Nice, or not? We try Nice Noodle, the new viral noodle bar in Telok Ayer with nice fresh fusion ideas
Have you been served clips from Nice Noodle, Telok Ayer’s newest viral opening, yet?
Well, it’s been popping up all over our feed and — as major noodle lovers — we had to check out Singapore’s newest viral noodle bar.
The newly opened Nice Noodle is located in Oxley Tower, in a cosy little corner unit that could seat perhaps a little over 10 people.
This is the newest concept by the folks behind Nice Rice, which serves hearty rice bowls to the CBD lunch crowd out of cult-favourite bar Moonstone.
Nice Rice and Nice Noodle are the handiwork of chef Mandel Ban, who worked at Vianney Massot, a now-defunct French restaurant that held a Michelin star.
At his concepts, you get to see how the experienced chef marries his favourite Japanese flavours with his French culinary background — many dishes come with interesting Japanese fusion twists!
Nice Noodle, nice or not?
Guests are given a choice of three protein options, which are then paired with one of six styles of noodles.
First, you choose a protein between the pig (pork belly chashu), bird (butter-poached chicken breast), or beef (marinated beef short plate, extra S$2).
Then you decide on your choice of noodle. Nice Noodle splits the six different noodle bases into two categories: three soup-based “brothy”, and three dry “silky” items.
Everything is priced reasonably for a sit-down restaurant in the CBD, ranging from S$10 to S$16.
Of the six, which one is most worth your attention?
Some noodle bases for your consideration include cold broth noodles, Indomie-inspired dry ramen, and spicy broth noodles with numbing oil.
From the broth section, it’s between the Cool (S$12) or Brothy (S$14) for us.
Nice Noodle’s Cool broth ramen is a pretty cool idea, where thin mee kia-esque noodles come bathed in an icy tare broth. It’s almost like a cross of cold soba with mee kia.
The tare broth is a lot more complex and plush with savoury flavours, compared to the usual soba dipping sauce, though.
It’s somehow simultaneously gratifying and refreshing!
The Brothy is another broth option that is a lot richer, featuring a chicken broth base, jazzed up with brown-butter fragrance — we also recommend adding on a truffled onsen egg (extra S$2) for additional oomph!
Besides the soupy stars, we also found the Indoramen (S$12) from the “silky” section very intriguing. It’s basically Nice Noodle’s spin on a guilty pleasure.
It uses a homemade kecap manis blend, and is topped with crispy shallots and garlic. And you know what? This rendition stacks up against many popular Indomie goreng spots in Singapore, such as Fangko.
Struggling to pick a protein to go with your noods? Let’s make this easy: Get the pork belly chashu.
After trying a myriad of specialist ramen shops in Singapore and Japan, we have to admit that Nice Noodle’s rendition ranks right up there for us.
The pork belly chashu is tender with a silky streak of fat, but isn’t too unctuous, and comes with a yummy glaze that adds a bit of extra dimension.
Its butter-poached chicken breast is a close second, though, essentially boasting a texture that’s as plush and snappy as poached chicken breast can be.
So, is Nice Noodle nice? Yes, we think it is.
The problem isn’t with the quality and price, though — it’s probably the fact that you have to hustle to get to the front of a queue filled with other noodle lovers in the CBD!
This was a hosted tasting.
For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on the value-for-money Italian brunch buffet in Telok Ayer and the best spots to visit on your birthday for alluring birthday deals!
Tue 11.30am - 7.30pm
Wed 11.30am - 7.30pm
Thu 11.30am - 7.30pm
Fri 11.30am - 7.30pm
- Shenton Way
- Tanjong Pagar
- Telok Ayer
Evan started off writing about food on Instagram, before joining outlets such as Buro and Confirm Good to pursue his passion. His best work usually comes after his first whisky shot in the morning.
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