Ikkousha – Ramen Champion

I was a bi-​weekly regular when Ikkousha was at Bugis+ and felt it served the best ramen in Singapore. As a result, I was very excited to hear that the shop was relocating to my Tanjong Pagar neighborhood. Unfortunately, my excitement was misplaced. They have substantially changed the menu, making ordering more complicated and the dishes more expensive. In fact, I could not find their old Special Ramen anywhere. More importantly, the quality has dropped precipitously.
I had the Red Tonkatsu Ramen. The noodles had no flavor. The soup was oily and bland, and tasted nothing like I remembered it from the Bugis+ location. The add-​in egg was $ 2 and not sliced in half. The additional black fungus was hard. In addition, someone had forgotten to screw the sesame seed grinder cap on tightly. When I tried to use the grinder, the cap came off and my soup bowl filled with sesame seeds. The staff was very kind about it and replaced my bowl quickly, but seemed to want to make it up to me so much that they overfilled the replacement bowl, making it almost impossible to mix the ingredients together,
My fiancé had the Miso Ramen, which was a bit better than mine, but still overly salty.
We both left very disappointed that the quality did not carry over from Bugis to Tanjong Pagar. While I would like to give Ikkousha another chance, our meal was so lousy that they have probably lost me as a fan.

This is a review of a solo lunch at Ikkousha at Ramen Champion — Bugis+.
This is the second of three of the ramen stalls I’ve visited at Ramen Champion.
After the end of the main review, I will include information on Ramen Champion, what it is and how it works.
Like the other stalls in Ramen Champion, this stall is very clean and well maintained. The types of ramen and sides offered are clearly displayed on the menu boards.
The staff was very friendly and professional. They were also very helpful and informative.
Hakata Ajitama Ramen — This was a very good ramen. It included noodles, cha shu, egg, green onions and black fungus. I do wish the egg had been halved (as shown in their photos). I would have also enjoyed more black fungus. But the noodles were very much to my liking, very tender. The green onions were very refreshing. The pork was very tasty. Overall, I enjoyed it a lot.
Chicken Gyoza — I was very hungry. So, I also ordered a side of chicken gyoza. These were freshly prepared. They were pretty decent but a little bland. But, as something a little extra to round out my meal, they did the trick.
Receipt (lunch for one): $ 24.60
Overall — Friendly staff, clean, and comfortable environment, combined with a very good ramen for a nice lunch. I would say, as lunches go, this was a tad on the expensive side. I enjoyed it though.
(My Ramen Disclaimer: I am not an expert on ramen. I know very little about how authentic ramen should taste or be presented. I only know if I like it or not.)
Ramen Champion Overview:
Exterior:
Located on the 4^th floor of Bugis+, the gaudy exterior makes it a hard landmark to miss.
Interior:
The common areas are kept clean and well maintained. It is a rather dark environment though.
Ramen Champion is a food court with a number of ramen stalls. Most of these are transports from Japan (or other spots in Asia). There is a level of competition. Honestly though, I do not know exactly how the Ramen Champion competition works.
Photo of sign with how the process works:
When you enter, you are given a magnetic card on a wristband. When you order from a stall, they swipe the card and this keeps your tally.
Next up, wander through and pick the stall you wish to order from. They will provide you with one of those vibrating and flashing disks to communicate when your order is completed. All of the stalls have photos of the ramen on their menus.
Place your order. Then head over to the beverage stall and order your drinks. This will also be tallied onto the magnetic card. They have a relatively limited beverage selection.
Grab a seat and wait for your buzzer to buzz.
The ramen (and sides) I’ve eaten at Ramen Champion stalls have ranged trom good to extremely good.
When you finish, proceed to the cashier near the exit. They will take your magnetic card and provide you with the total.
While not exorbitant, none of the Ramen Champion stalls I’ve tried are particularly a good bargain.