Many kakis have requested to the pics of what I ate in my recent trip to Tokyo, so I have decided to post some of the highlights over the next few weeks. The reason that I have been resistant in posting my Tokyo pictures was because I thought that it might be a little frustrating to look at something delicious and not be able to easily just go down to that stall and eat it.
However, I know that Japanese food is currently very popular in Singapore and that a lot of our readers actually travel so this series of posts may be useful for everyone to reminesce about their own experiences in Tokyo as well as to recommend other great eats there.
This is my first ever trip to Japan so the itinerary had to be carefully planned so that I can get to experience the best of the different types of Japanese cuisine. I wasn't after the fine dining, michelin star stuff, but as with the other food in this blog, it was about finding the really shiok everyday stuff that the locals enjoy.
One of the frustrating things about Japan is that even if you have the address of the restaurant, you will not be able to find the place. In the end, I had to rely on asking for directions once you know you are around the area. So I am going to pen down the directions to the restaurant while it is still fresh in my mind so it would be easy for anyone to locate.
We start with the Asakusa which is famous for the Sensoji Shrine which I am sure most tourists would make a point of visiting. One of the most popular restaurants there is this Tempura place which is reputed to have a long queue everyday for lunch. Being the Kiasu Singaporean, I got there at 11am and promptly got showed a seat just next to the main door.
I ordered the Tendon as it was the cheapest item there and everyone seemed to be eating the same thing. The prices can go up to 3000 to 4000 yen if you wanted to order the works.
The Tempura here is a little different from what I normally get. First of all it was black because they dip it in a kind of black sauce before serving it. Secondly the batter was a little different from the usual tempura. Instead of crispy all the way through, it was crisp on the outside but soft and moist on the inside and reminds me of the kind of prawn fritters mom used to make at home. Not quite what I expected, but quite tasty nonetheless. 1600 yen gets you 2 large prawns, a piece of vegetable and a rather tasty prawn cake made from a handful of little prawns.
Sensoji Shrine
To get there, you get off at Asakusa station and walk towards the Sensoji Shrine. At around the point of the photo above turn left and walk for about 3 minutes and you should be able to spot a quaint little house with the words Da4 Hei1 Jia1. (Big Black Home)
By the time I finished my lunch at around 12.30pm (had to wait 45min for my food), there was already a long queue outside the restaurant. It was reported that you sometimes you have to wait an hour just to get in so it pays to be Kiasu sometimes!
Conclusion
Quite different from the usual tempura. I just wonder why not many other restaurants serve it this style since they are so popular? If you have been there too, let us know what you think!
Diakokuya 1-38-10 Asakusa, Taito-ku 11:10 a.m.-8:30 p.m.(weekdays), 11:10 a.m.-9:00 p.m.(Saturday & national holidays) More info and map here
There is little doubt that Japanese food is still the current favourite foreign cuisine amongst Singaporeans and the trend doesn't look like it is going to wane anytime soon. You get a sense of this just by observing the number of new Japanese eateries that are appearing everywhere. But we also know this from the poll results that was done earlier this year. So judging from the trend, I think we are going to see more Japanese eateries appearing and they are going to move away from the general Japanese fare to more regional and specialty cuisine as the restaurants try to differentiate themselves from the established players. One of the new players in the scene is Tomo Izakaya. An Izakaya is basically the Japanese version of a Tapas Bar or Dim Sum restaurant, in the sense that they serve a variety of small dishes which you can order to accompany your drinks. Being situated in Clarke Quay, I think this concept would work well with the afterwork crowd looking for a place to unwind.
The food here is quite decent and there are several items which really caught my attention. The first was the Uni shot which is fresh Uni submerged in Sake with a wasabi and soy dressing. The Uni here is very fresh and the restaurant prides itself in having their seafood flown in from the famed Tsukiji Market in Tokyo twice a week. Certainly a very nice starter! 4.25/5
Tuna Bowl (Part of Tempura Udon Set) $16
Aside from the freshness of the seafood, another indicator of the quality of a Japanese eatery is the standard of the sushi rice and the wasabi. The rice is is very good and perfectly seasoned such that, like the Gardenia Bread slogan from long ago, it's "So good, you can even eat it on its own!". 4/5
Braised Pork $12
I highly recommend the Braised Pork dish. I think the photo speaks for itself. The braised pork was superbly done with that "melt in your mouth" texture and that elusive "Kong Bak" taste. I would be very happy to come here and just eat this! 4.5/5
Saikoro Steak Lunch Set $14 The lunch sets here are pretty good value which is an important consideration in our current economic climate. Most of them are priced in the teens and you get quality that you can taste in a very cosy setting.The Saikoro Steak Lunch was very good value as I got more cubed Australian Sirloin than I expected for the price. The meat was a good and was tender and flavoursome. I thought that the sauce could be a little sweeter to give it a bit more ooomph. 4.25/5
Sashimi Plate $58
Being an Izakaya, they strive to serve all your favourites here and that must include Sashimi. I am not a big fan of Sashimi but I can appreciate that the seafood here is very fresh. I especially liked the amaebi (sweet prawns) and the uni (sea urchin). Of course, you get what you pay for so don't come here expecting really cheap prices since all the seafood are flown in from Japan. 4/5 Beef Robatayaki
If you are going for drinks and nibblies, then I am sure you will end up with some Robatayaki dishes. I tried a few and in general they were good but not quite spectacular as it lacked that charred flavour that I was expecting. They don't serve Karubi beef or US Angus which I feel should be included in any joint that wants to label itself as a "Robatayaki" which has the connotation of a higher end form of Kushiyaki. I also couldn't find Butabara (Pork Belly) on the menu which was again something I would expect at a Robatayaki joint. I think this is one department that can be spruced up prior to their official opening. 3.5/5
Salmon Roe Shot
Conclusion
This would be wonderful place to hangout with a few friends after work for drinks and a few bites to eat as the location is great and it's got a really cozy laid back ambiance. The lunch sets are pretty good value and the Braised Pork is something I would highly recommend if you have a few calories to spend. I do hope to see them expand their Robatayaki menu to include good quality Karubi and Butabara.
Update: 23 Oct 2008
Sorry there was an error with regards to the Braised Pork Set. The Braised Pork is not part of the lunch set but can be ordered as a separate dish on its own.
Tomo Izakaya 3A River Valley Road (Clarke Quay) #01-04 (opp bridge) S179020 63330100 Open for Lunch and Dinner This was an invited review
Sun with Moon is the kind of place where I wish could be a little cheaper so that I can come back to eat more often. I think that about sums it up for me.
I have heard so much about this place from the internet. The main highlights seemed to be the beef kamameshi, the hourglass sitting on top of it and the tofu cheesecake in a birdcage. So like any good foodie who has done his research on the internet, I came to Sun with Moon and made sure I ordered these dishes. The other thing was that they were having their anniversary celebrations and was offering 30% off everything in their menu which provided the impetus to go try it.
Beef Kamemeshi $17
The Beef Kamemeshi was actually quite good. It is similar to your Gyudon (beef bowl) except that they serve it in an aluminium pot which they heat up so that the rice gets a little burnt at the bottom and sides ala claypot rice. So lovers of crispy burnt rice would be happy. Aside from that, the beef and sauce were very good and what I really enjoyed was the extra stuff they added like waterchestnuts and broadbeans. Overall, quite shiok. 4.25/5
By the way, we "Gei Kiang" (tried to be smart) and ordered the Beef with foie gras kamameshi which was not recommended by anyone on the internet. It turned out to be quite a disappointment. The foie gras was like the size of a carrom striker and hardly added any value to the dish except for the price! Just goes to show how important it is to do your research before going to any restaurant nowadays! 3/5
Beef Sukiyaki $18
The beef sukiyaki was very nice except for the fact that they serve it with the beef already in the soup which resulted in it being overcooked when they served it. Otherwise the soup was very very good, one of the best I have tasted. Unfortunately the quality of the beef was not great considering the price tag.
As you can see it was not as marbled as the ones I usually get at Sushi Tei for a fraction of the price. I guess it was a matter of expectation exceeding the price thus resulting in disappointment in what should have been a good sukiyaki experience. 4/5
Tofu Cheesecake $4.50
Now, I must say I was a little disspointed with the tofu cheesecake. Aside from the birdcage, I thought that the cheesecake was something I could get at a hospital canteen. Ok, it might not be as bad as that, but for all the fanfare, it certainly tasted quite ordinary to me. 3/5
Talking about the birdcage, I also felt that the hourglass was also just a gimmick rather than serving any purpose. In theory I suppose it is to prevent you from opening up the cover before the rice had some time to cook. But the fact is that the rice wasn't even sizzling hot when I got it. It was all "Jor Hee" (for show)
Conclusion
Even with a 30% discount, I felt that the meal cost more than the amount of satisfaction derived. This is a shame because the food and ambience at Sun with Moon is actually quite excellent. Others might feel that the slightly better food quality, service and ambience really does justify the higher price which might explain the long queue and the need to reserve a table if you are coming on a weekend. I guess it all boils down to how fat your wallet is and how much you are actually willing to spend on tantalizing your tastebuds.
Sun with Moon #01-170/71/72, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street, The Central Singapore 059817 Open 12pm to 12am
Tetsu is one of the latest Japanese Restaurants in Singapore that is differentiating itself by offering Kushi-style Tempura and Tonkatsu that is prepared "Live" in front of diners. I wonder if the name "Tetsu" is sort of a combination of TEmpura and TonkatSU? Seems quite likely to me. Personally, I enjoy watching the food preparation process, which is why I decided to pay this place a visit.
When I was young, I was often assigned the task of running down to the coffeeshop to buy Hokkien Mee or Char Kway Teow for supper. Those were the days when the hawker stalls were position in front of the coffeeshop rather than at the back like nowadays. I always like to observe how they would prepare their dishes. I still like to do it now and am always attracted to restaurants with an open kitchens. You get to learn a few cooking techniques and at the same time get entertained by looking out for "Bloopers". Like there was this time I saw the chef cooking a Lobster tail and he accidentally dropped it on the floor while cutting it. It was fun to see him struggling on the one hand to try to save the precious produce while at the same time knowing that "Big Brother" is watching him.
Anyway, I thought I would take this opportunity to make use of my Creative Vado again to show our readers how to make Tempura. If you have ever tried to make Tempura at home with the premix that you get from the Supermarket, you will know that it never turns fluffy like what happens when you eat at the restaurants. The secret is that there is a special technique involved while they are frying it as the video will demonstrate.
Another thing you might be wondering if you ever tried to cook tempura prawns is how they manage to get the prawn so straight while deep frying? Some people actually taught me that you should stick a skewer into the prawn while deep frying to keep it straight. However, the trick is simpler than that as this clip shows:
Alright, hope you managed to get something out of the video. Truth be said, I wouldn't cook tempura like that at home as all that extra batter is not very healthy. The fact is that even in Japan, homecooked tempura is simply a very thin crispy batter without all the "Frills". I guess the "Frills" are a cheap and effective way of increasing the size of the prawns.
Rosu Katsu Set $24.50 (Rosu=Loin)
I must say I was quite impressed with the overall presentation of the Tonkatsu. They specially import Japanese Bread Crumbs which give that wonderful crisp, light and fluffy crust. The set comes with four different condiments. Aside from the classic Tonkatsu sauce (Japanese Worchestershire Sauce), they also provide mustard, miso based sauce as well as salted Japanese curry powder.
The pork was tender and juicy and the crust was perfect. However, the pork did not have that nutty floral aroma that you get from a really good quality pork. For a restaurant that wants to promote itself as the premier place for Tonkatsu, the word "Kurobuta" was noticeably absent. 4.25/5
Inaniwa Udon
Tetsu imports this very special udon which is smaller in calibre than the normal udon. (Shall we call it Udon-Kia like Mee Kia?). The texture is silky smooth and very very nice on the bite. One of the best Udons I have tasted. 4.25/5
Roast Pork with miso sauce (new dish)
We all liked the roast pork here. Very flavoursome, tender and juicy. This is one dish we could have more of. 4/5
Conclusion
Being one of the new players in fast growing Japanese food market, Tetsu's strategy of specialising in Tempura and Tonkatsu prepared "Live" before customers is very interesting and the place has a great ambience. I feel though that they should go further by providing quality produce like Wagyu, Kurobuta, Wild Salmon and Sea Prawns in order to give consumers that extra something to make itself stand out from the crowd.
Tetsu 163 Tanglin Road #03-18 Tanglin Mall 68363112 Lunch 11.30am to 3pm Dinner 6pm to 10pm Disclaimer: This was an invited review
There are some things that sound too good to be true. Now if you are an optimist, your response to such things is to quickly go and find out if it really is true but if you are a pessimist, then you would sit back and mull over the thought that there ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
So would you consider yourself an optimist or pessimist if I were to tell you that you can get a Wagyu Shabu Shabu for $15? It's no bull (pun intended), this Wagyu Shabu Shabu is going for $15, but there is one catch --- you have to eat it in a coffee shop. "Phew, that's not too bad", I think I hear you say.
Now, for the readers who are really really skeptical, I post the picture on the right for you. Hope you are convinced.
When Jacky of Cilantro (Remember $15 Foie Gras?) said she was going to do modern Japanese food at her Marine Terrace branch, I was excited. Excited because, I know that she would go all out to give the customers something of quality but at rock bottom prices.
Good Japanese food depends on good produce and sadly a lot of places that sell Japanese food in hawker centres are not giving us good quality stuff. Now, I am not talking about the top grade Otoro, but simply a place that sell Mid-Ranged Japanese food at Hawker ranged prices. That would be a great idea for a family outing wouldn't it? Thankfully after a bit of gentle prodding, Jacky caught on the idea and decided to procure some Wagyu for the launch of her stall in Marine Terrace. Now it is up to the response from the general public to decide if we are going to see more Wagyu in coffeeshops!
For $15, you get around 5 slices of beef plus a pot of either shabu shabu or sukiyaki stock. They also serve Ponsu and Goma sauce to go with it which is quite unexpected of a $15 shabu shabu! There really is not need to tell you that the Wagyu is really melt in your mouth beefy goodness is there? 4.5/5
Wagyu Don $9.80
So what else would you do if you invested in an expensive meat slicer and you have a few kg of Wagyu Sirloin in your fridge? Why, you do a Wagyu Don, that's what. Now believe me, you don't have to Argue with Wagyu. The meat is just plain tasty no matter what you do with it. It's great whether it's dipped in soup, fried in teriyaki sauce or even eaten raw. So I'd say this could be the best bowl of Gyu Don I have tasted if only they had used better rice and the teriyaki sauce was tweaked a little. Jackie assured me that they will be changing the supply of rice to match the quality of the Wagyu. Whatever it may be, you'd be hard pressed to get something with the name "Wagyu" on it for less than $10 anywhere in Singapore. 4/5
Charshu Ramen $6
The Ramen here is very commendable. The soup is tasty enough, but I thought it could be just a little smoother (ie more fats from the marrow dissolved in the soup). Amagada on the other hand said the soup was surprisingly nice. The Chashu here is really good and quite addictive. Incidentally, don't you think Chashu is a bit of a misnomer? Should be called Lor Bak instead right? 4/5
Family Feast $18
The Family Feast is designed for families with kids (like mine). How often have you gone to a Japanese Restaurant and every time you order the tempura, it comes only in a small portion for $12? What we need is a family feast type platter where you get a variety of fried favourites like Pork Tonkatsu, Breaded Prawns, Chicken Karage, Potato Croquettes, Nuggets and Chicken Wings. As mother would say, "Jia Kau Song Song" (Eat till you are satisfied). Nothing out of the ordinary, but it's a dish the kids would love and gives the adults an excuse to indulge. 4/5
Teriyaki Chicken $6
I have to include this picture because I managed to catch the drop of lemon juice falling onto the Teriyaki chicken. Ahhhh, satisfaction.
Anyway, teriyaki chicken is a staple for any Japanese eatery and although it is easy to do, (who hasn't cooked teriyaki chicken at home?), it is very hard to get that special smoky charred taste. It is highly dependent on the quality of the soy sauce used. The one here is competent but I felt still had that "Chinese" taste to it. Kids will love it, but I still haven't found.... what I'm looking for. 3.75/5
Pan Seared Tuna $9.80
For the more adventurous, Cilantro offers a few more upmarket dishes like this Pan Seared Tuna in miso sauce. It is the kind of thing that you don't readily find in most of the Japanese Chain Restaurants in Singapore. Definitely worth a try if you are tired of the standard Japanese fare. 4/5
Banana Chocolate Mousse Cake $4.90
For dessert, you have to try their Banana Chocolate Mousse Cake which will satisfy most chocoholics except for the most fastidious ones. 4.5/5. The tiramisu is also very good. 4/5
Conclusion
We need to demystify the Wagyu and bring this wonderful tasting meat to the heartlanders. I hope to see more Wagyu appearing in food courts and mid ranged Japanese restaurants which will increase the awareness and demand for this product which will in turn mean that it will become standard fare for more Japanese eateries out there. When the Ah Gong and Ah Mah start to coin their Hokkien word for Wagyu, then we know we have reached our goal. In the meantime, if you want to continue to see Wagyu in the coffeeshop, then you have to do your part to go down and support them so that they will continue to sell it!
Now apart from the Wagyu (which is great even as sashimi), the rest of the fare is competent but don't go there expecting the same standards as your favourite Japanese restaurant. The main selling point it that it is a place where you can bring the kids to eat pretty decent Japanese food and not burn a hole in your pocket.
Cilantro Modern Asia Blk 59 Marine Terrace (Coffeeshop) Opens 10am to 10pm daily Disclaimer: I had an active role in planning the menu
Isn't it amazing to see so many DSLRs snapping away in a restaurant? I wonder what the restaurant manager would have done if our group had arrived unannounced?
Last Saturday, 30 kakis gathered at Shin Kushiya restaurant at Vivo City for the very first ieat - Canon food photography workshop to "EAT" and "SHOOT". The session started with resident professional, Jino giving a presentation on the technical aspects of photography followed by my presentation on food photography.
After getting some tips to work on, we unleashed our hungry photographers onto the unassuming food. If this had been a war movie, it would look like a scene where hundreds of canons (pardon the pun) are being fired upon a flock of sheep! Anyway, our photographers all exhibited the marks of a true food photographer, patiently snapping away at the food rather than succumbing to the temptation to eat it first.
After the session, our photographers submitted their best photos for the competition. So without further ado, may I present the winners of the photo competition!
Taste in food is subjective, so is taste in photography. So let me just state that the judge's decision is final and blah blah blah.......and so on and so forth and so fifth.
1st Prize - Jimmy Lee
This is the runaway favourite. Very nicely composed picture. The backlighting highlights the translucency of the shallots and the shadows give the picture a very dramatic feel. The steam rising from the miso soup is very difficult to capture and Jimmy managed to catch the moment beautifully. Perhaps the only thing is to pay more attention to the arrangement of the crockery in the background.
2nd Prize - Wahcow
I like the bokeh (the blurred bits) of this photo. Wahcow managed to get the rim of the bowl plus the rice on the chopsticks in focus and the background is a very pleasing arrangement of bowls which tells you the story of what is happening. This picture would have scored higher if the rice grains on the chopsticks were a little more accentuated. The top is just slightly overexposed. Would also be nice to see a little shimmer on top of the rice.
3rd Prize - Michael Luthi
The thing that is most pleasing about this picture is the balance of colours between the yellow cheese cake and the blue plate, accentuated by the green mint leaf. There is also the nice inclusion of elements such as the texture of the lemon slice and the fork. The contrast between the yellow surface of the cheese cake and the shadows on the sides accentuates the corners of the slice. Would be nice to see a bit more of the red on the top right corner.
OK, so those are the winners. Next let me post some of the consolation prize winners. Sorry guys, you don't actually get a real prize. But since you won the "Consolation" prize, here is the "Consolation": "There, there, its a good effort. You'll do better next time!"
Photo by: Kerk Sheen
Nicely composed. I like placement of the grilled pork skewer over the rice which gives the picture a point of focus. However, there are 2 things that can be improved. The chopsticks are overexposed so we can't see the texture of the wood grain. The pork looks dry, probably because it was left for too long before the picture was taken! So sometimes have to be quick to shoot!
Photo by Terrence Yap
I was attracted to the colour balance of this picture. There is the blue on the right top corner, the green on the left, bit of golden yellow from the tungsten light reflecting off the plate and the translucent grey jelly in the middle contrasted on the black plate. The problem is that the cream has melted so it looks unappetizing.
Photo by Denison Tan
I like the highlight on the legs of the crab which tells you straight away that you are looking at a crab and the way the legs draw the eyes diagonally across the picture. However I think the photo was not cropped properly so it is not so well balanced.
Photo by Wilson Tan
This photo demonstrates quite nicely how backlighting can show translucency of food, in this case, the salmon flesh. It would be nice to also capture the shimmer of the surface of the flesh. One way to do this is to have the salmon arranged in such a way that it has one surface horizontal to catch the shimmer and the other vertical to catch the translucency.
Photo by Brandon Yeo
The diagonal placement of the skewers lends a dynamic edge to the photo and the red coloured prawn heads with the charred legs immediately gives you that feeling of crunching the crispy legs in your mouth. I think it is slightly overexposed and may look more balanced if it not cropped so closely. Also it would be better if the legs and head of the first prawn was all in focus.
Now, I was pretty busy that day to really pay attention to all the food. But the one item that really stood out were the Kushiyaki. They specially import "White" charcoal from Japan to grill the skewers which results in a nice smoky flavour that is crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. The pork Kushiyaki was something I can eat quite a few of. 4.25/5
Conclusion
I thought it was an enjoyable session overall and I also learnt a lot from it. It's always nice to meet with like minded people!
Have a look at the pics and let us know which are your favourites and why!
Thanks to Shin Kushiya for helping to organize the event.
Shin Kushiya #02-120 Vivo City 11.30am to 11pm daily
This session was made possible by the nice people atCanon.
According to our polls, Japanese food is currently the favourite foreign cuisine amongst Singaporeans. So since everyone likes Japanese so much, I shall post not one, not two, not even three, but four Japanese restaurants in this one post. And believe it or not, I ate them all in one day! As my mom would say (in Teochew) "Don't want to do, never do. Want to do, do until like mad!".
Well, let me mitigate my madness by saying that the idea is actually not mine. But thanks to SoShiok.com, I was actually one of six bloggers who won a prize to go on a Makan Safari, which is a nicer way of describing Justified Gluttony. This was a bloggers' event so I was on tour with Kelvin from Timeless Fascade. You can also check out his blog for more pictures and reviews.
For those who may not be in the know. Central is the newest centre for everything Japanese. This is because it is managed by the Parco group which is a Japanese company. The shopping centre is home to many Japanese chain restaurants as well as grocery shops which cater to both the Japanese working here as well as us locals. So far, I have only tried Tom Ton's there so the wife and kids were all very eager to see what else is good.
Our Safari started at Wakashachiya which is a place specializing in Curry Udon. You heard right, the Japanese also have their version of Curry Mee but of course a mildly less fiery version. The Curry sauce was better than usual, but I don't think I could get used to having it with udon. You get your bowl of curry udon with a choice of toppings ranging from Tonkatsu to cheese to grilled eggplants. For me, I think I still prefer Japanese curry with rice. 3.75/5
What really caught our attention though, was the Hitsumabushi which is a form of Unadon (grilled eel with rice) but eaten in 3 ways. It was kinda cute as they would serve it with a little card to tell you how to eat it. (Try saying this in Japanese "Engrish")
Number one way: Scoop some eel and rice-o into small bowl and eat plain-o. Number two: Scoop some eel and rice-o into small bowl, add yakumi (seasoning made from seaweed and other stuff) and eat-o. Number three: Scoop some eel and rice-o into small bowl, add yakumi and pour the dashi into rice and eat-o. After you finish 3 courses, fourth course, you eat any way you like-o!
Actually this dish reminds me a little of Thunder Tea Rice! The eel was a little crumbly but the sauce was excellent. I never did like Thunder Tea Rice and so I go for Numbers 1 or 2. 4/5
Our next stop was Ma Maison, a restaurant which I have always wanted to visit when I was in Parco Bugis but never got to because of the long queue. Now, the Japanese are great at adapting foreign cuisine to make it very distinctly Japanese. Some even say that they can take, say, a traditional Pasta dish and transform it into what it SHOULD taste like.
Pork Tonkatsu is one good example of what I mean. This is essentially a European dish that the Japanese transformed into something that is now considered by many to be the best version of a deep fried Pork Cutlet. The Tonkatsu here might not the best one I ever eaten but it is certainly served in the quaintest fashion. It comes with the sauce served in a "Winnie the Pooh" like honey pot and you get to grind your own salt. The crust is good but I found the pork to be just a tad dry. 4/5
If you have never walked into Ma Maison, you should. Especially if you are out on a date. Even my wife and I, who are a bit "out of date" when it comes to going "out on a date" were thinking about what a romantic place it would have been to share a meal together. Now with two kids who can't sit still, it is still a nice place to have a family meal but without all that "Rou Ma" (lovey dovey) kind of stuff. Like how the Japanese have "Japanized" European food, they also managed to "Japanize" traditional European decor such that the place is distinctly Japanese though recognizably European.
Of the several dishes that we tasted, I liked the Doteni Burger best. Although the pattie was served well done (You don't have a choice), it was nicely seasoned and the beef stew that they served it with was an excellent complement to the sunny side up and pattie. It's another good example of what I mean by Japanized Western cuisine. 4.25/5
Our next stop was Santouka which specializes in Ramen. Ramen has gained popularity amongst Singaporeans in recent years but I must admit I haven't really gotten into it. One of the reasons, I suppose, is that I don't like the idea of paying over $10 for what is essentially a glorified bowl of noodle soup. Plus the Japanese "Chashu" is not really Char Siew, but more like Loh Bak.
I was however very impressed by the Japanese "Hawkers" who where serving out the noodles. I wonder how much they get paid to do their job? I have always imagined that with their higher standard of living, it would be quite expensive to employ a Japanese Expat to come to Singapore to "Lou Mien" (Dip Noodles in Hot water). I am sure our Hawkers here can do the same job but for a fraction of the pay. But you know, if the person cooking the noodles were shouting out orders in Hokkien instead of Japanese, maybe the noodles would not taste as authentic.
Anyway, amongst the different flavours that we ordered. The "Shio" was the best. The soup was milky and savoury and actually quite good and I must admit, better than our normal Bak Chor Mee soup. The milkiness of the soup was achieved by boiling the pork bones such that all the fat in the marrow is mixed in with the soup forming an emulsion. So if you always believe that soups are good for you, think again. This is a high cholesterol soup which is why it is so shiok!
Soup aside, I found that the noodles that day had a strong "Kee" taste which I would have marked down any of our local Bak Chor Mee stalls. However, I am not sure whether Ramen is supposed to taste like that since the other foodies did not seem to mind it. 4/5
For lovers of Salmon, their Sake-Ikura Don might be a good place to get your salmon fix, especially if you like the fishy salty burst of Salmon Roe in your mouth. Basically this is flaked cooked salmon and roe on rice. My wife and daughter loved it. For me it was like eating cooked salmon and roe on rice. Know what I mean? 3.5/5
By the time we got to our last stop, Waraku, we were already pretty full except for my son who had been saving his appetite for his favourite Japanese restaurant. Waraku has been one of our regular places to eat Japanese food because it serves pretty decent food at decent prices. So we often go there for my son's favourite dish of Tempura Udon. Waraku does serve one of the best Udons you can find in a mid range Japanese restaurant. The texture is always very good and it has enough gumminess and a good bite.
This time around we were so full that we could only manage some sushi and sashimi and move onto the dessert. We have never really tried the desserts at Waraku and so our Green Tea Ice Cream with Mochi and Red bean paste came as quite a pleasant surprise. The green tea ice cream was refreshingly creamy and I suspect, must be imported from Japan. The red bean paste was excellent with just that hint of saltiness that nicely balances out the sweetness. 4.5/5
Conclusion
So there you have it, a Japanese Food Safari right here in Singapore. Actually it would be a good introduction to Japanese food for the uninitiated. Would anyone else be interested in attending a whole day food safari of some of the restaurants in Central? If we can get 20-30 people, maybe I can persuade them to organize one for our readers! So if you are game, do write in the comments with the number of persons required. No obligations at this stage, just gauging the level of interest.
Thanks to SoShiok.com and the Hori-san from the management at Central for organizing this event.
One more restaurant which I blogged previously was Tom Ton which serves marvelous Kurobuta Tonkatsu
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