One of Buta Ramen’s owners is a huge beer-lover, and perhaps that’s how this dish came about! This premium ramen is made from a rich tonkotsu broth and what they call a “healthy dose of Sapporo beer”. Everything in moderation, I guess you can’t dispute that! Plus it lends such an amazing breath of malty flavor that adds a whole new dimension to the umami-laden broth. The icing on top of the cake, a long slab of flame-grilled, almost melt-in-your-mouth yakitori pork belly. *slurps*

I love ramen, but I do feel that it can be a bit too heavy/“gao” sometimes. For those who have that same emotional conflict as me, the Shoyu Chashu Ramen is a great option to go for, with its clear, light soy sauce pork broth that is a nice contrast to the rest of its soup bases which tend to be a bit creamier. You might detect hints of spices in it, thanks to the fragrant, floral notes of the sansho pepper oil in the broth. At Buta Ramen, you don’t get pathetic slivers of chashu that simply disappear into the bowl. The guys here are proud of their meats, and it shows in the two generously-portioned slabs of pork chashu which are sous vide for tenderness.

I love ramen, but I do feel that it can be a bit too heavy/“gao” sometimes. For those who have that same emotional conflict as me, the Shoyu Chashu Ramen is a great option to go for, with its clear, light soy sauce pork broth that is a nice contrast to the rest of its soup bases which tend to be a bit creamier. You might detect hints of spices in it, thanks to the fragrant, floral notes of the sansho pepper oil in the broth. At Buta Ramen, you don’t get pathetic slivers of chashu that simply disappear into the bowl. The guys here are proud of their meats, and it shows in the two generously-portioned slabs of pork chashu which are sous vide for tenderness.

One of the newest items on the menu at @barashitei was the Unagi Salmon Mentai Maki ($14.80). Loved the flavour of the mentaiko sauce that was slathered over slices of aburi salmon, but we felt that the unagi was lost amidst all the activity that was going on within the maki. It's tough to live up to the old favorite, Spicy Salmon Maki ($14.80), which had an addictive spicy sauce and a textural contrast from the tempura ebi within it. This was a tasting hosted by @barashitei. Thanks @burpple for the invite! #burpple #burppletastemaker

The tender beef slices are coated with a drizzle of sauce, just enough to bring out the flavor of the meat, and the wobbly Ibsen egg on top seals the deal with its runny goodness 🤤 this was a hosted tasting, thanks @burpple for the invite! #burpple

Known for being the only place that serves Japanese pork ribs with ramen, this signature item is a clear winner with its fall-off-the-bone texture and addictive sweet/savory marinade. I could not stop at just one, especially when it complemented the Sapporo beer on the side so well. Buta’s ramen broth is painstakingly made daily from scratch (no store-bought soup stock please!) and brewed for 8-10 hours before they dish it out into your bowls to be eaten. Out of the main flavors which are a twist from the base broth, I loved the Black Garlic Boss Rib Ramen ($15.90) the best, simply because I’m a garlic lover. It stays on your breath but...it’s worth it. The Spicy Chili Boss Rib Ramen ($15.90) might not look that spicy, but give it a stir and you’ll uncover a powerful chili paste hidden within the broth. There are a tonne of other good things I could say about Buta, but I shall save that for another post. Located along an alley at China Square Central which is often bustling during lunch, it quietens down in the evenings which is a great respite from the revelry around that area. Thanks @burpple for the invite and Chris for your hospitality! #burpple #burppletastemaker

Known for being the only place that serves Japanese pork ribs with ramen, this signature item is a clear winner with its fall-off-the-bone texture and addictive sweet/savory marinade. I could not stop at just one, especially when it complemented the Sapporo beer on the side so well. Buta’s ramen broth is painstakingly made daily from scratch (no store-bought soup stock please!) and brewed for 8-10 hours before they dish it out into your bowls to be eaten. There are a tonne of other good things I could say about Buta, but I shall save that for another post. Located along an alley at China Square Central which is often bustling during lunch, it quietens down in the evenings which is a great respite from the revelry around that area. Thanks @burpple for the invite and Chris for your hospitality! #burpple #burppletastemaker

Known for being the only place that serves Japanese pork ribs with ramen, this signature item is a clear winner with its fall-off-the-bone texture and addictive sweet/savory marinade. I could not stop at just one, especially when it complemented the Sapporo beer on the side so well. Buta’s ramen broth is painstakingly made daily from scratch (no store-bought soup stock please!) and brewed for 8-10 hours before they dish it out into your bowls to be eaten. There are a tonne of other good things I could say about Buta, but I shall save that for another post. Located along an alley at China Square Central which is often bustling during lunch, it quietens down in the evenings which is a great respite from the revelry around that area. Thanks @burpple for the invite and Chris for your hospitality! #burpple #burppletastemaker

A reasonably-priced plate that will give you good vibes - pick a base/carb, a protein, 2 sides and a dressing for just $12nett. The chicken breast, though pale in appearance, was tender and juicy, thanks to sous vide I presume? The spicy mango salsa gave the dish quite a kick and was surprisingly hot so do beware if you can’t take chili padi too well! Overall a good selection for a healthy lunch!

A reasonably-priced plate that will give you good vibes - pick a base/carb, a protein, 2 sides and a dressing for just $12nett. The chicken breast, though pale in appearance, was tender and juicy, thanks to sous vide I presume? The spicy mango salsa gave the dish quite a kick and was surprisingly hot so do beware if you can’t take chili padi too well! Overall a good selection for a healthy lunch!

For not-so-common Mediterranean breakfast, this place never disappoints! They manage to make vegetarian food so tasty that you wouldn’t notice the absence of meat in the dish. I especially liked the crispy slivers of phyllo which gave way to a soft boiled egg. Couldn’t quite appreciate the fried feta as it was made from a rather pungent goat’s cheese. But the combination of fresh juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, hummus and pita bread was simply perfect!

For not-so-common Mediterranean breakfast, this place never disappoints! They manage to make vegetarian food so tasty that you wouldn’t notice the absence of meat in the dish. I especially liked the crispy slivers of phyllo which gave way to a soft boiled egg. Couldn’t quite appreciate the fried feta as it was made from a rather pungent goat’s cheese. But the combination of fresh juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, hummus and pita bread was simply perfect!