Night out at Robertson Quay

One night after work, we decided to head to Robertson Quay for dinner at Menya Shinchan. I took a photo through the door. See how warm and inviting the interior looked.

Except there was no space for us inside!! So we sadly sat outside...alone. Look at the poor husband sitting miserably and hungrily by himself.

They give you lots of things to add to the ramen, including chilli powder, chilli oil and crushed garlic.

Menya Shinchan has a number of different soup bases you can order: pork bone, shio, shoyu, miso. I usually have the pork bone but decided to try something different - the Shinjiro. Apparently even young men cannot finish it, according to an explanatory note pasted on the wall. It was massive! The cabbage and bean sprouts took up half the bowl.

The husband's pork bone ramen with garlic and sesame. Can't tell very much from the photo since everything was black. The perils of sitting outdoors!

My bowl was just heaped way fuller than his....prompting a hopeful offer of "If you can't finish I'll help you" from him.

The noodles used for the Shinjiro are fatter than the usual ramen they serve, similar to the yellow hokkien mee. And there were way too many bean sprouts...halfway through the husband inherited about three-quarters of them.

After we slurped up our soup, finished all our noodles and decided we could still eat some more, we headed for Aburiyatei about 5 mins walk away for a draft beer and some nibbles.

I've always loved izakayas, where you eat and drink and order some more to eat, and eat and drink some more, and the entire cycle repeats itself. The only problem with that method of eating is that you lose track of how much you spend. Here the husband is pictured carefully studying the menu to make sure that the wife orders within budget.

The entire place is really small. The bar seats 14 people, and there's a table for about 3 people. Beyond that, you need to sit outside in the corridor.

The smell of chicken wings cooking was too good to resist. Apparently they get their chicken from some farm in Johor, and their birds are all allowed to run around freely, meaning they taste better.

They give you a fresh veggie salad with a spicy miso dip once you've ordered, but I have no idea whether you're charged for this appetizer or not.

I had an Asahi draft beer, and the husband had some girly lychee soda drink. It was actually really nice (the lychee soda), and worth having next time.

We ordered tomatoes wrapped in thin pork slices. Yummy and juicy!

I also had the nankotsu, or chicken cartilege. I love the crunchy texture.

The husband had the seiniku basalmic, or chicken thigh with basalmic vinegar. He said it was ok but not really something he would order again.

Our tebasaki, or chicken wings.

Beautifully cooked and still moist on the inside, yet not over charred on the outside. This was a winner.

Clutching our distended stomachs, 我们依依不舍的回家。

Menya Shinchan Japanese Noodle Restaurant

30 Robertson Quay

#01-05 Riverside View

Tel: 6732 0114

Open 7 days between 11.30am to 3.00pm, 6.30pm to 10.00pm (They open at 6pm for dinner on weekends and public holidays)

Aburiyatei Yakitori

60 Robertson Quay

#01-10 The Quayside

Tel: 6836 5370

Open for dinner until late.