Ramen Taisho: Hearty tonkotsu ramen & tsukemen under this Tampines West HDB block
I was heading toward Tampines West MRT on a random Saturday afternoon, when a long queue caught my eye.
Just outside Exit A sat Ramen Taisho, a humble ramen shop tucked quietly under Block 802 Tampines Avenue 4.
Naturally, I had to find out what the buzz was about, especially for a spot that seemed well-loved among Tampines residents in the vicinity.
The shop accepts CDC vouchers, too!
Helmed by husband-and-wife duo Tan Hock Soon and Kalene Chung, both 54, Ramen Taisho began its journey back in 2016, when it first opened at NTUC Foodfare in Clementi Mall.
A year later, the shop moved to Maxwell Hawker Centre, allowing the couple greater freedom to experiment with Ramen Taisho’s menu. During its five years at Maxwell, it steadily built a following for its flavourful broths and handcrafted ramen noodles.
Before slinging bowls of ramen, Hock Soon and Kalene worked for 10 years as distributors of Korean cosmetic products.
They observed that knock-off products were becoming more rampant on online platforms, which eventually took a toll on their sales. That’s when they decided to start a business they could call their own.
Hock Soon’s passion for ramen-making started in the most surprising way — via a Youtube video. Discovering that ramen noodles are made from just two ingredients — flour and water — was a revelation he now laughs about, while calling himself “ignorant” for not knowing it sooner.
That fun fact left a lasting impression, and drove him to explore the craft further. Hock Soon went on to purchase a ramen-making machine, using a government grant.
But it didn’t take long for reality to set in — producing quality noodles was far more complex than it looked.
Besides attempting to learn from a shop owner in Japan, Hock Soon and Kalene enrolled in various classes — both attended an udon course in Kagawa, then separately, one in Chiba and the other in Osaka — to properly understand the technicalities.
Even then, progress didn’t come easy. “We even went to check the rubbish bins of ramen restaurants, hoping to piece together clues and ingredients we were still struggling to replicate,” Hock Soon recalls.
The takeaway from it all? As Hock Soon puts it: “We never wanted to give up. It’s also important to learn through trial and error.”
Their vision for Ramen Taisho is straightforward: Serve well-made food, using quality ingredients, and at reasonable prices.
“You have to be genuine with your customers — don’t try to ‘smoke’ (bluff) them,” Hock Soon adds.
Though Ramen Taisho no longer produces its noodles in-store, unlike its early days at Maxwell Food Centre, it doesn’t mean quality is compromised.
The noodles are now made at a factory using Hock Soon’s tried-and-tested recipe, then delivered every two days to maintain freshness. Hock Soon points to age and production constraints as factors behind the shift.
From its hawker roots to a standalone space
Manpower challenges, coupled with the realities of age, also pushed them toward building something more sustainable for the long term.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Hock Soon and Kalene took a short break, using the time to scout for a space to launch Ramen Taisho as a standalone concept.
The shop first reopened at Le Quest Shopping Mall in Bukit Batok for around two years, before settling into its new home at Tampines West in November 2024.
Business has been doing well since, though for Hock Soon, the real reward comes from “the excitement from the community when they realised we are in the neighbourhood,” he says.
You can expect classics, such as shio tonkotsu (S$10.80) and black tonkotsu (S$10.80), and even tsukemen (dipping ramen), including a salted egg tsukemen (S$12.80), for those keen on switching things up.
Westies aren’t forgotten, either — Ramen Taisho launched its second outlet at Hillview in Bukit Batok last year. It’s closer to the couple’s home and offers Hock Soon the flexibility to work on R&D, whenever time allows.
Over at the Hillview outpost, nestled within Timbre+ food court, the offerings remain largely the same, albeit with fewer ramen toppings and at gentler price points — below S$11.
Ramen Taisho Tampines’ menu
Traditionalists should go straight for the black tonkotsu (S$10.80), which brings together Ramen Taisho’s signature pork broth with aromatic black garlic oil, which adds extra savoury depth. It’s creamy, yet well-balanced, which keeps you going, spoon after spoon.
The noodles were pretty impressive, too. Even after lingering in the broth, while we busily snapped photos, it still stayed firm with a satisfying snappy bite.
Ramen Taisho’s choice of protein is pork collar, sous vide with a housemade marinade. The tender meat tastes almost ham-like in flavour, and is a delightful swap from the usual pork belly that might feel a little too fatty toward the end.
With black fungus, a jammy ramen egg, and the rich broth tying it all together, it’s a straightforward bowl that gets the fundamentals right.
If you’re craving something with some heat, the sambal tonkotsu (S$11.80) is a solid alternative. It comes with the same toppings found in every bowl at Ramen Taisho, too.
We went with the normal spice level and found it enjoyably approachable, considering my usual threshold caps out at wei la (mildly spicy). The heat doesn’t overwhelm at all, while a hint of sweetness keeps the broth irresistibly slurpable — a plus-point, in my books.
That said, hardcore spice lovers may find the normal level a little tame. So if you’re after a proper kick, the extra spicy option is the way to go.
We also tried the bonito tsukemen (S$12.80), featuring the same ramen noodles and served with a dipping soup infused with dried bonito flakes (smoked skipjack tuna).
Ramen Taiso doesn’t use the thicker noodles typically paired with dipping broths, but these slender strands held up surprisingly well on their own, nonetheless.
The broth packs a serious umami wallop, with every mouthful delivering a smoky, savoury punch. It can be quite intense, perhaps not for those who have a penchant for mildly seasoned flavours.
But if you love a bold and super gao (thick) stock, this will be right up your alley.
The salted egg tsukemen (S$12.80) sounded intriguing, and had us curious the moment we laid eyes on it.
Sadly, the umami richness you’d anticipate from salted egg felt muted, and somewhat artificial. Overall, it left us underwhelmed and wishing for more depth.
We’d suggest skipping this one and going for safer picks, such as the classic shio tsukemen (S$10.80), or even the sambal tsukemen (S$11.80).
The karaage (S$6.60) deserves a shoutout, too!
Crispy on the outside and ultra-juicy on the inside, each bite-sized chunk hits the perfect spot. We had zero complaints and would have happily gone for another round…if only our stomachs had more room.
There’re other side dishes as well, such as pan-fried gyoza (S$6.80), butter edamame (S$5.80), and even crab cream korokke (also known as croquette, S$7.80).
Could Ramen Taisho be one of Tampines West’s best-kept secrets? Quite possibly — and really, Tampines residents, you’re pretty lucky to have this homely ramen shop in the ‘hood.
Happen to be in Tampines? Check out our list of Tampines food spots and Golden Chopsticks in Century Square, dishing out fare from 3 provinces in China.
Tue 12pm - 3pm, 5.30pm - 9pm
Wed 12pm - 3pm, 5.30pm - 9pm
Thu 12pm - 3pm, 5.30pm - 9pm
Fri 12pm - 3pm, 5.30pm - 9pm
Sat 12pm - 3pm, 5.30pm - 9pm
Sun 12pm - 3pm, 5.30pm - 9pm
- Tampines West
Shannon has the taste buds of a grandmother and perpetually struggles with a food coma.
Read more stories from this writer.
