SIN: Daikokuya

The miso ramen wasn't bad...

When literally translated into English, the name of the restaurant means 'big black shop'. However, according to itself, Daikokuya (大黒屋) means 'God of Wealth'. Given such a grand name, I was expecting the food to be great. Were they? Read further to find out.

Mini Scallop Butter S$4.80

Taste: 8/10

I have to say that the appetiser dishes, including the one below, actually came after the main courses. Regardless of that, I pretty enjoyed the scallops, no matter how small they were. Dusted with black pepper and applied with melted butter that was just slightly salty, they were a delight to chew.

Agedashi Tofu S$4.80

Taste: 5/10

In spite of the fact that it came to the table piping hot, the tofu didn't manage to win my heart as it wasn't that silky smooth. To top it off, it didn't quite have the expected gummy texture of potato starch. The sauce was also monotonous, being just a bit salty without any kick.

Original Miso Ramen S$14.90

Taste: 7.5/10

It was actually the first dish that came to the table, so I had no choice but to sample it first before it became cold. The noodle was pretty springy, and I savoured the chashu (Japanese sliced pork belly) which was pretty substantial without being overly fatty. The soup was rich enough, but it could be sweeter.

Tonkatsu Curry Rice S$15.80

Taste: 6/10

Just by looking at the appearance of the pork cutlets, I knew straight away that they were dry. My hunch was confirmed the moment I sank my teeth into one. The curry was generic, but it had enough carrot and potato cubes. Well, the saving grace was actually the bowl of salad which was adequately fresh with just enough Thousand Island dressing to bind the vegetables together.

Shiratama Matcha Zenzai S$5.20

Taste: 4/10

The dessert was passable. Being more like a bowl of Chinese red bean soup, it disguised itself by that adequately fragrant scoop of green tea ice cream. I wouldn't really mind that, had it not been extremely sweet. Also, the glutinous rice dumplings didn't really have the elastic, bouncy texture I was looking for.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 6/10

Ambience: 7/10

Service: 5/10

Overall: 6/10

Given the lacklustre dishes and service, I doubt I'll be back. Pika's advice: For interested individuals, I've heard that the restaurant offers a dry ramen dish called Maze Ramen.

Daikokuya

290 Orchard Road

#B1-47 Paragon Shopping Centre

Singapore

(Daily: 11.30am - 10.30pm)

*Prices quoted are subject to 10% service charge and 7% GST.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)