Is Ramen Keisuke Lobster King Worth A 3 Hour Wait?

Keisuke’s 10th outlet in Singapore serves decadently rich lobster broth ramen

By Nicole-Marie Ng

Fans of Mr Keisuke Takeda’s ramen know that no two stalls sell exactly the same type of ramen.

The latest addition to the Ramen Keisuke family, Ramen Keisuke Lobster King, focuses on lobster broth ramen inspired by French culinary techniques.

Made using French rock lobster shells, Keisuke first pan-fries the shells before crushing them into bits, ensuring that every bit of flavour is extracted into the broth. The clear soup required six hours of simmering before it’s ready to serve while the rich creamy soup takes an addition four to six hours to achieve its thick consistency.

Since the restaurant opened on Feb 20, it has enjoyed extremely long queues. Some people have even reported queueing for over three hours.

We investigate to see if the ramen at Lobster King is indeed worth the wait.

Ramen Keisuke Lobster King Lobster broth Ramen (Rich soup) $14.90

We recommend the Lobster Broth Ramen with Rich Creamy Soup for its intense depth of flavour.

Lobster broth ramen

There are four different types of ramen on the menu: the Lobster Broth Ramen with Clear Soup ($13.90), Lobster Broth Ramen with Rich Creamy Soup ($14.90), Miso Lobster Broth Ramen ($14.90) and Spicy Miso Lobster Broth Ramen ($15.90).

Of the four, I enjoyed the Lobster Broth Ramen with Rich Creamy Soup the best as it allowed the intense flavours of the lobster to shine. The broth had a profound depth of flavour despite it being made only with lobster shells sans the sweet meat. This is a bowl of hearty ramen that I would not mind queuing over and over again for.

However, the other varieties were not as impressive. Lobster Brother Ramen with Clear Soup tasted similar to having Chinese style shrimp wonton noodles. Perhaps it might be a better option for people watching their waistlines and cholesterol levels but it was not for me.

As for the Miso Lobster Broth Ramen and the Spicy Miso Lobster Broth, the additions to the lobster broth based overwhelmed the subtle sweetness of the lobster infused into the soup. Instead, the punchy flavours of the miso and spicy paste are the main notes that you end up tasting.

Ramen Keisuke Lobster King Chicken Nanban

A surprise hit, Keisuke’s Chicken Nanban should not be missed.

Side dish stars

While one bowl of ramen will certainly fill you up, you should not miss Keisuke’s Chicken Nanban with homemade tartar sauce ($9.80) The tartar sauce is made table side, ensuring that the sauce does not get too soggy and ruin the crispiness of the fried chicken. Your server will mash a hard-boiled egg in a bowl and add a winning combination of ingredients to create a tangy and creamy sauce. The result is one of the best Chicken Nanban dishes I have tried, though I do wish the chicken pieces were slightly larger to improve on the chicken to sauce ratio.

So is Ramen Keisuke Lobster King worth the queue? If you are a die-hard ramen fan, I’m sure you’ll be willing to do so for a taste of the superb Lobster Broth Ramen. While I’ve personally never queued up for anything for more than an hour, I can see myself waiting in line here after a night of drinks at Clarke Quay, especially if the queue looks manageable.

PS: Or, you can try coming by earlier at 6pm on Mondays and Tuesdays – chances are you might not even need to wait the full three hours!

Ramen Keisuke Lobster King. Clarke Quay – 3C River Valley Road #01-07 The Cannery, Singapore 179022. Tel: 62552928.