Out of ideas on where to go for your next meal? One of the best tonkatsu restaurants in Singapore, Tampopo is running a 1-for-1 promotion for their selected Tonkatsu, Ramen and Soba dishes at their Ngee Ann City and Oasis Terraces outlets!

Tampopo serves authentic Japanese cuisines and is known for their tonkatsu and ramen. If you have yet to try out their lip-smacking Japanese fare, this is the perfect chance to.

From now until 29 March, Tampopo Takashimaya (Ngee Ann City B2) and Tampopo Grand (Ngee Ann City level four) will be offering 1-for-1 deals on ramen and soba dishes from Mondays to Fridays.

And at the Oasis Terraces outlet in Punggol, Tampopo will be having a 1-for-1 promotion on tonkatsu and ramen from now until 15 April 2020.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Tampopo
391 Orchard Rd, #B2-33 Takashimaya Shopping Centre
Singapore 238872
Tel: +65 6235 2318
Daily: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Tampopo Oasis Terraces
681 Punggol Dr
#02-24/25 Oasis Terraces
Singapore 820681
Tel: +65 6909 7850
Mon to Fri: 11:30am – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Oasis

Fried rice is comfort food for the soul. Period. Who can resist a steaming plate of that fragrant goodness? However, despite it being one of the simplest dishes to put together, it takes a great deal of skill for one to be able to create the perfect dish of fried rice.

And what do we mean by that? Some basic criteria we have would be that the dish cannot be too oily, the rice has to be fluffy and charred just right, and there has to be the right balance of ingredients and rice.

While homemade versions will get you by, they most certainly aren’t memorable. Here, we have a list of our top 12 places that sell incredible fried rice in Singapore that we wish home economics class taught us back in school.

BAAN YING

Harnessing the salty and distinct flavour profiles salted egg, Baan Ying has managed to take regular fried rice and transform it into something totally mind-blowing. Their Pork Belly Fried Rice With Salted Egg strikes the perfect balance of flavours, textures and has a prominent note of wok hei.

We love how the salted egg yolk chunks were embedded evenly in the rice allowing every bite to fill your mouth with generous bits of salted egg. That’s not all, aside from the masterfully prepared fried rice, the crispy chunks of pork belly were pretty darn delicious as well.

103 Irrawaddy Road
#02-07, Royal Square At Novena
Singapore 329566
Tel: +65 91117852
Daily: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Novena

CRYSTAL JADE LA MIAN XIAO LONG BAO

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao is a place that most, if not all Singaporeans are familiar with. Their signature dishes, just as their name states, are xiao long bao and la mian. However, we discovered that they serve pretty solid fried rice here as well!

The portion size of their fried rice (S$10.80) is pretty generous, with one plate being enough to feed two people generously. The fried rice has bits of prawn, chicken and ham embedded in it, which added lots of flavour to the rice.

391 Orchard Road #04-27
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 62381661
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credits: Paragon 

DIN TAI FUNG

Din Tai Fung boasts one of the most delicious fried rice in Singapore, hands down. We don’t know how they do it, but there is something magical about their fried rice recipe that keeps us coming back for more!

Every one of Din Tai Fung’s fried rice dishes consists of their very basic egg fried rice. They always manage to keep their rice light and fluffy without it losing its amazing taste and fragrance. Their basic egg fried rice is a favourite, and their pork chop fried rice is great too, but our absolute favourite has to be their shrimp fried rice. 

Din Tai Fung
30 Tai Seng Street #01-02 Breadtalk IHQ
Singapore 534013
Tel: +65 67020060
Daily: 11am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Tai Seng

Photo Credit: Imperial Treasure

IMPERIAL TREASURE NAN BEI RESTAURANT 

Imperial Treasure Nan Bei is a great place to go to for some solid Chinese cuisine, and one of their more popular dishes here is their Fried Rice with BBQ Pork & Shrimp in Yang Zhou Style.

Their fried rice is incredibly colourful and is speckled with yummy ingredients such as cubes of char siew, shrimp and green onion. The rice is fluffy and is not too oily. Due to the myriad of ingredients used in creating this dish, the rice is well flavoured and very savoury. You can eat a whole plate of it on your own!

Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road, #05-12/13/14
Singapore 238874
Tel: +65 67381238
Mon to Sat: Lunch (11am – 5pm), Hi-Tea (2.30pm – 5.30pm), Dinner (5.30pm – 10pm)
Sun & PH: Lunch (10.30am – 5pm), Hi-Tea (2.30pm – 5.30pm), Dinner (5.30pm – 10pm)
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credit: Jumbo Seafood

JUMBO SEAFOOD

Jumbo is famous for their Chilli Crab—that’s a given—, but did you know that they also serve up a pretty incredible plate of fried rice as well?

Their Supreme Fried Rice with Seafood comes in incredibly generous portions that are great for sharing with friends and family. The rice is well cooked and not too oily, and we love how there are chunks of juicy prawns embedded in the rice, adding another element of flavour and texture to the dish.

East Coast Seafood Centre
1206 East Coast Parkway, #01-07/08
Singapore 449883
Tel: +65 64423435
Mon to Fri: 5pm – 11.45pm
Sat, Sun & Public Holidays: 11.30am – 12am
Nearest Station: Bedok

Photo Credit: Paradise Dynasty 

PARADISE DYNASTY LEGEND OF XIAO LONG BAO 

Paradise Dynasty’s simple plate of Shanghai Fried Rice may not look much, but we promise you that it tastes much better than it looks.

The overall dish was surprisingly much lighter than we thought it was, and it was not too oily or salty. Each grain of plump rice is generously and evenly coated with egg, and the rice had a good mix of meat bits in it, giving it great texture and flavour.

435 Orchard Road
#01-18 Wisma Atria
Singapore 238877
Tel: +65 6219 3931
Nearest Station: Orchard

PEACH GARDEN

Peach Garden has a wide array of delicious Chinese foods that make our mouths water at the sight and smell of it. One of our favourite dishes here definitely has to be their Fried Jasmine Rice with Pork Floss and Dried Scallop.

The fried rice is very light, fluffy and fragrant. We love the addition of pork floss and on top the bed of rice as it adds a nice, savoury touch to the dish. We also love how fried rice is presented in a pineapple—it adds a nice touch to the dish.

Peach Garden @ Hotel Miramar
Level 3 Hotel Miramar, 401 Havelock Road,
Singapore 169631
Tel: +65 67363833
Daily: 11am – 3.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay and Chinatown

RUYI

Ruyi sells a large array of affordable yet delicious Chinese food, and it certainly leaves one spoiled for choice. However, our go-to dish here has to be their classic fried rice. The Ruyi Fried Rice may look simple like any other fried rice out there, but looks can be deceiving, and we promise you that this fried rice is much better than it looks.

Each grain of rice is evenly coated with egg, and the texture of the rice is incredibly fluffy and fragrant. Their plump, juicy prawns add a great touch to the dish, as well as give the dish a nice seafood flavour—did we mention they’re open 24-hours too?

Sentosa Gateway, #B1-222/223
Resorts World Sentosa
Singapore 098138
Tel: +65 68846613
Daily: 24-hours
Nearest Station: Harbourfront 

Photo Credit: Tripadvisor

SUSHI TEI

For a completely different fried rice experience, you should check out Sushi Tei’s Kani Ikura Fried Rice. If you’re like us and you love ikura (salmon caviar), you definitely need to check out this dish for a whole new experience!

The rice of this is evenly coated with delicious egg and has a slight wok hei taste to it and the ikura served on top really completes the dish. Each ikura is plump, juicy and fresh, and we love the popping sensation it makes when we bite into it.

West Coast Plaza
#01-87 West Coast Road
Singapore 127371
Tel: +65 67750012
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clementi

Photo Credit: Bksoo

TAMPOPO

Tampopo is one of our go-to places for great Japanese food, and one of our favourites has to be their Black Pig Truffle Fried Rice.

The rice is generously and evenly coated in black, murky truffle, making the dish look slightly unappealing. However, just a whiff of that aromatic truffle will have your mouth watering. The truffle here also really complements the pork bits really well, creating an overall incredibly appetising dish that will make you want to come back for more.

Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road, B2-33
Singapore 238872
Tel: +65 62352318
Tel: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credit: Ice Blossom

TIAN BAO SZE CHUAN 

The fried rice served here is pretty underrated, and if you’re looking for some solid Chinese fried rice to satisfy your cravings, this Tian Bao Sze Chuan is a good option.

Their seafood fried rice is light, fluffy and fragrant, and is not too oily or salty. They are very generous with the amount of squid and prawns used, and with each spoonful of rice, you get a nice amount of seafood in it, giving the dish a nice flavour and good bite.

Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road, #05-06/07
Singapore 238872 |
Tel: +65 67344216
Daily: 11.30am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credit: Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe

XIN WANG HONG KONG CAFE

One of Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe’s signature dishes is their Signature Stir-Fried Rice, which has been crowned their customers favourite since day one. And it’s not surprising why—their fried rice is some really good stuff!

The fried rice has an extremely robust wok hei taste which gave the dish a lot of flavour and character. They are also incredibly generous with their seafood and meats, and each spoonful of rice will definitely have a bit of each in it.

Tiong Bahru Plaza
302 Tiong Bahru Road, #02-109/136
Singapore 168732
Tel: +65 62079646
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Tiong Bahru

Ramen is one of the most popular Japanese food for a reason. It is not only comforting and delicious, but also relatively affordable. We are very lucky that there are many good ramen shops in Singapore which are as good as the ones that you can find in Japan.

Here is a guide to the best ramen in Singapore.

Bari Uma Ramen

Bari Uma does a mean bowl of ramen which we feel is completely underrated. Don’t miss out on their gyozas, which were fresh, succulent and bursting with juices.

#B1-01 Tanglin Shopping Centre
19 Tanglin Road
Tel: +65 6887 4484
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Ippudo Ramen

Often cited by ramen aficionados as the best ramen in Singapore, Ippudo is also one of the most expensive. But it is not unjustified, considering the food quality and the luxe dining environment. Don’t miss out on their pork buns while you are there too.

333A Orchard Road
#04-02/03/04 Mandarin Gallery
Tel: +65 6235 2797
Mon to Sat: 11am – 11pm
Sun: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

Keisuke Tonkotsu King

The snaking queues during lunch and dinner time probably says it all – Keisuke Tonkotsu King is the epitome of ramen, and probably the closest you’d ever get to an authentic ramen experience.

#01-19 Orchid Hotel
1 Tras Street
Tel: +65 6636 0855
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar

Keisuke Tori King

It is hard to imagine how a chicken-based broth can taste so good, but Keisuke Tori King yet again impresses with a robust broth that is surprisingly light on the palate. We particularly liked the tender chicken thigh that comes with each bowl, with meat so tender we do not even miss our chashu.

#03-15 100 AM
100 Tras Street
Tel: +65 6604 6861
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar

Marutama Ramen

Another popular ramen restaurant in Singapore is Marutama Ramen. It specialises in chicken soup-based ramen, which is light and tasty, and great for a quick lunch.

#03-90 The Central
8 Eu Tong Sen Street
Tel: +65 6534 8090
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

Menya Musashi

Menya Musashi commanded long queues in the first few months, but the hype has died down since then which is unfortunate, as they’ve opened a few more branches around and out of town. Those with big appetites will be glad to know that they allow one to order up to five times the amount of noodles without any additional charge.

#01-16 Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
Tel: +65 6336 6500
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

Miharu Sapporo Ramen

If you are a fan of Sapporo style ramen, check out Miharu Sapporo which just reopened at Millenia Walk. Come here for the signature miso-based ramen with buttered sweetcorn.

Millenia Walk #01-06
9 Raffles Boulevard
Tel: +65 6733 8464
Daily: 12.00pm to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall/Promenade

Nantsuttei

We like Nantsuttei for its simple, hearty and flavourful stock. The original Nantsuttei ramen comes with a rather generous layer of roasted garlic oil, which may be a tad greasy for some.

181 Orchard Road
Orchard Central #07-12/13
Tel: +65 6337 7166
Daily: 11am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

Ramen Santouka

Here is a worthy contender for the best all-rounded ramen. A robust broth, chewy noodles and one of the most tender chashu we have had (it is the prized pork cheek after all), it is one easy ramen to love.

#02-76, Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street
Tel: +65 6224 0668
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

Tampopo Japanese Restaurant

We love how Tampopo comes up with new dishes every once in a while – we tried their triple black ramen recently which came with a squid ink-infused noodles in a light ink-tinged broth, topped with their black pig shabu shabu-style. Though not always impressive, we are glad there’s always something new to look forward to on their menu. Otherwise, their Tonkatsu Ramen is always good. A bowl of delicious ramen accompanied by Tampopo’s signature tonkatsu.

391 Orchard Road
#B2-33 Ngee Ann City
Tel: +65 6235 2318
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen

The theatrics itself is already worth a visit, though that is secondary to the flavourful broth. Go for the Ishiyaki ramen that comes in a pre-heated stone bowl, and supposedly resembles an erupting volcano when soup is poured in.

#02-68/69 Square 2
10 Sinaran Drive
Tel: +65 6379 6636
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Novena

Uma Uma Ramen

Chef Iggy’s take on this Japanese classic is quite unlike any other ramen. The broth has an interesting twist, and epitomises umami.

583 Orchard Road
#01-41/42/43 Forum The Shopping Mall
Tel: +65 6235 0855
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 3pm, 6.30pm – 10pm
Sun: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

I love tonkatsu. It is one of my favourite food. We are lucky that there are a few places in Singapore that serve very good tonkatsu (I will go so far as to say that they are on par with the ones in Japan).

It is hard to define what makes a good tonkatsu. Is it the meat? Should it be kurobuta or mangalica? Which cut is the best? Is hire or fillet better? Should you eat it with the Japanese Worcestershire sauce? Or do you use soy sauce, or miso-based sauce? How about variations like tonkatsu with cheese and katsu curry?

Taste is subjective, and everyone has their favourites. The following few are, in my opinion, the best tonkatsu restaurants in Singapore.

Tonkatsu by Ma Maison

Tonkatsu by Ma Maison at Mandarin Galley is very, very good. I dare say it is one of the best, if not the best tonkatsu in Singapore. The kurobuta rosu katsu ($31.80) is excellent, but it is the Hungarian mangalica rosu katsu ($31.80) that you must try.

Tables fill up quickly with the afte-work crowd from 6pm, so get in early or be prepared to wait at least an hour.

333A Orchard Road
#02-35/36 Mandarin Gallery
Tel: +65 6733 4541
Mon to Fri: 11am–3pm, 5pm–10pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 11am–10pm

Ginza Bairin

Famed for its juicy tonkatsu, bite-sized fillet katsu, katsu Don and katsu sandwich, Ginza Bairin – Tokyo’s 83-year-old specialty tonkatsu restaurant – is another place you can go for a good meal.

I will be honest: I do not think that they have the best tonkatsu, but I like the fact that they have a wide variety of items on the menu, and most of them are reasonably-priced. Moreover, Ginza Bairin has good locations at Ion Orchard and JCube.

2 Orchard Turn #B4-39/40
ION Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6509 8101
Daily: 11am – 10.30pm

Saboten

Many consider Saboten to be one of the best tonkatsu restaurants in town, but I cannot really agree with that. Don’t get me wrong, though. Saboten has definitely one of the better tonkatsu, but it is not my favourite. Having said that, I can see myself coming back as the food is generally good, and reasonably-priced.

Try the signature loin katsu ($23), katsudon ($20), and katsu Curry ($19.50).

80 Airport Boulevard
#031-004 Departure Check-in Hall Level 3
Changi Airport Terminal 1
Tel: +65 6214 9504
Daily: 8am – 10.30pm

Tonkichi Restaurant

Tonkichi has been serving consistently good tonkatsu to many customers over the years. I first had the tonkatsu from Tonkichi a few years back, and after trying it again recently, I’m thrilled to say that it is still as good as before. It is, without a doubt, one of the best tonkatsu restaurants in Singapore.

Most people would probably go for the signature Kurobuta Kata Rosu Set ($32.9), Rosu Katsu Set ($22.9) or Hire Katsu Set ($20.9).

350 Orchard Road
4F Shaw House
Tel: +65 6835 4648
Daily: 11am–10pm

Yayoiken Japanese Restaurant

Not many know about Yayoiken Japanese Restaurant. I chanced upon this hidden gem when I was out with Beatrice and Velda, and it has remained one of my favourite Japanese Restaurants ever since.

The tonkatsu here is good; it is crispy, juicy, and tender. Definitely one of the better tonkatsu I’ve had, and let’s not forget that it is only $13.9.

Sometimes I do think it is a little silly to spend so much on deep-fried pork cutlet, and when that happens, I usually find myself going back to Yayoiken at Liang Court.

Meidi-ya Supermarket
177 River Valley Road
#B1-50 Liang Court Shopping Centre
Daily: 10am – 10pm

Tampopo Restaurant

This is my to-go place when I am craving for tonkatsu. The top grade kurobuta tonkatsu ($31.80) is so damn good; I’d gladly go to hell for it. If you are on a budget, have the ‘normal pork’ hire tonkatsu ($21.30).

Among all the names on this list, Tonkatsu by Ma Maison and Tampopo Restaurant are my favourite tonkatsu places in Singapore.

177 River Valley Road
#01-23/24 Liang Court Shopping Centre
Tel: +65 6338 3186
Daily: 11.30am – 10.00pm

For more recommendations, please visit my list of Best Japanese Restaurants in Singapore

Everything starts with a craving.

The story goes something like this: I woke up one day, and found myself craving for tonkatsu, or more specifically, Katsu Sandwich. I was suddenly reminded about Romankan Yokohama, this Japanese eatery in the basement of Ngee Ann City.

Even though there’s always Tampopo Japanese restaurant, Tonkichi Katsu, Tetsu Japanese restaurant, or even Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin in Orchard, I was trying to look for an alternative to the best tonkatsu in Singapore. Well, I don’t want to get too comfortable and always go back to the same few places to satisfy my katsu lust. What happens if all of them closed down one day? I need a backup plan, a new Japanese restaurant that can give me the same good old katsu.

For a rather isolated place, Romankan Yokohama seemed to be doing fairly well. I wanted to order their Katsu Sandwich. But after taking a glance at the few katsu sandwiches (they looked unappealing: thin & dry) which were made in advance, I decided to go for the Rosu Katsu ($13) instead.

Sadly, I wasn’t impressed with the tonkatsu too. Outside, it was fried all right, with a shattering crunch when I took a bite. But inside, it was slightly dry, and wasn’t juicy enough. But I guess we shouldn’t complain, since the prices of tonkatsu at places like Tampopo or Tonkichi would easily be $20 (before taxes).

If you are coming from the direction of the Takashimaya Food Hall, go all the way in until you see Fisherios Fish N Chips – Romankan Yokohama is hidden right at the corner. The katsu isn’t spectacular, but the prices are definitely much more affordable. It is also a rather nice place for a quiet dinner at Ngee Ann City.

Are there any regulars of Romankan Yokohama here? What do you usually order when you are there for dinner?

Restaurant Review
Romankan Yokohama Katsu
391 Orchard Road #B2-04
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6738 2505