Ma Maison @ Central Mall

This place (Ma Maison, Central Mall, Eu Tong Sen Street, #03-96) serves Japanese style western food... would it be nice? It is on the third floor, take the escalator in the corner from the santouka ramen joint.

The decor is like a little european house (the name means "my house" in French) so in keeping with the decor and the theme, they give you a metal key with a number corresponding to your table so that you can check out of the european B&B after paying the bill.

DH took the hamburg set with their signature sauce (SGD26). It comes with a small serving of salad, nothing interesting, just lettuce, tomato in thousand island dressing.

Then a bowl of cream soup. cream of what? cream of nothing. it was just cream soup.

DH wondering whether he would find clams or mushrooms in the cream of kosong soup.

I ordered the mentaiko pasta (SGD19), it's a signature dish but not available for lunch usually. The chef graciously agreed to make it for me because I wanted to try it.

This is my first time trying mentaiko pasta. My curiosity was aroused when Chubby Hubby blogged about making it. I was keen to try making it too because DH and I love mentaiko, especially when it is cooked with cheese on a hotplate. This version was disappointing however. It was salty and fishy, without any taste of little balls I was hoping for. I thought every bite would have a burst of fishy roe, creating an interesting contrast between al dente pasta and bouncy fish roe, but this was not to be.

Maybe this was just a version that I don't like. I hope to try more versions of this popular dish before I give my verdict.


DH's hamburger set was quite substantial, and quite nice too. I think there was an egg, and some sweetbreads with the hamburger, if I am not wrong. The sauce was tasty.

It was a late lunch for both of us, but the nice thing is that, whenever DH has a free moment, he would always call me first to ask if I would like to lunch together... so we ended up here to try this.

Ramen Santouka

The latest Ramen restaurant to hit the Japanese dining scene is Ramen Santouka (Central Mall, #02-76).

It serves ramen with pork bone broth, with a wide selection of meats and accompaniments.

DH stumbled upon this place when he had to take a late lunch near his workplace.

I am sure there have been several comparisons between this place and Marutama ramen already (ramen restaurants which originated from Japan, authentic Japanese chefs, both located in Central Mall).

Although we usually go to Marutama Ramen, due to an embarrassing incident, I have decided to avoid that place for a while... so it was really lucky that DH found this new Ramen Joint.

Embarrassing Incident

I was chatting happily with the lady cashier, who took our orders and served us too. She had a slight japanese accent, so I (naturally and presumptiously) assumed that she was Japanese. So everything that I said to her centred on how difficult it must be for her to relocate here.

As we left:

DH (whispering conspitorially) : tell you a secret...
Me (wide-eyed and innocent) : what, what?
DH: She wasn't Japanese.
Me (gasp of horror) : she wasn't?!?!
DH: Yeah when you said it must be so hard for the family when she moved here. She looked totally bewildered... and then she just continued the charade cos it would take more time to explain the mistake to you...
Me: I can never go there again!


So... as I said, it is really fortuituous that DH found Ramen Santouka.

The place isn't very big, but we figured by Japanese standards, it is considered quite large since there were about 4 tables that can seat 4, and several tables for 2 along the window. No counter seats... The counter was only for serving ramen.

Here is DH, aka Mr Mysterious, waiting for his ramen. He has informed me that he cannot be featured on this blog because he is a very important person who might be recognised by his adoring fans. Therefore, all photos of DH henceforth shall be blurred out or of focus like this.

DH ordered the house speciality - tokusen toroniku (sliced pork cheeks) with miso ramen (SGD19.50). There are only 80 servings of this speciality a day because only very little meat is harvested from the cheeks of a pig. DH ordered the upsized version for SGD 2 dollar. For dainty eaters, you can opt to downsize the noodles and save SGD1.

Can you see how thick the soup is? I do find it rather salty and intimidating. But it was nevertheless very tasty. The noodles were chewy and bouncy.

DH's sliced pork cheeks and condiments arrived separately from his ramen. I really like the pork cheeks. They were not very fatty, but were in fact very tender and chewy. A little salty though.

My own order of cha syu ramen with salmon roe don (SGD19.50). The rice was nothing to shout about, I just wanted to try something different.

My choice of spicy miso soup base was good. It was very tasty, and spicier than I had expected. They use chili padi you see.

The pork in the ramen were all different - 1 slice of cha syu, 1 short pork rib and 1 long pork rib. The pork ribs were fatty but tender. The cha syu was melt in the mouth tender.

Ramen is getting very expensive these days... With additional orders of boiled eggs, our lunch exceeded SGD50 with GST.

I quite like it, although I find the ramen rather heavy on salt, oil and taste. Maybe I will try the downsized version next time.

Marutama Ramen @ Central

I've been to Marutama Ramen (Central Mall, #03-90) before, but DH hasn't. So when he proposed date night (ie that he and I go out for dinner, without Cutie), I suggested this place.


DH had the signature Marutama ramen (SGD12) while I ordered the Aka ramen (SGD15).

The Aka Ramen (SGD15) contains springy chicken balls, some strips of seaweed, some chopped spring onion in a tasty slightly tangy stock made with 7 types of nuts. I ordered this with some trepidition as it contained coriander and I didn't like coriander all that much. If the coriander was minced and cooked as part of the stock, I would be doomed. Fortunately, it was just a sprinkling on top, which I removed with ease.

I preferred this soup base to the Marutama soup base because it was very unique. It didn't taste strongly of chicken, but it had a comforting hearty fragrance. The slightly tangy touch made this one very appetising ramen.

I ordered an extra boiled egg for SGD1. For instructions on how to cook the perfect wobbly boiled egg, see this post from Chubby Hubby.

We also shared some interesting sides.

Braised Pork Belly (SGD6). This was tasty but rather too fatty so we didn't finish it.

Yaki Pork Belly (SGD7). I highly recommend this one. This Grilled Pork Belly was crisp on the outside yet was tender and devastatingly delicious. With a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of Japanese chili powder, it was sublime. DH and I were still talking about it on our way out.

Don't forget to order the cha shu as well. It was still melt-in-your-mouth tender and delicious. DH and shared an additional portion for SGD4.

DH and I, whilst waiting for our food.

We didn't have to wait very long for a table, despite the queue. 2 seats at the counter were available, but the group of 4 in front of us had to pass, and the other couple in front of us wanted a table. So we quickly grabbed the counter seats. DH and I love to sit at the counter anyway. I like to see the Japanese chefs at work, and I think they also like to be appreciated.

Doesn't DH look a little weary in the photo above? I think it was cos he was so hungry.

He looks a lot more satiated and happy in this photo!

Marutama Ramen @ Central Mall, #03-90

Finally came down to check out Marutama Ramen (Central Mall, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street #03-90, Tel: 6534-8090) as this place has caused great excitement in the foodblogging community.

I must say, I can't have eaten any good ramen in recent history, because there is no memory of any ramen-eating experience which has evoked any particular emotion or craving. I mean, let's be frank, it just tastes like instant noodles right? There isn't much difference between a well-cooked myojo mee and a mediocre ramen... and the ingredients: egg, char siew, spring onion... the same stuff go on my myojo too.

But I decided to give ramen a chance.

DH is into Japanese anime at the moment, and he loves this series about a boy who learns to be a ninja. The male protagonist, Naruto, is a conflicted character who vacillates between good and evil... and his favourite food? Ramen. So, it can't be that ramen doesn't taste good, it's just that I haven't tasted good ramen.

Marutama ramen uses chicken stock for its broth instead of the more ubiquitous tonkotsu (pork soft bones), miso (soy bean paste) or shoyu (soy sauce). I chose the signature marutama ramen (SGD 12) (it comes with 1 slice of cha shyu) and then added an order of cha shyu (SGD4 for 4 slices) and an egg (SGD 1).

Verdict: I liked the ramen, they were springy and chewy and tasty. The cha shyu was sublime. It was sliced so thin, and it was still so flavourful and it literally melted in my mouth. Very good. The egg was cold when it arrived but was revived by the hot soup. The centre of the yolk was still soft and was neither overcooked nor undercooked. The chicken-based broth tasted very strongly of chicken. I think I would still lean towards tonkotsu, as to me it tastes sweeter and more robust. The fried garlic chips and toasted sesame seeds on each table added a fragrance to to the ramen, and was a nice touch.

3 slices and half an egg (I shared the additional orders with my friend) didn't last very long so I was eating plain noodles for the rest of the meal. Towards the end I got a bit bored eating the ramen only, but I was still hungry. I could have added another portion of ramen to my broth for only SGD 1 (it's an option called Kaedama) but no thanks.

Dessert next. I wanted shiratama azuki and thought I could get them at Azabu Sabo, a Hokkaido-based ice cream chain. But turns out, there were a mere ice-cream stand, with no dessert menu or sit down area.

So we walked around and ended up at Paisley & Cream Cafe (#01-09 same place). It was such a pretty and inviting cafe. Very girly.

My dear friend and I shared a cheesecake with strawberries (SGD6). It was nice, dense and not too sweet. It was the no-bake type which I've made before. It's not too difficult. maybe I should try sometime soon.

Highlander Bar and Restaurant

Clarke Quay is currently the hippest, coolest place in Singapore's fickle clubbing and dining scene. It has a good mix of retail outlets, restaurants, bars and entertainment spots, all set in a charming and quaint historical heritage site. There is much to see, do and eat at Clarke Quay.

One interesting new addition is Highland Bar and Restaurant (Block 3B, The Foundry, #01-11 Clarke Quay, River Valley Road, Singapore 17901 Tel: 6235 9528) which serves authentic Scottish cuisine. I have yet to encounter a restaurant in Singapore which is dedicated to Scottish cuisine, and was delighted to find that Highlander Bar and Restaurant is committed to providing its diners a uniquely bona fide Scottish experience - from the traditional antler chandeliers and contemporary stills of Scotland adorning the interior to the lovely Scottish music and the tartan kilts worn by all its waitstaff!

One notable attraction is its warm and inviting wood-panelled bar, which features an extensive range of more than 200 whiskies by the glass (prices ranging from SGD 10 to SGD70 per shot)!

I started my meal with a traditional Scottish dish not commonly found in these parts– Haggis (SGD 15). Haggis is sheeps’ innards (heart, lung and liver) minced with onions, oatmeal and spices encased in sheeps’ intestines and boiled. It was served with “neeps and tatties” (turnips and potatoes). The haggis was tasty and hearty and didn’t smell strongly of offal. I was assured that the haggis is as authentic as it gets, as it is sourced directly from Scotland, and is not in anyway modified for the local palate. The “neeps and tatties” were smooth and creamy and went well with the hearty haggis.

The Scotch Eggs (SGD 10) were my personal favourite. The hard boiled eggs were wrapped in minced beef, dipped in breadcrumbs and then deepfried. They were light and crispy, and not at all oily or cloying. The best part was the whisky-infused mustard mayonnaise which provided a tangy creamy lift to this dish.

The Venison Sausages (SGD 18) were savoury and meaty, with a tasty spicy bite. Like the haggis, these delicious bits were sourced from Scotland to ensure that authenticity is not compromised.

My other favourite is the White Mealie Pudding (SGD 16). It’s not a dessert, it is actually savoury dish made with white mealie (a type of coarse grain, similar to oatmeal). It was delicious. It was nutty, crunchy and chewy with a unique texture. It’s not something that one can easily find outside of Scotland, so I would recommend that you try this dish here.

My main of Highlander Game Pie (SGD 28) was a hearty, rich stew of venison, quail and sausage, topped with a flaky crispy puff pastry. The meats were tender and were sufficiently infused with the rich stock in which they were cooked.

If meat is not quite your thing, go for the Grilled Royal Deeside Salmon (SGD29) which was well seasoned with rosemary and accompanied by a delicate whisky hollandaise. The fish was still pink in the centre and flaked off easily.

There are quite a number of desserts on the menu, and I would certainly have liked to try more.

As it is, I only had room for the Cranachan (SGD10) which is again a traditional Scottish dessert made of oats soaked in whisky, cream and honey and served with fruit coulis in a tall glass. It’s like an ice cream parfait, minus all the unwanted calories.

Highland Bar and Restaurant is a little piece of Scottish haven right here in Singapore, with everything reflecting the pride and history of Scottish heritage. Highland Bar and Restaurant offers a unique and truly enjoyable dining experience, which I would highly recommend.

Zen's postscript: This post has been published on AsiaOne Wine and Dine at http://wineanddine.asiaone.com.sg/reviews/restaurants/others/20070221_001.html