Tan Tan Men, Watthana, Bangkok

My American friend Fluff, (who knows a thing or two about food having worked with some top chefs) told me about this place.  So of course, I needed to pay a visit to Tan Tan Men. 

I went a couple of times in order to try two different ramen dishes.  The restaurant is clean, light and bright.  Located in an old shop house - it is small but tall - meaning there are three floors of seating.

The girls welcome every guest with as much gusto as they bid farewell, which is pretty enthusiastically.  You'll know when patrons enter or leave this place.  The kitchen is located at the back of the ground floor which is slightly open for viewing.

On my first visit, I chose the 'Curry Ramen' at 150 baht.  I simply couldn't believe how big a portion they served.  Wow, I was a little overwhelmed, but seeing as I was hungry, I started to tuck in.  The curry was only mild and it certainly wouldn't blow any heads off. This ramen was fat and tasty.  It was so filling, I couldn't finish the whole lot.  Shame because I really enjoyed it.  Next time though, I will order the Tonkatsu curry ramen (breaded deep-fried pork cutlet) for a bit of added protein.

On my second visit, I ordered the 'Tan Tan Men' ramen at 140 baht.  Again, I couldn't believe the shear scale of the mammoth portion that was brought out to me.  It came topped with fresh beansprouts and spring onions (scallions).  The sesame seed based broth was delightful and left a rather pleasant peanut-y aftertaste.  Again, I simply couldn't finish the whole lot, and again, what a shame!



They also serve one plate rice dishes, stir fry vegetable dishes, fried rice and a few other things like gyoza and tempura.

Prices are reasonable, especially considering how big a portions they are.  Service is polite, friendly and efficient (as one would expect in a Japanese restaurant).  And to top it all off, there is no added service charge or government tax to the bill.  Love this place for all sorts of reasons and I will be back.

Tan Tan Men
595/20 Sukhumvit Soi 33/1, Khlong Tan Nua, Watthana, Bangkok
Tel: +66 (0)2 662 2084
Nearest BTS: Phrom Phong, exit 5.  Keep walking ahead and turn right into Soi 33/1 at the corner of Robin Hood pub.  Tan Tan men is just up on the right-hand side.

HOURS

Daily 11am - Midnight

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Ryoriya Sangokushi, Robertson Quay, Singapore

Do you often hanker for some casual home-style cooking, but away from home?  I know I do.

Yesterday lunch time was one of those moments.  I wanted something filling, but tasty; close by, but enough for a little stroll; and satisfying enough to walk out feeling full, but not to the point of bursting.

Ryoriya Sangokushi is one of those casual places with home-style cooking set in unpretentious and informal surroundings.  They serve 'Japanese style Taiwan cuisine', which I can only describe as Japanese style Taiwan cuisine.

With bright orange seating outside, communal tables and large booths lined along one corner inside, my partner (Mr. P) and I wandered in towards the latter half of the lunch service.

Having been to this place a couple of times before and ordered from the set lunch menu, for around $11-$15 you get a three dish meal.  There is a good variety to choose from and if you don't fancy a set lunch, you can just order from the normal menu.  A few dishes which are listed against the back wall:

Today, I wanted carb and lots of it, so I ordered the braised pork with rice, lo mein noodles, and pan-fried chive and pork dumplings.  With this comes a mini salad, dressed in a light asian dressing and unlimited iced tea.  What I also like about this place is that you get a little paper napkin.  This really has to be my number one peeve when eating out in this country - see my Take Away Guide to eating out in Singapore.

The food arrived pretty quickly.  Salad first, followed by the braised mince pork rice, followed by the lo mein noodles, and then a little wait for the pan-fried dumplings.  The little wait being only a few minutes. 

The braised pork was a little fatty, but I actually didn't mind this as the pork was diced into really small pieces.  It was beautifully tender and had just a slight hint of savoury sweetness.  There was a little chopped pickled cabbage underneath the pork which gave this rice bowl a bit of a tangy twist. 

The ramen noodles were delicious, with a hint of chinese five spice, a few leaves of bok choy and half a hard boiled egg. 

Three little chive and pork dumplings arrived soon after with a shredded ginger in vinegar/soy dipping sauce.

Service was pretty quick, but the place was only half full when we arrived and most people were already eating.  

For a quick home-style lunch, this place isn't bad at all.  I have been here during the busy noon to one o'clock lunch hour and it was packed to the rafters.  Service didn't seem to suffer though.

This place is on my 'regular lunch spots to go to' list when I don't want anything fancy and in need of a casual place to eat close by.  I have heard that it's popular with the expat Japanese crowd, which in my book has to be good sign ....

Ryoriya Sangokushi
Robertson Quay, #01-03 Riverside View, Singapore
Tel: +65 6238 8962

HOURS
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
(Closed during lunch on Mondays)

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Sapporo Ramen Miharu, Robertson Quay, Singapore

In need of a quick fix lunch today, I headed out and across the road to Sapporo Ramen Miharu on the ground floor of the Gallery Hotel.

For those that don't know, ramen is a Japanese noodle dish and the origins of ramen noodle actually came from China.  If you would like to know a little more,  ieatishootipost does a nice little introduction.

Anyhow, at 2pm, it was a late lunch and as I entered this small establishment, it was empty apart from yours truly.  Unperturbed by being a lone diner with three bored looking waitresses, I sat down to peruse the menu. 

Dominated by ramen noodle soup dishes (as one would expect), there are also dumplings (gyoza), appetizers, and a small selection of donburi (or don) on offer  The latter are simply Japanese rice bowl meals: a bowl with rice topped with protein and vegetables. 

At the top of the menu, there is a small note telling the customer that the Nishiyama noodles are especially imported from Japan.  I was rather hoping for freshly made ones on the spot .... or was this just silly wishful thinking on my naive little part. 

I ended up ordering the Shoyu ramen: original soy sauce. The second bored looking waitress proceeded to fetch me a glass of ice cold water whilst the one who took my order went off to the kitchen with my ticket.

Seeing as I had brought along some reading material, I got stuck into it. Otherwise I think I would have been as bored as the waitresses here.

The wait wasn't long and soon a steaming bowl of ramen arrived, served by the third waitress who didn't even glance at me when I said thank you.

As I stared into the bowl, it really did look like the photograph on the menu.  Now that doesn't always happen; what typically happens (to me anyway) is that the dish comes out looking like a completely different one or looking like a total mess.

As I swirled the spoon around, all I could think about was, why so much oil?  Seriously, it looked like a vat full of oil.  And I really dislike oily food.

Still, I began to carefully eat the noodles, shaking off as much excess oily broth as possible.  The noodles were pretty tasty with the right amount of chewiness.  The egg was ever so slightly softly boiled, the sweetcorn gave the dish a little savoury sweetness, and the pork was tender.

A ramen expert, I am not.  Did I enjoy this? Honestly, it was OK.  Would I have it again?  In a word, no.  Was it well executed?  Yes and no: yes in that the individual elements were good, although nothing outstanding and no, because the broth was just so darn oily. 

Now, I'm sure many will disagree with my above sentiments, just as I am sure that some will rave about this place. 

Even if I do end up being the lone diner again, I would like to come back to try their gyoza and a donburi.

Sapporo Ramen Miharu
1 Nanson Road, #01-11 Gallery Hotel, Singapore
Tel:  +65 6733 8464 

HOURS
12am-3pm, 6pm-9pm Daily

Closed on Wednesdays

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Hako, CBD, Melbourne

I came across Hako whilst searching for Japanese places on Flinders Lane.  Seeing as it was close to home (which meant that I wouldn't have far to go), I emailed it to my friend who agreed to it in an instant. 

It's just off Elizabeth Street and wasn't overly busy when we arrived for lunch today.  It's light and airy inside with a bar to the side.  Empty sake bottles line up at one end of the bar to form a 3D sculptural display.

There's a lunch menu with bento boxes, lunch sets and mains.  We both opted for the salmon teriyaki bento box.  The waitress then returned with two little side plates containing just three edamame beans.  OK, not enough to fill you up, but enough to get the tastebuds going. 

She then returned soon after with two steaming hot bowls of miso soup.  It was deliciously warming and certainly got us both excited for the bento boxes.

Thankfully, we didn't have to wait too long for our bento boxes.  Presented in a trio box with rice and salmon, eggplant age dashi and a lightly dressed salad.  The salmon was juicy, fresh and the skin was gorgeously crisp.  The eggplant had been cooked through and just melted in your mouth.  The salad was fresh with crispy leaves.

For $15.80, I didn't think it was overly pricey.  It all tasted absolutely divine - the perfect light lunch.  We both polished off every last piece of rice.  Yes, it was that good! 

A great lunch spot which wasn't overly crowded.  I would certainly go back again.  Service wasn't rushed and they were polite and friendly.  Another good Japanese eatery in the CBD.

Hako

310 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, VIC 3000

Tel:  +61 (0)3 9620 1881 

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Yu-U, Melbourne

I have read about this place being 'hard to find'.  It's not surprising since the entrance is actually on Oliver Lane - which is just off Flinders Lane, as opposed to on it. 

As I walked up Flinders Lane and asked for directions to Oliver Lane or Yu-U, I got some rather vacant looks.  So, I ended up going into a block of apartments where the friendly concierge looked up the address for me. 

When I finally found it, as I had read, the doorway doesn't look like a normal restaurant doorway.  Instead it's a big heavy red-brown steal door set back under a porch.  Known as a 'hidden treasure' of Melbourne; hidden, it certainly is.  Treasure, I was about to find out.

As my lunch companion and I made our way down the concrete stairs into the basement,  we turned to our right to enter a dimly lit, but beautifully peaceful room.  You'd be forgiven for thinking that this was a Japanese spa. 

A couple more steps down the wooden platform and we waited as one of the smiling female waitresses, all dressed in black, approached us.  She seated us by the eating counter, which was already fully lined with people. 

The open room looks part zen, part industrial with the steel air vent units running along the ceiling and the steel cooking bench sitting in the centre of the eating counter.  On the back wall are kitchen units with wooden bench tops, it wouldn't look out of place in a family home kitchen.

The eating counter itself is polished dark wood and wide enough to fit many plates.  Seating around the counter are comfortable ultrasuede blue cushioned wooden frame back chairs.

There are two private rooms which can be booked.  And two long wooden tables and benches are strategically placed to the side of the room.  This place is not huge, but the atmosphere is one of calmness and serenity.  The perfect setting for a relaxing lunch. 

From the $18 set menu today, there is the choice of 'Beancurd and vegetables in a mushroom sauce', 'Pork', 'Seafood' (which included tempura prawns), 'Sashimi' or 'Salmon Teriyaki'.

We both chose the Salmon Teriyaki.  Unfortunately I was not able to take any pictures.  Having read about this place not liking people take photos of the food, the waitress did give my camera a wary look.  So apologies...

I will describe my lunch as best I can.  The food was brought out on a tray.  There was a bowl of rice, a bowl of miso, a little saucer of seaweed salad and, another of cabbage and carrot pickle.  The pickle was only light, so it didn't cause any scrunching of the face that sour pickles can do. 

The soup had small chunks of cabbage and carrot.  It was a very clear broth which didn't taste like your normal miso soup.  It was refreshing though and certainly cleansed the palate before delving into the delightful sesame dressed seaweed salad and cabbage pickle.

The salmon teriyaki was lovingly flavoured with a thin teriyaki sauce (like the consistency of a jus) that had been spooned over it.  The salmon was beautifully cooked, soft and juicy pink. Next to it was a small mountain of potato salad which was absolutely out of this world delicious. There was also another small mountain, of very finely shredded cabbage which contrasted well with the teriyaki sauce.

The waitresses were unobtrusive, polite and smiley.  They are there when you need them and they don't bother you at all.  They understand that patrons are there to sit, enjoy and relax.

With limited opening hours, it's definitely worth a trip if you like Japanese food and want somewhere without the fuss.  Another bonus - there wasn't the usual crowd of young students that seem to crowd other Japanese eateries in the CBD. 

What I love about Yu-U is that it doesn't feel as though it has to try hard to grab everyone's attention out on the street.  It's certainly a little gem, a rather low-key gem.  But that is what makes this place so very special and wonderful.   

Yu-U
137 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: +61 (0)3 9639 7073

Weekdays Lunch: 12-2:15pm; Weekdays Dinner: 6-9:15pm

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Chocolate Buddha, Melbourne

There are plenty of Japanese eateries in Melbourne.  More so than I have ever seen outside of Japan in fact.  This is good for me because I absolutely love Japanese food.  My love affair with this cuisine began a few years ago when I visited Japan on an around the world trip.  Although I was living on a tight budget, I was fascinated by all the wonderful food on show.

Before that, my experiences of Japanese food were scarce and varied from packet udon and soba noodles to vegetarian sushi rolls as a teenager.   I eventually progressed onto sashimi and teppanyaki.  But it wasn't until I was in Japan that I fell absolutely head over heels in love with their amazing food.  So it comes as no surprise at how delighted I was to discover the vast amount of Japanese cuisine on offer here.

Having walked through Federation Square several times, I was intrigued by a place on the square called Chocolate Buddha.  Not only by its name, but also by the fact that it was always heaving each time I walked past.  At first glance, I thought it was a chocolate themed cafe.  But on closer inspection it is in fact, a funky Japanese restaurant.  What makes them different is that they serve mainly organic and free-range produce.

It's a canteen style restaurant with tables and benches outside and long communal tables inside.  There are seats that go all the way around the window which is perfect for people watching.  As you walk inside, there is a small bar to the right, the restaurant to your left.  There is a truly busy vibe about this place which makes you feel like you are in for a good meal. 

Having arrived for an early six o'clock dinner, it was already packed out.  Thinking that the wait may be a little while, two window seats were suddenly being vacated.  Being the Miss Bossy Boots that I am, I wasted no time in pointing out to the waitress that I wanted those seats.  She nodded in acknowledgement and politely asked us to wait in the bar area whilst they cleared and re-laid the table.   Luckily, it wasn't too long before we sat down to a wide angle view of Federation Square and began to enjoy watching the hustle and bustle.

Feeling famished, an order of edamame, pork gyozas and agedashi tofu for starters were on the cards.  The edamame was brought out pretty quickly and were hot, salty and oh sooo tasty.  The pork gyozas came next and they looked pretty good.  They were plump, crisp and tasted great.  And finally, the Agedashi tofu soon followed.  It didn't look as good as I had hoped it would do and on tasting it, it was a little dissappointing.  For me, I like my agedashi tofu crispy and golden.  This was neither and the dashi-based sauce was also a little too weak for my liking also.

Edamame, mmmm...

Pork Gyozas, ahhh...

 Agedashi tofu, hmmm...

For mains, I carried on with the tofu theme and opted for the tofu and vegetables rice bowl.  My dining partner chose the teriyaki chicken with spinach rice bowl.  They both came with a bowl of piping hot miso soup.  Yummy!

Tofu and vegetables rice bowl

Teriyaki chicken and spinach rice bowl with miso soup

Unfortunately, my tofu and vegetables rice bowl lacked any real punch and flavour.  OK, so tofu doesn't taste of much as it is, but the sauce really could have done with some more oomph.  The teriyaki chicken was really only mediocre and nothing special to write home about.  The miso soup was probably the best part of the mains and it was gorgeously piping hot as opposed to warm.

All in all Chocolate Buddha was dissappointing.  If you look online, it's got some rave reviews.  However for me, it's like a funky version of a Wagamamas, only slightly more pricey.  I won't be going back in a hurry and seeing as Melbourne has so many more Japanese restaurants and cafes to try out, I know I'll be busy working trying to work my way through the rest of them. 

Chocolate Buddha

Federation Square, Cnr Swanston & Flinders Streets, Melbourne, VIC 3000

Tel: +61 (0)3 9654 5688

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