Butahage

One of my dining companions chanced upon Butahage on the 2nd floor of Liang Court during one of the times we were there, and suggested having lunch at this Japanese place another day. So here we were on a weekday, a big group of us. Upon seeing how it could not accommodate all of us and that only butadon is on the menu, some decided to eat elsewhere. I stayed on, of course, and ordered mine with ontama. According to its website, butadon or grilled pork rice originates from Tokachi Obihiro in Hokkaido and Yumepirica is the sticky and sweet rice used in Butahage. Could neither rave about the thin slices of lean pork grilled at 850^oC nor fault the soft boiled egg. The former was not as tender as I would have liked it to be though together with its Tare sauce (a soy-based marinade), was reminiscent of homecooked food. While I am not a fan of miso soup, could not say the same of pickled radish – loved the accompanying tsuboduke.

Marutama Ramen

With an orange logo reminiscent of basketball and a name which sounded like "his/her mother" in Chinese, Marutama Ramen opened its 1st branch at Central in 2007. My dining companions and I tried it many years ago, not long after it opened. Recalled how we were not seated until all of us had reached the restaurant on the 3rd floor though the only one yet to be in the queue was already exiting Clarke Quay MRT Station when it was our turn. Marutama Ramen has a simple menu with limited choices and serves Hakata thin noodles in chicken broth. Vaguely remembered I liked its springy ramen though another dining companion prefers Santouka, located on the 2nd floor within the same shopping mall. More branches had since opened at Liang Court, Suntec City and Killiney Road (note that the one at United Square has closed). Chanced upon the latter, not listed on its website, on a weekday evening and there was no queue.