At Kyoto ramen restaurant Menbaka Fire Ramen, the chefs literally light your food on fire. The popular eatery is well-known for its theatrical way of cooking ramen in front of customers, by pouring flaming negi (Japanese green onion) oil over its signature shoyu ramen to create towering flames. The fiery cooking technique apparently gives the broth a smokey, complex flavour.

Come Nov 24, 2020, it will open its first overseas franchised outlet at Orchard Cineleisure. The opening was originally slated for April this year, but was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Menbaka has also temporarily closed its Kyoto flagship restaurant since April 5, due to the coronavirus.

Customers are given protective aprons to wear at Menbaka, though a restaurant rep reassures us that “the oil won’t spill or splash at all”. And safe distancing is paramount here, not just ’cos of Covid-19. All diners are seated one metre away from the fire to avoid accidents, but will still be close enough to feel the hot thrill of the flames.

Here is a preview of what it’s like:

For safety reasons, customers must also hand over their phones to the restaurant staff. This is to ensure that people do not get too close to the flames while taking photos for the ’gram. Instead, the staff will mount the phones on strategically-placed selfie sticks at the cooking counter to record the diners’ awed expressions.

In Kyoto, Menbaka Fire Ramen only serves a shoyu flavour. But for the Singapore market, it is introducing an exclusive Tonkotsu Fire Ramen ($19). Also on the local menu: the Shoyu Fire Ramen ($18) and a Vegetarian Fire Ramen ($17). Each bowl is loaded with a big heaping of Japanese green onions, which are gently charred by the flames.

Menbaka Fire Ramen’s founder is Kyoto native Masamichi Miyazawa. The ramen chef opened his restaurant in 1984 selling traditional ramen bowls, before coming up with this, er, lit idea to catch customers’ attention.

#05-03 Cineleisure Orchard, 8 Grange Rd, S239695. Open daily 12pm-9pm. www.facebook.com/menbakasg.

PHOTOS: MENBAKA FIRE RAMEN