Travel seems a pretty long way off the way things are going… But we shouldn’t let that get us down ok! We’re actually really lucky that these days, we can get flavours from anywhere in the world right here in Singapore. Let’s take Udon for example… Not only can we find an authentic version but also – it’s certified HALAL too!
Case in point – Fu-Men Udon. The best Udon we’ve ever had the pleasure of trying is (not surprisingly) from Japan. But picture this – 2 Japanese gents open up a Halal-certified eatery specializing in Udon. In my books, that’s about as close as you can get without actually hopping on a plane am I right or am I right?
At Fu-Men Udon, they specialize in ‘Hakata’ Udon which has its origins in Fukuoka, Japan ??
An ingredient that is characteristic of Hakata Udon is Gobo (ηθ‘) also known as Burdock Root. Here, they coat the Gobo in Tempura batter and give it that #DeepFriedGoodness treatment. This becomes the crowning glory for your bowl of Udon noodles swimming in that hearty broth.
The Udon noodles here are just a little bit thinner than the one we enjoyed in Tokyo (as far as I can remember LOL) but they still have that great bite and slurp factor. The Dashi broth also seems a bit lighter with this Hakata Udon but definitely still tasty. But the usual suspects like Tempura bits, seaweed and that gorgeous Onsen Egg are present and accounted for.
The Gobo Udon may be the signature dish at Fu-Men but there are quite a few others you might consider. The Beef Udon is highly recommended! Or perhaps the Ebi Ten (Prawn Tempura), Maruten (Japanese Fish Cake), Kitsune (Fried Sweet Tofu), Chicken or Seaweed Udon may be more up your alley? They even have a Plain Udon (which may be great for the kids!) too.
But speaking of beef…
I think the Beef might be one of the tastiest things on the entire menu at Fu-Men! Luckily, it’s available as part of several dishes and also as a separate side order. If you’re a lover of beef, trust me – order more of the beef π
The Beef Tsukemen Udon is kinda like a dry version of Udon. Instead of the Dashi broth, you get a Tsuyu sauce (kinda like a soy sauce) which you dip your noodles into and enjoy. Chicken and Plain versions of the Tsukemen Udon are also available. (Seems like got Smoked Duck also but it was not available on the menu).
No matter if you’re not in the mood for noodles. They have a selection of Donburi for your consideration at Fu-Men too! I actually have a big thing for Donburi so the next time I visit, I’m going to make it a point to have a nice big bowl.
The Beef Egg Donburi seems like it was a big hit. I know this because it was literally gone in 60 seconds LOL Okay lah maybe not so fast but it was very evident that it was very much enjoyed. Top of my list to try is the Chicken Katsu Don. Other Donburi includes Ebi Tendon, Oyakodon and Curry Don.
Oh wait. Scratch my earlier statement about the Chicken Katsu Don. Top of my list is now officially something called ‘STAMINA’ Don LOL It appears to have a bit of everything as a topping including Beef, Chicken, Tendon, Egg and who knows what else π
PS for all the mains, you have the option of ordering a ‘Half’ portion in case you’re not feeling that hungry!
Side dishes galore to go along with your mains. Great for sharing of course!
The Maruten (aka Fried Fish Cake) is available as both a side dish and also a topping on one of the Udon selections by the way. And if you couldn’t get enough of that Burdock Tempura, that’s on the menu as a side too. The Kakiage was not on the official menu so it was a nice surprise.
Other side dishes you might be interested include additional servings of beef/chicken, Onsen Egg, Chicken Karaage (which I kinda regret not ordering just now) and even Inari Sushi among others.
I think there is enough stuff on the menu at Fu-Men that will make you want to keep going back. There’s a high chance you’ll end up ordering the same thing over and over once you’ve found your favourite though because the food is actually really very tasty. It is worthy to note that the prices are a little on the premium side but then again let’s not forget the location of this eatery. But on the bright side, the food is genuinely tasty and you can tell the ingredients used are of a really good quality.
The geniuses behind Fu-Men are Yamashita Teppei and Toshihiro Munemori. It’s a small and humble eatery but I quite liked it. It was only our first visit and we sampled only a small handful of dishes but I can really feel the effort and sincerity they put forth in their food.. in wanting to impart their food culture to us.
I don’t know when I’ll get to enjoy Udon in Japan again.. but until then I’m really glad that I know where I can get the real thing right here β€οΈ
FU-MEN
16 Raffles Quay #B1-17/18
Hong Leong Building S 048581
Tel: +65 6224 1134
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fumenhakataudon
Instagram: www.instagram.com/fumenudon
Website: CLICK HERE
Operating Hours:
11.00am til 8.00pm Mondays to Fridays
10.00am til 3pm Saturdays
CLOSED ON SUNDAYS
This meal we visit ourselves (like macam anonymous ah) and pay own money one.
All information (including prices, availability of item on menu and Halal status of establishment) are accurate at the time of posting. All photos used in this site are property of The Halal Food Blog unless stated otherwise.
First published: 21 August 2020
Updated: 26th May 2023
Tak dapat travel to Japan ?? but this meal definitely brought us back to the good memories and tasty food we had during our trip. ??