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Tucked away in The Bedok Marketplace, Kokoro Ramen serves up warm and hearty bowls of Japanese ramen to their loyal fans and customers. The ramen store is smack in the middle of the Tanah Merah neighbourhood, all the better for those staying in the East and have a ramen craving to satisfy.
You’ll be happy to know that chef Alfred cooks his noodles and broth from scratch, and the effort shows in each bowl of ramen.
We were recommended the Secret Miso Ramen (S$12), which has a blend of his very own formula with a twist of miso and tonkotsu (pork bone broth). This bowl was filled with colours from the corn and spring onions, giving us a warm feeling in our hearts.
The most important part of any ramen is the broth. Unlike other similar broths, this Miso Tonkotsu broth was light and savoury with some sweet notes. The broth wasn’t creamy, but still retained the saltiness of the pork.
This is great for those who enjoy the taste of pork broth, yet prefer something lighter on the palate.
The handmade ramen noodles tasted a little savoury even without the broth. Its smooth and springy texture made it easy to slurp up. Kokoro Ramen gives quite a big portion of noodles, so you might want to order extra broth.
For those who want their ramen to have a little more kick, this Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen (S$12) will satisfy their craving. However, the spicy version of the tonkotsu wasn’t as flavourful as I hoped it would be. The richness of the broth was absent and instead of tasting savoury notes, the spiciness was more prominent.
I would recommend going for the mild level of the spiciness or just get the original Tonkotsu Ramen (S$12) for a fuller flavour.
On the other hand, the Premium Pork Belly CharShu was tender and soft. The fats melted in my mouth easily, and the sweetness of the well-seasoned meat came through clearly.
The bowl came with two slices each but I would recommend adding an additional slice for S$2, for greater satisfaction.
Compared to the two tonkotsu bases, this Shoyu Ramen (S$8) had a significantly lighter broth. Made from soy sauce and chicken broth, it was savoury and perfect for anyone looking for lighter flavours.
The combination of the fatty chashu and clear savoury broth made it an easy meal to enjoy, and it was my favourite. Even though it isn’t their signature dish, it delivered on flavour and heartiness.
Almost all ramen places offer gyozas as a side, and Kokoro Ramen offers three versions of gyoza: Vegetable, Chicken and Pork (S$5 for 6 pieces). We couldn’t resist the goodness of pan-fried dumplings, so we tried all three versions before figuring out that pork was our favourite.
Unlike the vegetable and chicken gyoza which was slightly under-seasoned, the pork gyoza had a good balance of sweet and salty flavours. The minced pork was soft, and the vegetables provided that crispy crunch it needed.
It can be really comforting to have a hot bowl of ramen at a neighbourhood hawker stall. It isn’t very crowded during lunch or dinner time, so you can actually enjoy the meal in comfort and peace.
Chef Alfred puts in extra effort and makes his ramen with sincerity, more than often working alone to churn out quality bowls of ramen. If you’re ever in the area of Bedok and needing a warm, hearty bowl of ramen. Kokoro Ramen is your go-to spot!
Expected Damage: S$8 – S$17 per pax
