A Noodle Story, Singapore-style Ramen
If you're a major noodle lover, A Noodle Story's a hawker stall worth checking out. Started by a duo of noodle lovers, who trained together at Shatec, the stall is the realisation of their dream to sell a premium noodle dish at an affordable price. Using modern culinary techniques and through re-engineering of classic hawker flavours, the intrepid pair created their very own Singapore-Style Ramen.
Singapore-Style Ramen @ S$5
Larger portions are priced at S$6 & S$7
Essentially, Japanese-influenced ramen with a Singaporean twist, the toppings were as interesting as the flavours. The egg noodles were springy and packed a tasty punch! Each mouthful of noodles was an umami-filled experience. Though I'm not sure what the black specks were, they seemed to be Konbu Tsukudani (Japanese seaweed) prepared in a manner that somehow also reminded me of both Mei Cai (Chinese preserved mustard greens) and Chye Poh (Chinese salted radish). The noodles are a Must-Try!
The toppings seemed to pale in comparison to the "wow!" factor that the noodles had. I felt the Japanese-style braised Chashu and Ajitama (stewed "lava" egg) could do with just a little more flavour if eaten on their own. I also felt the Chashu could be a little more tender. However, the strong flavour of the noodles helped to add flavour to both items. The Crispy Potato-wrapped Prawn was a nice touch that reminded me of Chinese Dim Sum, though I wish the potato strips were slightly more crisp and that this quality extended to a few more layers of the potato wrapper. The Hong Kong-style Wantons (dumplings) had a nice bite while the chili paste and dried chili strips added some heat to the dish.
Sneaky shot of the stall while waiting in line
Judging from the entries on the Facebook page, the young chefs seem to be tweaking their food according to feedback. I guess it's still early days as the stall opened on 13 February and I happened to try their food within the first 2 weeks of operation. A Noodle Story offers side dishes as well should you wish to peck at smaller bites instead or pile on the ingredients for your noodles.
A Noodle Story #01-39 Amoy Street Food Centre 7 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069111 Phone: +65 9027-6289 Email: gwern@thechefstory.com Website: www.thechefstory.com Operating Hours: Mondays to Fridays: 10 am to 7 pm Closed on Saturdays & Sundays