Japanese

From waffles and puffles and soft serve (I miss these!), to matcha specialty kiosk, to Japanese tea cafe, @hvala_sg has come such a long way and I’m so proud of this homegrown brand. Their new cafe at Chijmes is gorgeous and the tea selection is extensive – you’re sure to find something you like!

Golden mountain of crispy, succulent goodness on Koshihikari rice. The marinated chicken fillet is especially dope. 10/10 would eat again. And again.

Located in Food Republic (I had this at the 313 Somerset outlet), this stall serves legit soba, which you can pair with your pick of tempura from a spread laid out on the counter. Really liked this, so I might give their curry a go next time!

Birthday treat last month courtesy of @ccher. Overall delicious, especially the fresh egg noodles that they use for the modanyaki. And the okonomiyaki batter wasn’t too gluggy, which I appreciate. Could do with more cheese, though.

They may look pretty innocuous, but they aren't just any ordinary croquettes – in place of creamy bechamel is a rich Japanese curry that almost FLOWS when you cut or bite into each orb of crispy breadcrumbs. I love strong flavours and this one more than exceeds expectations.

Wholesome grain bowl joint by day and yakitori bar by night, Mojo's pretty compelling no matter whether you're visiting for lunch or dinner.

The star of the show is definitely the tsukune, a skewer of well-marinated minced chicken that's caramelised to lightly crisp perfection on the surfaces while maintaining a succulent, meaty bite beneath. The accompanying egg yolk serves as an extra emollient touch; go on and swirl the tsukune in it as much as you can – it makes it all the better on the palate.

A hearty ramen and gyoza kind of day. Favourite part of this had to be that thick, unctuous cut of aburi pork belly in the spicy broth.

Splurged $11 on two of these babies at the Japan Fair currently happening at the Takashimaya food hall, and regretted none of it.

Hand-rolled on the spot by a Japanese master at the counter, each pretty pink orb entails delicate, powdered skin that gives way to a velvety cocoon of red bean paste in which an immensely juicy Japanese strawberry snuggles. In one expectant bite, I got a burst of sweet and tart that had my face all puckered up in pleasure ☺️ – if you've eaten enough times with me, you'd know what I'm talking about!

The fair is on until 20 November. Nobody better stand in my way of laying my hands (and sinking my teeth) on more of these precious darlings.

Probably the best beef bowl on a budget; $23++ gets you meaty slices of grilled US angus short rib drizzled with truffle soy sauce, an oozy onsen egg, and a slab of seared foie gras glazed with black garlic brown butter on pearly grains of seasoned rice.

Sea urchin, tuna, negitoro, salmon, aburi salmon belly, scallop, sea bream, swordfish, white tuna, yellowtail, ikura, egg, and ebiko – all that variety in one bowl sure makes for a pretty colourful picture!

When they said rich, they certainly meant it. Savoury, umami and with a hint of that roasted shellfish flavour; a satiating broth that will certainly pad the tummy. This was so crazy filling that I couldn't even finish half the noodles and soup – and y'all know how large my appetite can be!

Most people would be familiar with "udon", the typically thick wheat noodles that most Japanese restaurants and chains offer. I'm not a fan of that variety, but Inaniwa udon, I absolutely adore.

Thin and slinky with a teasingly QQ bite, this variety of handmade udon hails from the Akita prefecture in Japan, and can be served hot or cold. My preference is certainly to have them chilled, and Imakatsu does an excellent rendition of these slurp-worthy noodles in a cold bonito broth that's light on the palate and very refreshing. Add-ons like onsen egg and mentaiko are a must as well!