Seizan Uni Ramen: Buttery Uni Ramen From Two Michelin-Star Tokyo Restaurant At Picnic Food Park In Orchard

If you recently visited all-day indoor dining space Picnic Food Park in Wisma Atria, you may or may not have noticed a new entrant—Seizan Uni Ramen.

This modern ramen concept originated from two Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurant Seizan in Tokyo, Japan.

It is a welcome addition to the other food truck-style stalls offering international comfort food, including the likes of Omakase Burger, Rosti Haus, and Ezo Hokkaido Eats. 

Picnic’s communal dining space is divided into three zones, and the ambience is unparalleled. You’ll be spoilt for choice at how Instagram-worthy every nook and cranny is.

Bask amidst the flora and fauna of the conservatory-inspired Flower Garden, or grab a drink from the Beer Garden‘s fully-stocked bar.

Large groups can frolick in the Picnic Central Garden, and have a go at the arcade machines, gaming consoles, foosball table, and karaoke booth.

As shared by the owner of Picnic, Cheng Hsin Yao, Seizan Uni Ramen marries Seizan’s philosophy of utilising high-quality ingredients prepared with finesse, together with Singapore’s love for uni and ramen.

A stellar line-up of three noodle dishes was conceptualised by Head Chef Uchida using Seizan Tokyo’s proprietary dashi as the base.

Speaking of dashi, this was certainly in the big leagues.

This award-winning broth is the backbone of most dishes served at Seizan Tokyo, after years of experimentation and experience.

It is rendered after a ten-hour process here—quality Japanese kombu is steeped overnight in spring water sourced from Mount Fuji, brought to a boil, and enriched by two types of fish flakes: katsu (bonito) and maguro (tuna).

The art of dashi is challenging, without a doubt, serving as a true test of one’s professional skill.

We got to try this delicate broth in its pure, unadulterated form. Despite being light and fragrant, it was a lot saltier than other dashi broths I’ve sampled.

Regardless, I couldn’t wait to see it shine in the upcoming noodle dishes.

The arrival of the spectacular Uni Ramen (S$21) drew oohs and aahs from everyone at the table.

With its vivid orange hue, it commanded our attention immediately.

Bring on the indulgence! Premium Japanese bafun uni is combined with Seizan’s signature dashi, cream, and milk.

Every bowl is served with homemade chashu, onsen tamago, leeks, spinach, spring onions, and nori sheets.

I eagerly took a sip of the unmistakably concentrated broth. Oh my.

Creamy, buttery and smooth-bodied, this luscious uni “emulsion” possessed a lingering sweetness.

Specially imported from Tokyo, the bouncy and extra curly strands of ramen expertly soaked up every last bit of broth. As it began to thicken, I felt like I was eating some sort of decadent uni carbonara dish.

Seriously, it made for an immensely satisfying slurping session.

Even the chashu was tender and melt-in-mouth—very impressive.

The richness of this ramen was offset by the spinach and leeks, with their mild, onion-like flavour. Spinach actually isn’t a common ingredient in ramen, so it was a little surprising.

I just wish the onsen tamago was less cooked. It was closer in texture to that of a hardboiled egg, and I’m really particular about gooey yolks. Those are a must-have in ramen.

Did this get jelak? Well yes, but for beautiful bafun uni, I’m willing to put my “diet” on hold.

This is possibly Singapore’s first concentrated uni ramen. They’re not just plonking uni atop a bowl of ramen and calling it a day.

Next up was the vastly different Kumamoto Wagyu Ramen (S$20).

Topped with the same ingredients, this bowl combines Seizan’s signature dashi with a stock of vegetables (leek, garlic), and get this, Kumamoto wagyu beef tendon.

Beef bones and tendon are boiled with the vegetables in a rather lengthy eight-hour process, yielding a deeply comforting and mildly peppery broth.

As expected, the muscular tendon with its bits of fat and sinew was an acquired taste. It doesn’t scream “wagyu“, but let’s all step out of our ramen comfort zones.

Don’t be alarmed by the size—this was a tasting portion.

Though clean-tasting (a far cry from its bold uni counterpart), there was a certain depth of flavour that remained consistent throughout, and reminded me of Chinese beef noodle soup.

Lastly, it was time for the lightest of the bunch, Dashi Somen (S$18).

Accentuated with Japanese soy sauce, mirin, and sake, the dashi broth now played host to silky, smooth white somen. Think of it as Japanese mee sua.

Somen is typically served cold in Japan, especially in the summertime.

There’s no shortage of summer in Singapore, but why take the traditional route? We can have our hot somen and eat it too.

You have no idea how happy I was to enjoy the chashu again, especially since this particular slice had a lovely fat-to-meat ratio.

The Dashi Somen would suit those who prefer clean and classic flavours. Also, you’re unlikely to succumb to the post-lunch slump after downing a whole bowl.

All that talk of ramen left us craving a little buzz. They promptly recommended the Coedo Beniaka Imperial Sweet Potato Amber as a beer pairing with the Uni Ramen.

It was pretty refreshing, with a toasty caramel aroma that left me wondering: “Where’s the sweet potato?”

Feel free to complement your ramen with additional sides, such as Crispy Fried Fish Skin (S$2), Gyoza ($3), and even a housemade Volcano Chilli (S$2). If spice is what you seek, chilli padi and belachan are here for you.

Uni lovers, what are you waiting for? A hearty bowl of umami uni ramen is waiting for you, and I can guarantee it’s worth the time AND money.

Share a bowl (or two) with your friends and loved ones at Picnic today.

Expected Damage: S$20 – S$27 per pax