Ramen Atelier – Savourworld, Ascent (Closed)

(Ramen Atelier had since ceased operations.)

Opened for quite a while at Savourworld, Ramen Atelier is a local brand known for their take on Japanese ramen with the use of French cooking techniques; a pretty unique take on ramen.

Having occupied another unit within the same building during their pop-up phase, Ramen Atelier moved to their own shop space just a few units down pretty recently; it is now located opposite KICK Cafe located at the other end of Savourworld. The interior fittings are kept to the bare minimum; the space being rather functional with just tables and colourful chairs in a spacious setting with bare white walls with LCD TVs fitted to the walls above the counter to showcase their menu items. Their menu had expanded a little since their pop-up days though still only carries ramen without sides; while the Ramen Rogue, Ramen Noir and Ramen Blanc are still around, there are new additions such as the Maze Men de Conard (which was the newest item available during our visit) as well as the Ramen Vert.

(Ramen Rogue)

Having tried the Ramen Rogue previously during their pop-up, Ramen Atelier had since changed and improved the recipe quite a bit. The Ramen Rogue consists of elements such as Tomato Tare, Pork & Chicken Broth, Pork Belly Chashu, Ajitsuke Tamago, Bean Sprouts, Spring Onions and Special Togarashi Chili; the broth itself was heavier on tomato, thus a tangy yet sweet flavour that is pretty rich before everything is mixed in. Once everything is mixed in, the Special Togarashi Chili gives the broth an umami touch with a pretty moderate kick of spiciness; intense yet pretty shiok as we found ourselves irresistibly slurping the broth despite the spiciness in between spoonfuls of the springy noodles. The Cha Shu carries that meaty flavour of pork, but does not carry any porky stench, while the Ajitsuke Tamago reveals an oozy egg yolk similar to a molten egg; perfectly executed. While the ramen does feel pretty much unlike the usual bowl of Japanese ramen for the emphasis is with the Tare (which is the Japanese term for “sauce”) rather than on the bone broth, it is one that brings a new experience and perspective to the table that is atypical of Japanese ramen.

(Maze Men de Canard)

We also went for the Maze Men de Conard, their latest creation where Duck Confit meets the Japanese dry ramen. While this is unlike, and not intended to be the Nagoya-style dry ramen that a few places have started offering of the late (e.g. Kajiken), this was also pretty well done in its own right. Coming with Shredded Duck Confit, Charred King Oyster Mushrooms, Purple Cabbage, Carrot, Citrus-Soy Dressing and Onsen Tamago, the Maze Men de Conard comes with the same springy noodles tossed in the Citrus-Soy Dressing that exudes a light hint of savoury yet tart fragrance  to the noodles that was pretty uplifting, yet keeps one going on and on making the noodles pretty easy to finish despite its plain looks. The Shredded Duck Confit was also absolutely delicious; briny chunks of duck meat that helps add a savoury flavour to the dish. Charred King Oyster Mushrooms carried a bite; almost the same way as how bamboo shoots are included in bowls of ramen in other places for the same texture. Overall, yet another unconventional bowl of ramen that is well-executed here.

There are many ramen places around Singapore, but none of which is pretty much like Ramen Atelier; most of them are often boasting about authenticity with the focus being mainly on the broth and noodles, but Ramen Atelier takes it to another level by coming up with unconventional combination of cooking styles and ingredients for the humble Japanese ramen with the use of French culinary methods. The results are really unique; each ramen on the menu carrying its own distinct character and unique identity behind their brand name. One might argue that the ramen may not be authentic here, but it is inspiring to see how the chefs here are taking the plunge by creating their own twist with research and development; the items we had were interesting variations of ramen that worked well and were done well. While the ramen here may not sit well with self-proclaimed ramen purists, it is one spot that ramen lovers should check out especially for those who are open to the idea of having an unconventional bowl of ramen with a different take; it is probably what Ramen Atelier does best in!

Ramen Atelier
Ascent
2 Science Park Drive
#01-14
Singapore 118222

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramenatelier/