Marutama Ramen (Bugis+)

Marutama Ramen at Bugis+ is a branch of the Japanese ramen chain known for its creamy chicken broth. It is on the fourth floor of the Bugis+ mall on Victoria Street, close to Bugis Street and Kampong Glam.

Marutama started in Kawaguchi, near Tokyo, in 2001 and opened its main shop in Ryogoku a year later. It was an early champion of tori paitan, a thick, cloudy ramen soup made from chicken rather than pork bones. The brand came to Singapore in 2007 and now runs several outlets here.

How the ramen is made

The kitchen cooks chicken in a special pressure cooker to draw out a rich soup full of collagen. The result is creamy, yet it still tastes clean at the finish. The noodles are made in-house with flour brought in from Japan. The pork char siu is marinated for 24 hours before cooking. Signature toppings include a seasoned egg (aji-tamago) and aosa, a green seaweed imported from Japan.

What to order

First-timers should start with the house bowl. Most of the ramen here use the same chicken soup with different toppings.

• Marutama Ramen: the most popular bowl, with chicken broth and a seasoned egg.
• Char Siu Marutama Ramen: the same bowl with four slices of house-made pork char siu.
• Tori Marutama Ramen: sliced chicken char siu instead of pork, with spring onion and seaweed.
• Aka Ramen: chicken soup with a paste of seven ground ingredients, including nuts and chilli. It is only mildly spicy.
• Zenbu Nosé Ramen: the bowl with every special topping, for big appetites.
• Marutama Tan-men: chicken soup piled with vegetables, also sold in a spicy version.

Handmade gyoza are the classic side order, and at Bugis+ you can have them pan-fried or boiled. There are also small rice bowls and a Japanese rolled omelette (dashimaki). Not every dish on the chain's menu is sold here: the tsukemen (dipping noodles), for example, is only served at another outlet.

Good to know before you go

• The Bugis+ outlet does not take reservations, so just walk in.
• The core broth is chicken-based. If you avoid pork, the Tori bowls use chicken char siu, but the gyoza contain pork, so check other toppings and sides with the staff.
• If you like heat, the Aka bowls are the spicy choice, though they stay fairly gentle.
• Delivery can be ordered through the Marutama website.

Nearby

After your meal, browse the stalls at Bugis Street or walk over to Kampong Glam and Haji Lane for shophouses, cafés and the Sultan Mosque. For more Japanese food in the area, try Ume San 100 at Fortune Centre. You can also see all restaurants in Bugis and Kampong Glam or our list of Japanese restaurants in Singapore. If you are choosing where to stay, read Orchard or Bugis: which is the better base.