[Updated as of 8 September 2020]
If you're like me, you might be really tired of having to travel all the way to Bugis for a meal whenever you happen to be around the Civil District area since that’s the nearest place where you can get a wide selection of Halal food.
Well, we have great news! You can now venture to Suntec City for Singapore’s first Halal Hokkaido restaurant! Suntec City is known for having limited halal food options(other than fast food) so the existence of Ichikokudo is definitely a plus.
More great news! Since this blog post was published, Ichikokudo has opened up multiple outlets all over Singapore. Here are the places where you can get that savory bowl of ramen:
Picture: Burpple
Some backstory before we dig in—the Ichikokudo brand looks to create an authentic Hokkaido Seafood Ramen experience for its customers. Their chefs take hours daily to create the incredible broth that forms the base of their ramen.
Each bowl is cooked to order to maintain consistency so you can expect to savour a rich-flavored bowl of broth and springy noodles made with the freshest ingredients.
Picture: Fave
The restaurant offers three types of seating: Tatami-style, Ramen Bar seats, and the conventional dining area.
The Tatami-style seats offer the most authentic Japanese experience but there are a couple of things that you should keep in mind before jumping into a booth.
You have to remove your shoes before sitting and the lack of ventilation for your feet means it can get pungent on a rainy day after so many customers had occupied the booths before you.
Tip: Do make reservations before coming down especially if you plan to dine during peak hours and weekends! You can book a table easily through their website.
As you peruse the menu, do consider some of our recommendations. Trying their Ichikokudo Ramen ($9.90) is a must! This is their specialty—original authentic soy sauce ramen.
It consists of clear brown broth, based on chicken and seafood with plenty of soy sauce. Think tangy, salty, and savoury, yet fairly light on the palate. Yum!
We would suggest spending a little more to complete your meal with a choice of Grilled Gyoza Set ($4.50) that comes with 3 Gyozas and 2 watermelon wedges. For chicken lovers, the Chicken Karaage Set ($4.50) would suit you better.
Other must-try ramen dishes include their Ichi-Smoked Duck Ramen ($12.90) and Ichi-Ramen Gifts from the Sea ($18.90).
The latter boasts bountiful sea treasures (crab leg, shrimps, and scallops), aosa seaweed, seasoned bamboo shoots and shredded white leek. How rich and satisfying is that?!
Picture: Ichikokudo
If you’re a must-eat-rice person, this restaurant also offers a plethora of donburi dishes for you to savour.
Take your pick from Japanese Garlic Karaage Don, Korean Spicy Karaage Don, and Special Tartar Sauce Karaage Don—all priced affordably at $10.90 and comes with miso soup and pickled vegetables.
Don’t really want to eat fried food? Try their Grilled Donburis instead! Some recommended dishes are Teriyaki Unagi Don ($15.90) and Korean Style Beef Yakiniku Don ($13.90).
If you are in a 'treatyoself' mood, you might want to order their Hokkai Special Ikura Don ($19.90).
This premium dish consists of Salmon roe, pickled ginger, shredded dried seaweed, chopped green onion, white leek, aosa seaweed, and miso soup. You can upgrade your mains with their Gyoza or Karaage set.
Picture: Ichikokudo
The restaurant has a special part of the menu titled Teishoku for those who want to enjoy home-style, healthy, and convenient traditional Japanese meal.
These are dishes like Seafood stir-fry, chicken cutlet, Japanese Beef Yakiniku, and Teriyaki Salmon. They come complete with Japanese white rice, miso soup, sliced watermelon, and pickled vegetables. Sounds heartening!
The restaurant also offers dishes that are perfect for sharing. Take your pick from the wide array of sides. I personally recommend their Salmon Sashimi ($7.90) but they have Seafood BBQ for seafood lovers as well.
So start making your dinner plans with your loved ones and head down to Ichikokudo at Suntec City today!
