The Place Boat Quay is usually not our usual hangout when it comes to food, but our curiosity got the better of us to head down to try Menya Sakura. This Nagoya-style ramen opened along the touristy stretch of Boat Quay a few months back, helmed by Chef Sho Naganuma, who used to be from Hide Yamamoto. Unlike most ramen joints in Singapore, you get a river facing view of the glorious Singapore River, though the trade-off is the scorching heat during the day. Otherwise, there is an indoor area which can probably accommodate around 30 pax.

The Food Expect a wide selection of predominantly Tonkotsu ramen and Chuka Soba here. Interestingly, Chuka Soba leans more towards the Chinese style noodles back in the good old days of ramen history, and I first tried it when I was in Takayama, Japan.

We tried a bowl of the Tonkotsu Ramen (S$10.90), which comes with a few slices of chashu. The broth is unlike the dense Tonkotsu broth I’m used to having, as it was much clearer and lighter. The pork ingredients were boiled and simmered for at least 14 hours according to the description on the menu for its clear taste of Tonkotsu. That said, I found it to be too bland for a hearty Tonkotsu ramen. The chashu fared better than the broth itself with its tender texture.

My preferred alternative is the Tonkotsu Gyokai Jukusei Ramen (S$11.90), one of the special edition ramen listed on the menu. This Tonkotsu broth was much richer and tasty, where a special aged soy sauce imported from Japan was added to prepare the broth.

Rants While the idea of having ramen outdoors beside the Singapore River may sound dreamy to some, the hot noodles simply do not resonate so well with our climate. The indoor air-conditioned seating area is not huge, but definitely more comfortable.

Will I Return Again? I had high expectations for Menya Sakura given the profile of its Head Chef. However, I found the ramen to be rather pedestrian and would probably not make a special trip down to have it again, though it certainly qualifies as one of the better dining options along Boat Quay.

TheRantingPanda says: 
Taste bud: 3/5
Hole in the pocket: 3/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Menya Sakura
69 Boat Quay
Singapore 049857
Tel: +65 9469 3366

Opening Hours
Monday to Saturday: 11.30am to 10.30pm
Closed on Sunday

Ranted by The Ranter