The new Mensho Tokyo has duck matcha, chilli crab ramen and more

There have been quite a number of Japanese restaurant chains popping up in Singapore as of late. There is Japan’s well-loved family restaurant Royal Host at Jewel Changi Airport, famed kaizen izakaya Uoharu from Tokyo, Okinawan steakhouse Yappari Steak — the list goes on. 

And now you can add Mensho Tokyo Singapore to your list of go-to ramen spots, too.

It is part of a famous ramen chain that has 17 outlets worldwide in international cities such as San Francisco, Bangkok, New Delhi, and Melbourne. Its latest — it’s 18th — has just opened at Raffles City and is Singapore’s first. 

It is also the brand’s first store with a cocktail and dessert menu.

Helmed by master chef Tomoharu Shono, Mensho Tokyo has a long list of accolades to show for its craftsmanship in ramen. This includes Tokyo Ramen of The Year and Ramen Walker Grand Prix, just to name a couple.

Its San Francisco outlet has even been recognised on the city’s Michelin Guide!

Newly opened in July, Mensho Tokyo Singapore was launched by Surrey Hills Holdings, the group behind Surrey Hills Grocer. It’s only been a few weeks since the grand opening on Jul 27, but the restaurant is already teeming with eager crowds looking for quality ramen.

The space

Tucked away on the third level of Raffles City Shopping Mall, Mensho Tokyo Singapore’s entrance is stylish, dark and opens up into a surprisingly expansive interior. You wouldn’t be able to guess that it boasts a great city view, seats up to 90 diners and even has a sleek bar. All of which are outfitted with ultra chic dark wood furnishings that make you feel like you’re entering an exclusive lounge.

You’ll also be able to peek at your ramen noodles being made. As you come in through the entrance, you’ll notice Mensho Tokyo Singapore’s dedicated noodle-making room. Mensho Tokyo prides itself on having fresh ingredients served to your table and it certainly shows.

Mensho Tokyo’s noodles are made with wholewheat grains selected from local Japanese farms, which are then ground into flour at its factories. The noodles are freshly made in-house each day, are characterised by its wavy shape and retains a distinct taste of wheat.

Mensho Tokyo’s Singapore menu

Mensho Tokyo is known for its unique ramen bowls and its latest store is no different.

Go for its A5 wagyu shoyu aburasoba ramen (S$41), which sees its wholewheat noodles coated in a thin layer of abura (oil-based) sauce. 

It is served with melt-in-your-mouth A5 Miyazaki wagyu slices and topped with spinach, baby asparagus, red onion, truffle paste, charcoal leek, and a calamansi lime.

For the best experience, have a slice of wagyu on its own before squeezing the lime into the bowl and giving the ramen a good mix. 

Though it is one of the restaurant’s most pricey items, it is a mouthwatering blend of umami flavours and our favourite for the day. Its sauce is made from organic kioke (wood barrel-aged) shoyu, which complemented the earthy notes from the truffle paste and charcoal leek. The addition of lime and red onions gave a slight tartness to the dish so it wasn’t too salty. 

If you’re an adventurous eater, you might want to head for Mensho Tokyo’s duck matcha ramen (S$28), a decadent bowl featuring wheat noodles in a creamy chicken matcha broth with duck chashu slices and whipped cream.

This ramen bowl is best enjoyed while it’s still hot! Once cooled, the matcha might turn powdery and taste mildly bitter. As with the rest of Mensho Tokyo’s ramen, enjoy a sip of the rich, hearty broth before digging into the thick-cut noodles and tender duck slices. 

The duck gave a smoky, savoury flavour, which undercut the creaminess of the broth and the strong matcha flavour. 

Besides its usual gamut of signatures, it has a shell-stopping Singapore-exclusive chilli crab ramen (S$28), which honours our local favourite, the chilli crab.

The ramen is served in a deep bowl of creamy chicken broth, chilli crab rempah and various garnishes. But most importantly, there’s also a bed of buttery egg espuma (egg foam) and a fresh crab doused in a bright red chilli and shio koji marinate — it was almost too pretty to eat!

As before, take a sip of its rich broth to try it as-is, then mix in the egg espuma thoroughly so that the broth thickens.

The chilli crab and chicken broth combination was savoury with a hint of spice, just enough to leave a tingling sensation on your tongue. When mixed with the egg espuma, it was creamy, hearty and oh-so-addictive! 

If you prefer more classic items, Mensho Tokyo also has a classic toripaitan (S$19), ramen served with chicken-based broth, smoked pork chashu and king oyster mushroom menma (fermented vegetable topping). 

You could also go for its range of vegan ramen — its vegan yuzu shio comes at S$17 and sees whole wheat straight noodles in a vegetable yuzu broth, served with a whole host of vegetables, including tomato chashu, kinoko (mushroom) menma, and fried garlic.

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Mensho Tokyo’s side dishes 

That’s not all to Mensho Tokyo — it also serves up a delectable range of sides, drinks and desserts that are equally as lush.

If you’re feeling decadent, go for its A5 Miyazaki wagyu caviar sushi (S$14 for two pieces). Topped with gold foil and caviar, it’s a treat that melts in your mouth and leaves you wanting more.

We also got its aji fry (S$12.80), fried Japanese horse mackerel with a side of tangy sauce and mustard. We enjoyed the thin, crispy batter and its fresh, tender fish meat. The dish came with four big pieces of mackerel — a decent portion for sharing between two diners.  

For other share-worthy sides, you could go for Mensho Tokyo Singapore’s enoki chips (S$8.80) — crispy fried enoki mushrooms with lemon or spicy shichimi pepper (Japanese spice mixture). 

And since Mensho Tokyo Singapore is the first outlet to have a dessert menu, we had to try its satsuma (S$9.80). The dessert is definitely a treat for the eyes, with its bright purple wafer seated atop a yellow Japanese sweet potato cream and a bed of pillowy soft pandan cake. 

We enjoyed the light dessert — a sweet end to our meal, yet wasn’t overly cloying. 

You could also head straight for its tiramisu with houjicha (S8.80), if you prefer a more traditional Japanese dessert. It features houjicha tiramisu layered with sponge fingers soaked with houjicha and topped with almond crumble. 

Drinks-wise, Mensho Tokyo has an extensive range of cocktails, mocktails, beer, house liquor, sake, and more. 

Its signature Mensho Mary cocktail (S$19) is a riff on the classic Bloody Mary — a concoction of Grey Goose vodka with housemade herbs and spiced tomato juice. If you’re looking for more Japanese-inspired cocktails, go for its Natsu Kyoho (S$22), a zesty drink made with Kyoho Japanese grape liqueur, yuzu juice, orange juice, and draught beer.

This was a hosted tasting.

For more Japanese eats, read about famed Tokyo izakaya Uoharu at Shenton Way, or Haruyama Udon’s first flagship outlet at Tampines. Alternatively, check out the newest openings in Singapore here. 

Do explore the GrabFood Dine Out service for awesome deals.

You can also book a ride to Mensho Tokyo to try its specialty ramen.