Hawker Break at Orchard: Cuppage Beef Noodle

Everything is quite expensive in Singapore. While there's a wide selection of food here, you also need to spend a lot in order to enjoy them. 

Thank God for Hawker Centers. These food outlets are practically everywhere; they're the mall food courts, there's one for every HDB, and there's usually one near office lots. They're affordable, and the variety of food is usually on full display as well; Chicken Rice is a staple, most have Western food (steaks, fries, pasta, etc), Korean, Japanese, noodle shops, and much more. 

While walking around Orchard yesterday, I was hungry but wasn't craving anything in particular. During times like these, Food Republic is the place to be. It was around 3PM, a time where food stalls are not too busy, so there's a chance to go through all the food outlets and let my nose decide for me. 

The shop is located at Food Republic at the 4th floor of Somerset 313

 I ended up in Cuppage Beef Noodle because it was cold and I thought I wanted soup. Cuppage is a street near Orchard, and I assume that it's where the original space of this stall is from. According to a short description of their shop, it's now managed by the daughter of the original owner, and they try to maintain the same quality and flavor that they had from way back.

Mixed Beef Bowl Soup (SGD 8.50)

I haven't had lunch, so I was naturally inclined to order a large bowl and almost regretted it when I saw how big the bowl was. I didn't ask, but assumed that the "Mixed Beef Bowl" would have all their meats in one bowl, and I was happily surprised that I was right. 

Hor Fun noodles (soft, thick rice noodles) are soaked in a broth and later drained before being put in the bowl. A couple of pieces of beef brisket, some beef tendon, four beef balls, and what looks to be tripe are then soaked on a different broth. Some thinly cut raw beef are also placed on the same strainer as the rest, and it was easily cooked. The meats are placed on top of the noodles, and the soup completes the dish. The guy asked if I'd care for some spring onions, and he added it in. I didn't like that it was mixed with cilantro, but it had to do. 

Not too big of a fan of beef tendon, so I left it on the bowl. 

 

The soup was a bit disappointing; it didn't have as much flavor as I expected from it, and I didn't know if they had sauces to satisfy my taste buds. I was a bit hesitant to eat all the beef after seeing some if it raw, but everything was cooked when I ate it. The beef balls were nice, and all of the meat was cooked just right. I didn't have to budget my meat to finish the noodles because there was enough to go around. The picture doesn't do justice to how huge the serving was, but I think it could be enough for two people looking for a light snack. 

Come for Seconds: I liked the beef and the beef balls too much that it makes me want to give it another try, hopefully with sauces next time. What sauce to put in would be another story. 

A Taste of Japan: Machida Shoten at Wisma Atria

I have never been to Japan, but ever since I watched the movie Ramen Girl, I was always fascinated at just how good ramen can be. I've been to many Japanese restaurants since, and have tasted a variety of ways that ramen is cooked, but as I haven't been to Japan, I won't judge it by authenticity; as always, I judge by how well I am fed.

Wisma Atria along Orchard Road is home to a new "Japanese Street" on the Food Republic level. As the name suggests, there are bunch of Japanese restaurants offering a variety of Japanese cuisines. There's even one that proudly claims to have a Michelin star. We have yet to try that one, but we've been to one restaurant twice already. 

Machida Shoten is the second store on your left once you enter the Japanese Food Town at Wisma. You can't miss it.

We tried Machida Shoten for a second time recently, with the first one during their soft opening in September. It's a small restaurant that specializes in ramen. They proudly claim to serve freshly prepared and hand-made ramen, with prices varying based on the toppings you put in. While there are a variety of other dishes on their menu (greens, rice, buns, and sides), the ramen is mainly why we went to visit the second time. 

Ton-kotsu Spicy Miso Special Ramen (SGD 19.00++)

The dish was plated beautifully that it's almost a shame to mix it all up. After having their basic one last time around, I opted for the Ton-kotsu Spicy Miso Special Ramen, the ramen that had all toppings on it. You can choose the thickness of the noodles and the richness of the broth, but I decided to go with how they usually do it. 

Noodles are placed on a bowl, with four dried seaweed strips (nori) are carefully placed to stick out of the bowl. My toppings included chasu (pork), spicy minced pork, seasoned egg, and spring onions. I think there were some cilantro leaves in there as well. I'm not certain if they have a spicy base or they just add spicy oil on their miso base for this one, but either way, it produces a moderately spicy soup. 

It was a happy feeling when I saw the owner appreciate my empty bowl the first time around, so I made sure to empty this one as well. 

Personally, I didn't think the cilantro added to the dish. Everything else blended well though. I don't remember having it on my dish the first time around, so I'm not sure if it's a Spicy Miso exclusive topping. I remember wanting more of the soup last time, but with all the toppings I had for this dish, the soup was just right. I had the nori strips with the cilantro to mask the off-taste I was getting. The seasoned egg remains a mystery for me; how do they half-cook the yolk? While the soup is as rich in flavor as they promote it, I think the regular option might be too rich that some may not be able to finish it. Getting a lighter broth could be the best way to fully enjoy this meal. 

Come for Seconds: Definitely. I don't think it's overpriced, and flavors are just right. I'm not sure if my belly can try ordering other stuff on their menu because the ramen alone can fill it up, and I am most definitely going back for the ramen.