Udon lovers, rejoice: the legendary Udon Shin has arrived in Singapore, bringing its famed handmade udon—known to draw three-hour queues at its Tokyo flagship—to its very first international outlet!
The restaurant attracts throngs of both foreigners and locals alike at their Tokyo outlet between Shinjuku and Yoyogi, with long queues forming way before they open at 11am daily. It was named as the “Best Udon in Tokyo” by Time Out, and was listed by TripAdvisor as their “2020 Traveller’s Choice”.
Udon Shin’s noodles are handmade fresh in-house daily, and are celebrated for their springy texture and unique coiled aesthetic. Eager to see if the Singapore outlet lives up to its stellar reputation, we attended the media preview.
While you’ll find that the classic pairing of udon with tempura is widely popular here, Udon Shin also has an eclectic range of unique udon creations to suit a variety of palates.
By far the most popular of these is the viral Carbonara Udon ($24++)—traditional udon with dashi is smothered in parmesan cheese and a slab of butter, topped with a raw egg and a titanic piece of bacon tempura.
The udon noodles, by themselves, have a chewy and firm texture without being tough, and we found it had a stout, earthy flavour. Mix in all the ingredients and it turns into a whole other beast: the Parmesan cheese, butter, and raw egg combine for a creamy, silky coating, turning each slurp into a rich, cheesy decadence.
The crowning piece of bacon tempura was absolutely delightful. Light and crisp on the outside but fatty and sinful on the inside, this interplay of textures created a bite that was oozing with flavour, complementing the rich udon well.
While udon dishes are generally thought of as clean and healthy, this creation turns that notion on its head—thick, bold, and unabashedly intense without feeling too jelak.
We then moved on to the Premium Tempura Kake Udon ($34++), a standard pairing of hot soup udon with assorted tempura. The platter comes with two shrimp tempura, four vegetable tempura, and a piece each of fish and squid tempura.
Each tempura piece was crisp and freshly battered, with a light and golden exterior. We were impressed by the huge and juicy shrimps, which had a nice, bursting chew. We also particularly loved the salmon tempura, which was sufficiently moist within. Meanwhile, the mushrooms were firm and meaty, with a strong earthy aroma.
We enjoyed how warm and soulful the broth that the udon noodles were served in were. It also possessed a deep, rich umami. However, it was too salty for our tastes, possibly because we prefer lighter, cleaner dashi stock.
We were also served the Tempura Zaru Udon ($28++), which comprised cold udon noodles served with dipping sauce and the same tempura variants.
Go for this if you prefer your udon served cold, as it’s a refreshing choice on a hot Singapore day. Dipping the noodles into the sauce adds a touch of fun, though their long strands can make it a bit tricky to lift each one into the dipping cup.
While we did not get to try them on the preview day, you can also get other dishes such as the Spicy Beef Udon ($23++), which comes with a numbing mala paste, and the Butter Shoyu Udon with Tempura ($26++), coming with pieces of chashu and cheese tempura. Those looking to splurge can try their most expensive dish: the Yuzu Wagyu Udon ($42++) with Wagyu sirloin and yuzu peel.
While Udon Shin’s Tokyo outlet seats only 16—a reason for its notoriously long queues—the much more spacious Singapore chapter accommodates up to 60 diners, offering a noticeably more relaxed and breathable atmosphere. The restaurant retains key design elements from its predecessor, such as blue tiles and wooden Japanese frames, but adopts a more contemporary look with sleek grey tables featuring built-in cutlery drawers.
Udon Shin is located in Takashimaya Shopping Centre, a five-minute walk from Orchard MRT Station.
As big Japanese food fans, we think that Udon Shin’s dishes are top-tier, offering a mix of both benevolent classics and innovative entries. While they might be more punchy and stronger than other traditionally lighter udon spots, we think that Udon Shin’s hype is justified and is very much worth a visit.
Still hungry after visiting Udon Shin? We got you covered with our Takashimaya Food Hall guide. If you’re looking for more Japanese fare between your next pilgrimage to Japan, check out our Japanese cafe guide.
Address: 391 Orchard Road, #B2-32, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Singapore 238873
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Website
Udon Shin is not a halal-certified eatery.
Photos taken by Jordan Ong.
This was a media tasting at Udon Shin.
Summary
Pros:
– Centrally-located
– Udon is fresh and well-crafted
– Carbonara Udon is a banger
– Classic Tempura Udon variants are satisfying
Cons:
– Dashi is slightly too salty
– Prices are steep but reasonable for its location
Recommended dishes: Carbonara Udon ($24++), Premium Tempura Kake Udon ($34++)
Address: 391 Orchard Road, #B2-32, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Singapore 238873