After a well deserved break from ramen... "WAT? a break from ramen? how DARE u?!?!?" screeched imaginary ramen fans..haha cmon guys! there's oni sooooo much ramen a gal can eat !! any more n i would b ordering ramen in my sleep!! zzz one shoyu ramen pls zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (wahahaha i know i know.. very lameeeeeeeeee but admit it! it's funny! hehe..)

Anyway moving on... getting back on my ramen craze.. i've decided to try out ichibantei at e china square branch! I've been to e robertson quay branch ages ago n all i can remember is tat e normal shoyu ramen is not bad but e tantan ramen is weird! call me an old-fashioned ah ma but i've alwaz preferred e good old stuff.. any funny variations is out for me..

With ichibantei adding to the ramen scene in raffles place (tink baikohken kyonichi beppu n sushi tei even)... office ppl r spoilt for choices! (okie not really.. oni baikohken rocks!) so is ichibantei ichiban?

Ambience-wise there ain't any.. juz a typical eatery setting... ichibantei has never set out for a authentic ramen joint look (tink baikohken) but more of a commercialised wide variety jap place (tink tampopo).. menu-wise it offers a greater variety from una don to steamboat ramen? to e usuals.. so great for those lunching with non-ramen eaters..

I had e tonkutsu ramen ($12) and wat i liked abt this is that it's sooo flavourful! i lurve both shoyu n tonkutsu soup based so gimme tat n i'm a happy gal... tonkutsu is a white broth ... more milky creamier n hence slightly heavier... it's actually quite delish n i happily slurped it all up! e noodles on e other hand is quite a disappointment... way too starchy! (although santouka's e worst in starchy noodles!) i did not like e noodles at all... e cha siew is very yummy for e 1st few bites but it's terribly salty.. even me who lurve salty food tot it's a little over.. e egg is quite yum so no regrets when i unknowingly ordered an extra egg... overall i do like e soup but with a heavier soup base + starchy noodles + salty cha siew = slightly argh! or as my friend said .. "not so shiok!"..

we also had e agedashi tofu which is quite lovely indeed so a good side if u r sick of e usual gyozas.. there's e free flow of water (much needed) and funnily free flow of preserved veggies? .. so great to munch n work out an appetite while u wait!

overall i felt that my experience at robertson's left me a happier gal while china sq's left me damn thirsty.. but it's not a bad place if u wana have a greater variety though... if i wana get my tonkutsu fix? head to nihon ryori at mod sultan!

ichibantei? not so ichiban...