I am a little late to the party, and I'm sure most of you would have heard of the $19.80 Big size curry rice that even 3 adults might find hard to defeat.
Goen's portions are (famously) huge, and the three of us were stuffed after finishing the two items. Thank God we decided against ordering the Big sized portion, even though it was really tempting to do so.
The curry, which is made using pork bone broth, was reasonably tasty for its price. Special mention goes to the katsu, which was wonderfully crispy on the outside and tender and moist and on the inside. The pearly and plump Japanese rice complemented the curry and katsu really well, and for a few moments, the three of us were busy shovelling various combinations of katsu, curry and rice into our mouths.
The ramen's broth was rich and thick. Apparently, the broth is simmered for more than ten hours so that it is full of pork bone flavour. The piece of pork was nondescript, but for $5.80, I would say it is reasonable. Also, the condiments are free-flow. So you are free to add as much spring onions, cheese, garlic, etc into your dishes.
The place is no other than Udon Goen, which I finally visited a few weeks back, just to see what all the hype was about.
The stall, located within Wisma Atria's Food Republic, is hard to miss. Just look for the stall with rows of yummy fried stuff lined up for display, enticing hungry persons to come for a bite. Admittedly, I had a hard time deciding what to order. Udon? Ramen? Or the famed curry rice that seemed to call my name?
After a few moments of pondering, my siblings and I decided to share a katsu curry rice ($7.80) and a tonkatsu ramen ($5.80).
The curry, which is made using pork bone broth, was reasonably tasty for its price. Special mention goes to the katsu, which was wonderfully crispy on the outside and tender and moist and on the inside. The pearly and plump Japanese rice complemented the curry and katsu really well, and for a few moments, the three of us were busy shovelling various combinations of katsu, curry and rice into our mouths.
Overall, it was a good dining experience, and conquering the $19.80 curry rice is definitely on my future plans. The food is also value for money, with a bowl of udon starting from only $3.80 (almost unheard of in a Food Republic food court).
I would say Goen specialises more in katsu, and when I visited, the fish katsu was all sold out (is it nice?). Even if you just need a snack, Goen also sells the fired items individually, and I noticed people just ordering tonkatsu cutlets to go. The croquettes ($1.20) are also good, and a much cheaper than those sold at the nearby takashimaya basement :)
Do pay Goen a visit if you are in the mood for some japanese curry! I hear they have outlets at Vivocity, West mall and also a mini restaurant at City Square.
Till the next bite!
