Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen (Liang Court)

There are so many Japanese style cafes and restaurants, you really need a good guide to decide where to eat. We were here browsing in the Japanese supermarket (Meida-ya) and were in the mood for something light and Japanese.

Ambience: Authentic little Japanese cafe, down to the rustic wooden table tops, it looks cramped but is actually very roomy. A glass panel in the middle of the table showcases a range of cute Japanese toys and art. The kitchen runs along the side of the dining area and you can see the cooks and chefs merrily cooking your food. As with other Japanese outlets, everytime someone comes in they happily greet (loudly) together which can be quite disconcerting if you were expecting a quiet dinner. But its all in good fun and you get used to it.

Food: We decided on the Volcano Stone Pots ($18) because they looked really unique. For four adults, we chose a Charsiu and a Seafood pot to share, which worked out really well as the portions are quite big. Chockful of vegetables (carrots, cabbage) and ingredients (tender charsiu pork that falls away from the chopsticks easily; however the cuttlefish was chewy and overcooked). Cooked in flavourful broth, with a good serving of al dente (not chewy) noodles and a bowl of rice per pot. Good amount of food to share. After the novelty of presentation wears off, the stock can be a bit too much to bear (jelak), so sharing was a good idea.

Presentation: The novelty of having your own "volcano" on the table in front of you was very unique and interesting. If anything, that was the main reason we chose the dish. Instructions are pasted on the table, and can be quite intimidating; the staff were more than happy to do all the work for us, down to timing the cooking using an hourglass. Condiments are readily available at the table (DIY crushed garlic, chilli oil/flakes, shoya etc) and providing one hard-boiled egg per person was a nice touch.

Customer Service: Everyone was cheerful, helpful and attentive. Service was prompt both in delivering the main dish and ensuring our water glasses were filled, without prompting. All the wait staff had genuine smiles, which made eating here feel so warm and homely.

Value: definitely value for money, and we will be back!