Reddy on Ramen Fever - Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King @ Paya Lebar Square

Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King is one of the 4 ramen concepts born from Chef Keisuke Takeda's first outlet of Ramen Dining Keisuke Singapore, and the other 3 being Tori King, Tonkotsu King Four Season and Tonkotsu King Matsuri. To add on to the already burgeoning list, Chef Keisuke also has a gyoza dining concept aptly named Gyoza King, Sake Bar Takeda Shoten and also (my personal favourite) Ginza Tendon Itsuki (click on the name to read up more on previous visits). As with most places with good food, there is usually a queue of hungry patrons waiting patiently for their turns. The queue does not get Ippudo-Crazy but ya, there is a queue. What I love about their ramen? The broth is good, yes, but I especially love the thinly sliced stir fried pork belly that garnishes each serving of the "King" option. And oh, for egg lovers? They have FOC hard boiled eggs to accompany your piping hot bowl of ramen - "free flow style"!

Tonkotsu Ramen "King" @ $12.90, add flavoured egg for $2.00 more

Pocket Friendly - Sushi Express @ Newly Renovated White Sands

Sushi Express, if I read correctly, is a Taiwanese sushi chain founded over a decade ago in 1996. They pride themselves for offering sushi at a very affordable price, in our LittleRedDot, everything goes for $1.50. There is no varying charges for items of different "colored plates", as it is in some other sushi chain, everything you see, is $1.50 each. Their pocket friendly prices have of course, garnered quite a following. For those who have a tummy with bottomless-pit-proportions, Sushi Express is godsent. Oh just one small note, you are given a 50 minute time limit to gorge :)

Seeing is believing

Reddy's Comfort Food - Ippudo

Ippudo. The name synonymous with a good hearty bowl of ramen - where there is just that little something extra and something different that is so addictive, and it makes me drool myself silly at the very thought. Ippudo was founded in 1985, in what is called the "Ramen Capital of Hakata", by Mr Shigemi Kawahara. Fast forward to present day, Ippudo have since flourished to over 80 stores in Japan alone and about 40 more worldwide. In my opinion, what sets apart one bowl of ramen to the other is nothing but the broth. At Ippudo, the color of the broth seems about the same as everywhere else, but the taste? Oh, the exquisite taste! There is so much depth and aroma to each spoonful, which can only be possible with meticulous and painstakingly time consuming extracting of all the wonderful goodness from hours of boiling of bones and meat (basically that's what I understand from making ramen broth, haha). Ippudo was then my favourite ramen joint, is currently still my favourite ramen joint, and probably will remain as THE favourite ramen joint for some time to come.

Appetiser of Goma Q (Chilled Cucumber) @ $6.00

Miam Miam #Rehash

Yes, we have been here before. And we are back again! Good food just a short hop away from our abode, and prices are kind to the pockets too. Miam Miam is a French inspired What was to be a 30 minute wait for RaRa progressed on to an hour worth of wait, on a rumbling tummy. Hurried on to Miam Miam to find that RaRa have ordered himself a Hot Chocolate, a Spaghetti Carbonara and a Valhorna Souffle (signature dish). And poor Mommy? She settled for a Squid Ink Pasta and scraps the souffle.

Valhorna Chocolate Souffle @ $13.80.

Am threading the thin line of being a gluttonous pig by saying that there should be MORE melted Valhorna dark chocolate, when this would actually suffice for any ordinary folk. Haha. Piggy!

Back With A Vengeance - Tendon Ginza Itsuki @ Tanjong Pagar

After Reddy's maiden visit to this unpretentious joint, Reddy's been dying to return to sample the "Special". A quick recap to those who might have missed the first post on Tendon Ginza Itsuki, they are a small nondescript (well not quite, considering the masses of people queuing up every day) Japanese joint that serves Tendon (tempura on rice), and they have only TWO items on their menu - either you go with the Special or the Vegetarian. That simple. Since the first visit, Reddy's been stalking the place on a daily (weekday) basis. And there is always a looooonnggg snaking queue. But no, not this one day. Upon seeing only 2 very lonely people in the queue, Reddy quickly chanced on this!

Finally. After over a month of stalking. The Special One has reached my tummy!

Special Tendon $13.90 (after taxes $16.35) consists of 2 pieces each of juicy chicken breast and (very fresh) prawns, 1 egg and 4 pieces of vegetables.

Let's Fly For Lunch! - The Flying Squirrel @ Amoy

Having heard only rave reviews about this place, Reddy's lone lunch adventure listed The Flying Squirrel on the agenda. Seems that they have been around since 2013 and is the brainchild of the local music duo Jack and Rai and is run by Jack's wife. I had to Google Map this place, and upon nearing the dot on the map, lo and behold came a sign asking me to turn left and walk to the far end of the back alley. Oohh, this is too interesting.. Tucked at the back of an old shophouse is the nondescript location of this modern Japanese joint.

Ordered the Chef Surprise Bento. They make only 3 sets for a day, so let's just grab this and stuff my face silly. Oh, the Pumpkin Croquette? Soft, sweet, simple and delicious on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Lunch With The Crazy Crowd - Tendon Ginza Itsuki @ Tanjong Pagar Road

Joining the ranks of the famous stretch of Japanese restaurant along Orchid Hotel, Tendon Ginza Itsuki (barely 1 month old) has already managed to have a 'velvet-rope-queue' worth of crowd every single day. They are a joint collaboration between the infamous Ramen King Keisuke Takeda and Ginza Itsuki Sushi (sushi restaurant in Tokyo). And they serve - ONLY 2 Tendon dishes (basically tempura rice bowl), either you order the "Special" or "Vegetable". Can't help but to overhear some people ahead of me lament "The last time we were here, even the people ahead us were already queueing 30 minutes, don't know how long we will queue today". Gulp. But, armed with a bagful of persistence and patience, my turn finally came. 30 minutes later. Add another 15 minutes of waiting time (in a more comfortable setting than the hot queue outside), lunch finally filled my tummy after some 45 minutes worth of accumulated time. Was it worth the wait? Hai,-sodesu!

Having had more than needed calories from a burger last night, it's time to go vegetarian for the day

Lunch With The Crowd - YAYOI Japanese Teishoku Restaurant @ 100AM Tras Street

Having passed this place numerous times and given it a miss, finally I decided to give it a go after reading up about it in a local edition of a Japanese lifestyle magazine, WAttention. Yayoi adopts the "Teishoku" or set meals concept. A typical Teishoku consists of a main dish of fish or meat, and it is accompanied by Miso soup, side dish of vegetables and "Tsukemono" pickles. Yayoi price their Teishoku reasonably fair, with the lowest being just $9.90++ ($12.53 after taxes).

Choice for today, Simmered Mackarel in Miso Paste Set @ $9.90