Ebi Bar Review: New Modern Prawn Noodle Bar With Japanese Twist At Somerset

Ebi Bar in Cuppage Plaza

Not many dishes can capture umami like a piping-hot bowl of prawn noodles, and Ebi Bar has that covered well, with their zhnged-up version of modern Singaporean food. Tucked away in Cuppage Plaza, this modern prawn noodle bar has an interesting take on our well-loved hae mee. Curious to find out how “power” their broth would be, I headed down to their outlet together with a dining companion.

Food at Ebi Bar

The Signature “Chao Da” Ebi Noodles ($15.90) is a savoury success. Charred tiger prawns sit atop a bed of ramen noodles, served in their very gao broth together with beansprouts and lightly pan-seared chicken. FYI, their prawn noodle broth is prepared with 8 to 10 hours of hard work, using about 40 kilograms of prawn shells and heads. You know they mean business with the soup.

True enough, their broth was really rich and on the sweeter side. Each sip of soup was full of umami and I was in danger of finishing the soup before even digging into the noodles. Because of its’ gao-ness, I feel that it can get jelak for some after a while, even more so paired with a generous amount of noodles.

The tiger prawns are meaty and not overly chewy, with a decent balance between sweet and bitter flavours from the char. The pan-seared chicken slices are a delightful addition too, as they add juiciness to the dish.

A twist on the conventional hei piah or local fried prawn fritters, the Ebi & Vege-Crispy Fritter Noodles ($12.90) was a little heavier on the palate.

Looking more like a twist on your conventional Japanese ebi kakiage tempura, the crispy fritters were impressive. They were crunchy without being too oily, with the prawns and vegetables used being fresh as well. The fritters were actually served separately from the soup so as to  prevent them from getting too soggy.

In both dishes, the springy ramen noodles actually went well with the prawn broth, absorbing the soup’s dense flavour profile nicely. However, unless you’re a huge fan of carbs on carbs, the dish can indeed get very cloying for some.

To further enhance your dining experience, go for their selection of broth boosters, which came in cute little test tubes with flavours such as truffle, mala, and miso, making me feel like a food scientist of some sort. 

Good news for those who are sick of seeing har cheong gai dishes sprout out left right centre around, the Salted Mackerel Fried Chicken ($6.90) was refreshing and worth a try. Their version happens to be crispy fried chicken drenched in a salted mackerel-based marinade instead.

Thankfully, the meat didn’t have an overwhelmingly salty taste, as it was balanced nicely with the other savoury flavours. The chicken had a solid skin-to-meat ratio as well, crunchy enough on the outside while maintaining its softness internally.

For a tangy accompaniment to your noodles, try their Ah Ma’s Achar Gone Fancy ($4.90), which also includes chilled jellyfish in addition to your usual carrots and cucumbers in the dish.

Ambience at Ebi Bar

Ebi Bar is located in Cuppage Plaza and is accessible via a 10-minute walk from Somerset MRT Station. 

Fortunately, there’s mixed seating arrangements, so you can either choose to sit at the bar counters facing the open kitchen or just regular dining tables, depending on how interactive you want your dining experience to be. The atmosphere is cosy and laid-back, conducive enough for you to catch up with friends over a meal or even a beer.

The verdict

As much as I prefer affordability in my food, I believe forking out a little more for Ebi Bar’s take on local cuisine would be a worthwhile decision. I must admit that their prawn noodle broth is addictive and the quality of their ingredients is really top-tier. If you previously had no idea of the concept of Mod-Sin cuisine, we’d recommend starting you off with Ebi Bar anyday.

For other new eateries around, check out our Stixers review for a new izakaya with truffle beef bowls and mentaiko pasta among others. If not, read our Champion Bolo Bun review for a three-storey cafe at Tanjong Pagar with bolo buns in different flavours.

Address: 5 Koek Road, #B1-21, Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 11am to 10pm, Sun-Mon 11am to 9pm
Website
Ebi Bar is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Melvin Mak.
This was a media tasting at Ebi Bar.