Japanese

No wonder there’s a queue even before the dining hours. Though if you managed to get in the first seating, the wait isn’t that long.

Award-winning will be their Tan Tan Men ($15.90), a spicy ramen with ground pork. Broth is a mix of chicken, beef bones, oysters and kombu enhanced with aromatic spices such as sesame paste, chilli oil, and garlic. Though we felt their Hot and Sour Soup Ramen ($15.90) was the better of the two as the Tan Tan Men was slightly salty and didn’t live up to its expectations.

Special Bento, $29.80, which comprises nine of the chef’s recommended side dishes, including assorted sashimi flown in fresh from Japan, the signature sen-ryo tamagoyaki, tofu in goma sauce, ebi tempura and tako karaage. Plus they have warabi mochi too. This set comes with rice and miso soup, so it’s really value for money.

sen-ryo turns ONE!

And to celebrate this joyous occasion they have launched special dishes along with new set lunch offerings on 19 April 2022.

There’s the Salmon Shioyaki Set ($26.80), a generous slice of salt-and-pepper marinated salmon or sen-ryo Kushiyaki Set ($20.80), a delightful platter of five types of skewer.

Shown here is the healthier yet luxe Madai Ochazuke Set ($19.80), which comes with a pot of Japanese green tea broth. A generous bowl of rice topped with sliced sea bream, bonito flakes, radish and leek.

Only 100 bowls daily!

Enishi, hail from Kobe Japan, is a quaint 9-seater restaurant tucked away on the second level of International Plaza. Serving only 2 items: Dashi Ramen and Dan Dan Noodles.

A colourful bowl packed with flavours and texture, their Dan Dan Mee is one of the best in town. Made up of diced chashu, minced pork, white diced onions, fried onions, pickles, and mizuna, add in the soft boiled egg and mixed it well. Thick QQ noodles coated in sultry sauce, each painstakingly selected ingredient contributes to the greatness of the dish, and leave you wanting more.

P.S: ask for a small bowl of rice to “soak” up the remaining sauce.

We had their 4-course Dinner Set Menu ($58/person) which Chef Darwin specially crafted for Nespresso SG Restaurant Week, happening from 4 Mar - 27 Mar 2022.

The starter was Smoked Maguro Crudo with ginger shallot dressing, wasabi cheese & petit salad before moving on to my favourite of the evening, Squid Ramen. A rendition of ramen, the “noodle” is made with squid and served in an umami dashi broth. Finished off with a panko-crusted ajitsuke tamago with bbq pull pork.

We had their 4-course Dinner Set Menu ($58/person) which Chef Darwin specially crafted for Nespresso SG Restaurant Week, happening from 4 Mar - 27 Mar 2022.

Main will be the Nespresso-infused dish, Kurobuta Crispy Pork Belly with dashi cauliflower, coffee rum glaze and charred kale. A nice balance of lean meat and fats, along with a cracking good skin.

As we end off the meal with a Chocolate tart topped with soya miso curd, served alongside Hokkaido milk gelato.

Unagi Chazuke at Osomatsu, a new contemporary Japanese restaurant in KINEX.

Pouring an umami kombu dashi stock over Akita prefecture rice topped with broiled Unagi, steep it in the green tea till the grains absorb the fragrance of the tea.

P.S: this classic Jap dish is part of the omakase menu and not available on the Àla carte menu.

Nicely grilled iberico pork jowl which is so tender and juicy, accompanied with smoked sausage tare and crispy pork. This donabe is drizzled with umami sauce and forms a crispy charred rice at the bottom of the bowl.

Donabe 土鍋 means clay pot in Japanese. So it’s quite apt that this newly open Japanese restaurant offers a wide selection of clay pot dishes with Japanese elements in them.

Portioned for two, each donabe is made of Japanese Nigata Rice cooked with premium dashi which consists of aged katsuobushi, Hidaka konbu.

Made of sous vide Hiroshima Oyster, Pacific Clams, Dried Shrimp Roe and Shio Konbu, this might be my least fav of the three. But really cos I’m not a huge fan of oyster.

Donabe 土鍋 means clay pot in Japanese. So it’s quite apt that this newly open Japanese restaurant offers a wide selection of clay pot dishes with Japanese elements in them.

Portioned for two, each donabe is made of Japanese Nigata Rice cooked with premium dashi which consists of aged katsuobushi, Hidaka konbu. Selection includes Ohya aka Chicken, Iberiko Buta, Unagi or Kaki aka Hiroshima Oyster.

But don’t leave without trying the Kinoko ($26). It might look unassuming, but this vegetarian-friendly dish is a delightful combination of oriental mushroom and mushroom floss and a runny onsen egg. Retaining a smokey fragrance yet nicely moist, we scrape the bowl clean in no time.

Close to the convention centre, just beside Din Tai Feng, Tempura Makino is the new tempura chain in town.

Known for their “Tsudoage” style where tempura is made to order, Tempura Makino’s version boosts a thinner batter than most.

For a selection of all items, choose from the various Set Menus which also include miso soup and pickled vegetables. Here we are having the Makino Special Tendon ($25) which is overflowing with prawns, anago, squid, butternut pumpkin even Okinawan egg, doused in signature tare sauce.

At Sapporo Misono, the newest concept store by @ramen_keisuke which specialise in Hokkaido-specialty ramen!

Unlike the other outlets, Sapporo Misono uses specially aged yellow Sapporo noodles which have less moisture for a more springy-chewy texture. Choose between the Miso Ramen (from $12.90), Spicy Miso Ramen ($13.90) or Scorched Shoyu Ramen ($11.90)

Side dishes not to be miss:
* Char Mayo ($5), made of diced Chasyu and mayonnaise
* Hokkaido Potato Mochi ($6.90), a chewy pan-fried snack made of Hokkaido grated potatoes and glutinous rice flour, glazed with teriyaki sauce and butter