What Does Bak Kut Teh Ramen Taste Like?

You've had ramen, you've had bak kut teh. How about Bak Kut Teh Ramen?

That's what celeb ramen chef Keisuke Takeda is offering at his Suntec City outlet, Ramen Dining Keisuke Tokyo.

It's limited-edition, though — you can only slurp it up from today till Apr 30. And there are merely 20 bowls available daily.

The BKT ramen ($13.90 a bowl) was previously offered only occasionally to Keisuke VIP card holders (which you get when you, er, complete their annual ramen-eating challenge).

You will also see the hybrid ramen make an appearance in local auteur Eric Khoo's upcoming flick Ramen Teh, a story about a young Japanese ramen chef who travels to Singapore to find out more about his late mother (played by Jeanette Aw). Chef Keisuke acts as the ramen consultant for the film and also scores his first acting role in it.

So what does it taste like?

Think of this as a Japanese-style bak kut teh mee sua, but with silky ramen in pork broth. Don't expect intensely peppery bak kuk teh soup. Instead, the broth is light and savoury with the fragrance of roasted garlic. We would've preferred our brew with a more full-bodied meaty flavour and peppery kick.

But the lean pork ribs are still good to gnaw on, and the curls of wood ear (black fungus) floating in the bowl add great texture.

Ramen Dining Keisuke Tokyo, #02-391/392 Suntec City, 3 Temasek Blvd, S038983. Tel: 6337-7919. Open daily 11.30am-10pm. www.keisuke.sg.

PHOTO: EALBERT HO