Tokusen shoyu & Miso tonkotsu ($17.50++ each)!
Tuesday Japanese ramen — tokusen shoyu + miso tonkotsu $17.50 each. Premium ramen specialty pair.
Tuesday Japanese ramen with BB — tokusen shoyu + miso tonkotsu at $17.50++ each. Premium ramen specialty pair.
We ordered:
- Tokusen shoyu ramen — $17.50++
- Miso tonkotsu ramen — $17.50++
Total: $35++ (plus service + GST = ~$41 nett).
The ++ pricing tier puts these at sit-down Japanese ramen specialty restaurant range. Different from food court ramen ($8-12) or casual ramen chains ($12-15), the $17.50++ tier represents the proper specialty ramen restaurant offering.
The tokusen shoyu (特選醤油) is the premium soy-based ramen. “Tokusen” translates as “specially selected” — typically denotes the restaurant’s premium signature ramen variant.
Standard tokusen shoyu format:
- Soy-based broth (shoyu = soy sauce)
- Premium ingredients vs. standard shoyu ramen
- Often dual chashu (multiple pork preparations)
- Premium ajitama (marinated soft-boiled egg)
- Quality menma (bamboo shoots)
- The proper Japanese specialty ramen presentation
The shoyu broth characteristics:
- Lighter coloured than tonkotsu (clear amber)
- Soy sauce + dashi + sometimes chicken or pork bone foundation
- Cleaner flavour profile than tonkotsu
- Proper umami depth from the soy + dashi combination
- Less aggressive than tonkotsu but more flavour than shio (salt)
The miso tonkotsu combines two ramen elements:
- Tonkotsu — rich pork bone broth
- Miso — fermented soybean paste added
The combination provides the bold-rich-fermented flavour profile. Different from straight tonkotsu (which leans pure pork richness) or straight miso ramen (which leans the proper miso character), the miso tonkotsu combines both for proper layered depth.
Common Japanese specialty ramen restaurants in Singapore at this pricing tier:
- Ippudo (premium Hakata-style)
- Ramen Keisuke (multiple specialty variants)
- Tatsuya
- Menya Musashi
- Various Japanese ramen specialists
The Singapore specialty ramen scene has matured significantly across 2015-19. The proper Japanese chefs + authentic recipes + premium ingredient sourcing have established proper sit-down ramen restaurant tier separate from the casual food court ramen format.
Overall: 4.7 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Excellent tokusen shoyu + miso tonkotsu specialty ramen. Would re-visit.
