After learning that @singapore_enishi is Chef Ashino’s (@ashino_at_chijmes_) favourite ramen joint, I was eager to try it.
This nook of an eatery with an L-shaped counter on level two of International Plaza is the first local branch of the MICHELIN Bib Gourmand-awarded ramen restaurant in Kobe, Japan. There are only two noodles on their menu - a signature Dashi Ramen (Chef Ashino’s go-to) and a Dan-Dan Ramen that I swear, beats every other Dan-Dan I’ve ever eaten, flat!
All ingredients used at Enishi is imported from Japan, which is the reason for the fixed number of 100 servings per day (#yousnoozeyoulose). Hence, I made sure we were standing outside the little restaurant at 5.50pm the evening of our first visit.
Custom-made to their specifications, Enishi’s noodles are gluten-free and resemble a thicker version of “mee pok”. The buckwheat in it creates a rougher surface that helps the sauce to grip better. And what a sauce it is! A mouthwatering amalgamation of creamy sesame sauce with assorted condiments, it is thick, rich and very fragrant. I watched as Chef mix the noodles with it, taking care to ensure very even distribution, so each strand was well coated.
Blanketing all of it was a generous amount of chashu and smoked duck cut into cubes, minced pork, chunks of raw white onions (FYI - these are about ten times the price of onions found locally), fresh mizuna, fried onions and Japanese purple pickles. On the side, a soft-boiled egg destined to join the noodles, plus a bowl of dashi-based soup. Another thing I love about Enishi’s Dan Dan Noodles is the three types of vinegar in kelp, orange and spicy variants, that you can splash on to your heart’s content.
Whichever item you pick, a printed guide is given to you. On it are step-by-step instructions on how to get the most enjoyment out of your order.
As light as it appears, @singapore_enishi’s dashi-based ramen more than held its own in terms of flavour too. The MSG-free savoury soup was not heavy but beautifully complex and it had a lift from a lilting note of yuzu. This would be perfect if you are in the mood for something soupy.