performance art drummers. The outlet's decor is quaintly different from the outlet at Mandarin...being black and red...aligned to the colours of the Tao.
The menu at Tao is also slightly different from the menu at Mandarin the last time I visited. I tried the new Tao Kuro soup, with the thicker noodles than the regular Tokyo styled noodles.
We started with an absolutely brilliant fried chicken nuggets dish:
Nuggets of chicken nuggets, fried till a crisp crust forms to protect the juicy, tender chicken bits within, and a gorgeous mayonase wasabi sauce! The sauce had just the right balance of wasabi...just to impart a bit of flavour, not overpowering. And goes superbly with the chicken nuggets.
The gyoza are de rigeur:
Though very small...each easily one pop into the mouth. The flavour was nice, but not specatcular.
The soup was thick, powerful. Flavours bursting from the broth, and the fragrance which came forth as one takes a whiff is wonderful. The kuro - meaning black in Japanese - refers to the black fungus, and black sauce which magically floats over the tonkotsu broth. I had the one with bara chasu - pork belly, and a flavoured egg (typical Japanese flavoured egg...firm outside, almost runny inside), black fungus, spring onion, miso paste and the black fragrant garlic oil.
The noodles were thicker than regular, as I had mentioned:
Pat and Andy had the more traditional Shiro style with the Hakata noodles, which are thinner.
I had earlier sampled this at the Ippudo in Mandarin, so please see earlier review. Ippudo review.
Ippudo Tao
207 River Valley Road
#01-55/56 UE Square (facing Mohamed Sultan Road)
Singapore 238275
Tel: +65 6887-5315
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