Been meaning to post about this ramen place since forever.. Finally got some time to do it…. OR Rather.. I got too much time.. so I am gonna do this!!!
Where: Baikohken
Location: 7 North Canal Road Singapore
Location: 7 North Canal Road Singapore
Ambience
I have gone there a couple of times. Most of the time it’s after working hours. This place services the CBD crowd since its just beside the banking sector. I heard the place is packed with the office crowd in the lunch hours. But anyway, I reach around 7 there is a healthy crowd size around there usually (around 90% filled) but you don’t need to wait for a seat. Looks like a hole in the wall with the kitchen taking up 50% of the shop and there is a noodle bar seating area for the lonely hearts. Typical Japanese ramen place where they will greet you with a irasshaimase.!!
To Note: Don’t be deceive if the 1st floor seems too packed, there is a 2nd floor seating area with more space as well! 1st floor you can probably observe the chef cooking your food and see the preparation work as well. 2nd floor has aircon! Make your own choices.
Service
Good Service! They are attentive to you and serve you buck wheat water in a jug pretty fast. All the tables will have condiments on it so you don’t really need their help once your food is served! The food is served quite fast if too crowded, probably a 10 – 15 mins waiting time.
Food
Very good! They serve 3 versions of the broth in 2 sizes (Half-size and Normal Size) there is Shio, Shoyu and Miso based. Having tried all three, I preferred the Miso based broth and I usually order a half-size which is more than adequate for me. The miso based broth has a very rich flavour to it with the bamboo and the bean sprout have a good compliment to it. One very nice component to the ramen is the aji-tama or the hard boiled egg. The yolk in the hard boiled egg is just the right consistency for my liking. Their char siew is not the best I have tasted but the portions are very filling indeed!
Shio and Shoyu have their own supporters as well, as can be seem with a walk around the tables.
One very nice fact is that they don’t try to be stingy on the ingredients. The portions are big and ingredient are plentiful for a bowl. You can see for yourself!
A side item that I would recommend if you don’t dig ramen would be their mini-char siew DON. Its Japanese white rice filled on the top with chopped charsiew, some very nice tasting sauce and Japanese spring onions which taste fantastic on its own. You can also try their Gyoza. Its good enough!
Payment
CASH OR CREDIT OR NETS.
Overall 0-10 (10 being the best)
Ambience : 5
Service: 7 (If they are not too busy attending to others, they are attentive!)
Food: 8 (Good enough to make me come back again! .. SLURP)
Damage: 5 (Not very pricey) Around 20 each.
Return value: 10 (I aways head there if I have craving for good ramen)
Toilet: 8 (Nice looking toilet!)