These vending machines in Bugis hide secret door to dry ramen bar and Japanese 'speakeasy'

Sep 26, 2023

Dining

Ume San 100, opening on May 30, says it will offer "Singapore's largest umeshu collection" and over 100 beverages.

Don't dump your coins into these vending machines. (Photos: Ume San 100)

If you happen to come across a row of colourful Japanese drink and snack vending machines at Fortune Centre in Bugis, don't dump your coins into any of them. The machines don't work – they’re dummy ones used to conceal the doors to new Japanese "speakeasy" Ume San 100, opening on May 30.

To be more precise, it's a specialist umeshu and highball bar by night and dry ramen bar by day. The hipster joint is opened by local F&B company Aroma Enterprise, behind Japanese concepts like Takeshi-San at Holland Village.

The 40-seater will house chefs and bartenders who, according to Ume San's PR, were "trained by professional Japanese consultants".

SINGAPORE'S LARGEST UMESHU COLLECTION

Ume San 100's press release claims it offers "Singapore's largest umeshu collection" and over 100 beverages. The sweet and tangy liqueur is made from the Japanese fruit ume (similar to a plum and apricot).

The drinks are imported from Wakayama, a city near Osaka, where the liqueur originates. They will be served in various cocktails here.

Here are two ume drink offerings to expect:

P!NK

This pretty tipple contains stuff like ume wine, ground sakura flowers and ume salt.

KOPI SAN

Besides a shot of coffee, this cocktail is spiked with ume whiskey and ume syrup.

DRY RAMEN, LOK LOK-STYLE ODEN ON MENU

Decor-wise, the bar takes on a chic izakaya look with lots of warm wood. Ume San 100's day and night menus aren't confirmed yet, but the PR rep assures that ramen will be sold in the day. This includes the Signature Nagoya Dry Prawn Ramen with seared freshwater prawns, and an Ume San 100 Angry Asari Soup Ramen, dubbed "angry" because of its spiciness. It's made with asari clam and pork bone broth, chilli, plus white miso.

Meanwhile, dinner offerings include lok lok-style oden and a charcoal rice bowl with wagyu cubes and tobiko.

Ume San 100 opens May 30 at #02-07 Fortune Centre, 190 Middle Rd, Singapore 188979. More info via their Instagram.

This story was originally published in 8Days.

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