SIN: Ronin {CLOSED}

Dirty Ronin~ Iced Ero Tea~ 

UPDATE (08/01/2020): The eatery has closed down, but "[their] spirit and DNA live on" at Gather, one of the eateries at Raffles Hotel Arcade.

When your stomach starts to grumble and you happen to be somewhere near Clarke Quay MRT station, do try to find this particular all-day brunch eatery that doesn't have a signboard. Of course you can take a look at the address given at the end of this review, but adventurers may want to have their own little hunting down game. Rōnin (浪人) means a samurai with no lord or master, essentially a wanderer.

Despite the name of the restaurant, expect no feudal Japan decor, but a nicely dim atmosphere with wooden tables and chairs. I think I hardly start a review describing the drinks ordered first, if ever, but I shall do it this time round.

Cappucino S$4.20

Taste: 7/10

I enjoyed looking at the leaf pattern before taking a sip of the coffee. It was pretty aromatic and creamy, but could definitely be richer. If cinnamon were to be added, it'd be even better. When it arrived on the table, it was lukewarm, which was a bit disappointing.

Matcha-Tone S$5.50

Taste: 6.5/10

I was so excited to see such an elegant beverage before my eyes. However, I have to say that it wasn't as good as expected. The ratio between the Japanese green tea and the milk was off. I'm sure it's obvious to you that the latter was too much, which did make the drink creamy, but a tad overpowering. It could be a bit sweeter too.

Iced Ero Tea S$6.50

Taste: 7/10

What comes to your mind when you see the word "ero"? I'm not gonna say what came to my mind when I saw the name of the drink that day. The cold Earl Grey tea infused with thyme came in a sexy hexagonal glass container. It was somewhat mild though; I'd definitely prefer something stronger (and more erotic).

Dirty Ronin S$5.90

Taste: 8.5/10

As if one dirty thought wasn't enough, the next order to come was the crispy, yet airy sandwiches that indeed dirtied my hands as no utensils was given for the dish. It was a delicious orgy of melted Gruyère cheese, chorizo (Spanish pork sausage), soft-boiled eggs, lettuce and miso (Japanese fermented rice, barley and/or soybean) mayonnaise.

Scrambled Eggs on Toast with Pork Sausage S$13.50

Taste: 8.5/10

Sans meat, I would've paid just S$9.00, but the addition of a S$4.50 pork sausage made it a slightly more substantial dish. The velvety scrambled eggs were to die for, sitting on top of crispy black and white sourdough bread. The pork sausage was quite flavourful, but it could be juicier.

'Big in Japan' Curry Rice S$15.00

Taste: 7/10

The last item to arrive was the interestingly named curry rice, which apparently wasn't that big in terms of the taste. While the curry had a nice degree of thickness, it wasn't that rich. It was a delight to have the runny yolk to accompany the moderately tender beef chunks, carrots, daikon (Japanese radish) and shredded cabbages.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 7.5/10

Ambience: 7.5/10

Service: 8/10

Overall: 7.5/10

Pika's advice: Many like their Brioche French Toast, priced at S$14.50, which comes with braised apple, bacon, hazelnut butter and syrup. Give it a try! Since the place is within walking distance from my dwelling place, I want to make it a point to try every single sandwich variety. Anyway, if you're really interested to have your own adventure, here's a photo that perhaps can be used as a clue. Be careful not to scroll down too much as the address is exactly below the picture.

Ronin

17 HongKong Street

Singapore

(Mon-Fri: 8.00am - 6.00pm; Sat-Sun: 8.00am - 7.30pm)

*Prices quoted are nett prices.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)