FEELING JAPANESE-Y

Seriously, this Top Grade Kurobuta Tonkatsu Set is $31.80 before discount so it's insanely worth the money after slashing the cost in half.

The high grade loin cutlet is very much balanced with tender and juicy meat and fat with a crisp batter that's been pretty well-drained with little trace of residual oil. The set comes with shredded cabbage and a side of lemon, with rice, pork miso soup, pickled yellow radish and fresh fruits. While it isn't the best tonkatsu I've had, it's certainly enjoyable, and for 50% off I couldn't be more satisfied!

I love @watami.sg's beef rice bowl, but this Wagyu Nikomi Rice ($12.90++) is a game changer and its mad affordable price point could potentially send them pricey wagyu bowls to shame because I am really taken aback by how good this is!

Reasonably portioned, each piece of beef is almost melt-in-your-mouth soft and really tender, and so flavourful, I could finish this rice bowl in a matter of minutes! Plus, Watami does not disappoint with their perfect onsen egg as well. Would happily order this again on my next visit! 😍

Note that for their lunch menu, the same price gets you a side salad and miso soup; even more value-for-money! 🤩

I ordered the Aburi Wagyu Beef Don ($20++); tender and flavourful, thinly sliced strips of torched wagyu beef blanketed over rice which felt rather plain and could have done with some flavouring of its own or a sauce. Thankfully, the onsen egg was perfect and mixed well into the dish. I enjoyed this dish, although I have my doubts as to whether I'd get this again without any discounts (sorry I'm cheap 😥), but that is only because I love the options and variety of Japanese food available here.

If you are looking for Japanese cuisine along Holland Village, and maybe some alcohol to go with your meal, this just might be a place worth checking out!

Aburiya's set lunch (Boat Quay) comes with a side salad, miso soup and hot or cold green tea. I expected the portion of the rice bowl to be small considering the wallet-friendly price, but I thought it turned out to be pretty reasonable in serving size! Had the Cheese Beef Donburi ($12) which is pieces of wagyu beef and melted cheese beside it over fluffy white rice and garnished with chopped chives.

The wagyu beef is BOMB; first bite and I was instantly sold! I guess at its price point, I bore in mind that the beef could just be average or filled with cartilage, whatsoever, but none of that, just really soft, uber tender and well marinated meat. I really like that the of the beef is not too salty, allowing me to savour more of its flavour. I would recommend getting the Original bowl though as it comes with more meat - imagine the cheese part but it's also meat; the cheese here is well torched and tastes really nice, but I did feel, because the beef is really good as well, I could do without that. Otherwise, the Daikon Oroshi Beef Bowl is a pretty balanced option as the daikon seems to work as a palette cleanser to the beef.

One thing is for sure - as long as this lunch promo lasts, I'll definitely be back for more! 😋

The Kohaku Tendon ($17.90) from @kohakutendon includes chicken, prawn and edamame tempura - among other battered deep fried items - portioned in generous chunks to hide the bed of rice underneath. It was a first for me to eat tendon, for obvious reasons, and I thought it's not too shabby a dish, though I could not tear the edamame apart with my teeth. 🤔

I've found another affordable and delicious bowl of Beef Rice Bowl ($6.90) and it is at Tempura Fuji at Food Republic Westgate.

This one's generously topped with thin, tender sliced beef and soft onions; you can't even see the rice from most angles anymore! I like that there is sauce that comes with the beef that soaks into the rice without making it too soggy nor salty, while value-adding to the overall flavour of the already delicious beef. Super worth the money, and I'd personally whack a generous serving of tempura bits into this - go ahead, judge me all you want. 🤣

This is part of a hosted meal at @tempurafujisg.

How often is it ever that you get really good Soba - hot or cold - that's both affordable ($4.90!!!) and at a food court?

Visited Tempura Fuji at Food Republic Westgate and was really impressed, especially by this very simple bowl. Had the dish cold and topped with an onsen egg; the soup is tasty and not too salty while the buckwheat noodles are easy on the bite and absorb the flavour of the soup pretty well. Pair this with some of their lovely tempura items, or have it on its own - it's that nice, honestly! 🤤

This is part of a meal warmly hosted by @tempurafujisg. Thank you @sgfoodiehoe for the invite! 😁

The Gyu Bowl ($16.80++) at Kogane Yama seemed like my only choice for rice bowls - the rest were pretty much seafood - so there wasn't much for me to think about before ordering.

The beef is nicely seasoned and quite flavourful along with the rice, but is not as tender as I'd expect for its original price (I had this at $11 during the promotional period). Onsen egg is done pretty well with the yolk flowing out gracefully when broken before I mixed it with the dish.

Overall, this is decent enough with a reasonable portion, but it's nothing worth going gaga over. 😕

Have been hearing quite a bit about Apiary's Sesame Treat ($12) and because it's so unconventional for a dessert in Singapore, I have been really keen to try it!

The dessert comprises of white and black sesame ice-cream with sesame seeds, sesame oil and Japanese sea salt.

You're supposed to taste the two scoops separately and on their own before proceeding to add the toppings with which upon clarification from the staff, you are supposed to pour over the ice-cream however much you want. I initially put a slight amount of each topping in and felt the sea salt was wayyyyyy too salty, so I decided not to add anymore. I ended up using all the sesame oil and seeds though because those are really good stuff. 🤤 I should have used them sparingly with every few mouths though, so as to keep the savouriness strong throughout.

Overall, this dessert is surely more than just a novelty; if you are an avid sesame person, this will definitely appeal to you in all ways, although I think all dessert fans should give this a go at least once for the experience! 😋

The one place that never disappoints for a very, very satisfying bowl of ramen is Brothers Ramen, which I can safely say is my most favourite ramen restaurant in Singapore!

My usual here is the Bellymen ($13.90) - soft, tender, generous and generously fatty pork belly in what I've read is a rich yet light chicken and fish broth with springy noodles and chicken wanton.

If you're keen for the chashu, I honestly prefer the chicken chashu over the pork, which is something really rare because I tend to be quite disapproving of chicken chashu, but the brothers at this humble ramen restaurant are able to make it so tender and flavourful that I personally find it interestingly more enjoyable than the pork alternative!

Regardless, amidst all the not-so-spectacular ramen chains and restaurants in Singapore, @brosramen is here to give you a ramen experience to hold in your hearts! ♥

Was recommended the Menchi Katsu Set ($20.80++) over the Tonkatsu so I decided to give it a try.

Menchi is meat patty, and Makan Koryouri's take uses minced beef and pork. While the meat is exceptionally soft, I feel it lacks a kick of flavour, and relies quite heavily on the mayo for taste.

Can't say it's not good; it definitely has potential, with the texture compensating for the lack of taste, but it does not strike a strong lasting impression for a dish that costs 20 odd.

Never thought I'd love an eggplant dish (generally find it quite distasteful perhaps due to my poor luck) SO DAMN MUCH till I had the Nasu Dengaku - eggplant with miso sauce.

The eggplant itself is an effortlessly melty pleasure that pairs perfectly with the thick and evenly spread miso sauce which packs a well-balanced sweet and mildly salty kick that screams addiction within the first two tries.

I think I've found myself a new love; definitely would keep a look out for this in Singapore and especially in Japan in future! ❤️