Japanese

Hard to resist such a eye-dazzling set up of crispy tempura on rice. Yup. Tendon (Tempura+don). $13.80++
💫
Luckily or unluckily, not mine. This was actually delicious. Crispy tempuras of pumpkin, mushroom, prawn, cheese meatballs, with the insides all still very moist. Funnily, I thought I liked it more than the famed one tried at TJP. Perhaps it was the lasting crispiness of the batter, or the fact that this had a stronger flavour (from the spiciness) - the other was had plain. One of those hidden shops at the back of a busy @rafflescitysg. The pork tonkotsu ramen was very decent as well with its thick broth. If not a tad heavy on sodium.

It isn't unfair to say that sashimi bowl lovers would know of this one - Sushiro's $12.90 Chirashi. Salmon, tuna, ikura (salmon roe), amaebi (prawn), hotate (scallop) and octopus on a bed of sushi rice. The ratio of fish chunks to rice is 1:1. Unwilling to say because it is already so hyped, but yes, no wonder the queue.
💫
Slow on the bandwagon, but glad I tried - even if in a takeaway bowl, because we didn't have all day to join the queue of 10 people at weekend lunch. Fun fact: you can try your luck queueing for the bowl at it's sister shop at the same level opp the food court, but chances are, both will have snaking lines. xD Just get the takeaway bowl otherwise.

Craving for some Japanese food. Might seem a little slow, but only just tried this chain for the very first time 2 weeks back.
💫
For a chain, the quality is more than decent for the sushi. Take this Spicy Salmon Handmade Mayo Sauce with rice, egg and scallop. Creamy in every spoonful, filled with salmon and the occasional scallop. Japanese food sure can be sinful but so good, so share this. This, at only $6.80😶.
💫
All the while, there was the wondrous smell of grilled beef cubes and flame-grilled salmon mentai. No wonder the queues here. Sure coming back

1x oozy egg hidden beneath a pyramid of tempura. They only serve 2 kinds of bowls here - special or vegetables. Another concept by Keisuke - this time no ramen, but Tendon（天井) - tempura+don.
💫
$18 for a chawanmushi, miso soup, and a bowl of 2 pieces each of chicken, prawns, long beans, 1x mushroom tempuras and free flow of picked vegetables. Probably not the lightest/crispiest/cleanest-tasting tempura batter found. Still, it is great value and definitely above average. Some love the drizzled tempura sauce. Tempura-lovers to venture, others: alright to try.
💫
The place always sees queues, even on a Sunday at 11.45am, so go early.

친짜? (Really?) Jinjja chicken.
🍗
Pick from 3 flavour choices (Soy Garlic/Yangnyeom/Monster 🌶). These are better wings to eat with my 5 fingers :P - flavours are there with a more moist inside than that known chain at about the same price point. Help yourselves to the gloves. Decent if you are looking for a quick KFC fix. 💫
The tteobbeokki (rice cake) fries, which we thought to be all rice cake, turned out to be only 2 short sticks of tteobbeokki with the rest fries. :/ Stick with the normal.

Lobster king ramen ($14.90). At first spoonful, the lobster-seafood sweetness of the broth hits you full on and leaves one hankering for a second. Midway though, it starts to feel a little heavy. Think I prefer the Tori (chicken) one if we talk about variations, and the best still, the original tonkotsu. The cha shu here is also different - chicken instead of your usual pork.
As usual, we swooped on the free well-marinated bean sprouts and boiled eggs.

Recently realised how rolls can be comfort food, especially when it has your favourite ingredients like this - torched wagyu beef, shrimp, avocado and drizzled with the sweet, smoky secret Senmi sauce. The Dynamite Maki ($15). This ain't roll'ing in the bottom end when it comes to the hierarchy of rolls. Oishiiiii desu gambatte. 💫

One of those creations which you should just eat in a mouthful and enjoy all the bursting flavours and textures.

Monday and feeling like the pieces don't exactly fit from the blues? At least these mosaic sushi pieces do. Apparently these cubes of sushi are a little trend wave in Japanese eateries. 💫
A dash of purple in this set, as some used purple rice. The set also comes with lobster salad and silky bean curd. Think I prefer the salmon mentai over this, which had a better balance of rice to ingredient ratio. This is available till 31 Dec only. Review link http://herpenandfork.blogspot.sg/2016/11/kinsa-sushi-at-hillv2-review-media.html?m=1

Finally finally struck this off my wishlist of 6 months.
💫
They were out of their matcha, so we went for the Genmaicha, and no I don't think it was a compromise in any way. The slight bitter-sweetness of the green tea, earthy fragrance of roasted brown rice with nutty undertones all melded into this balanced soft-serve. I haven't visited Japan, but i think I got a good taste of it here. 💫
Didn't plan to come today, but spontaneity always adds an extra joy. If you want to try this flavour, tomorrow is the last day before it is switched for another. ;)

Chirashi Bowl ($18). Marinated chunks of fresh tuna, salmon, negitoro, jellyfish, swordfish and peppered with little bits of fried tempura on a bed of 12-grain rice (+$1).
💫
My eyes went 😍 when I saw this. Loved the contrast of crunchy texture the mixed grains provided and definitely value-for-money. No wonder this little eatery is popular and everyone here orders this.

All thoughts forgotten when faced with an onset egg, wagyu beef slices that are juicy and melty on a bed of not your usual white sushi rice but purple rice. The purple rice provided a slightly crunchy textural contrast. A plus too if for those looking for a 'healthier' carb.
Kagoshima A4 Wagyu Kamameshi ($26.80) - part of Kinsa Sushi's newly introduced purple rice series from 1 Nov.

Soba-ry good. Not usually a cold soba person but somehow felt in the mood for it today at this Japanese place. House made noodles dipped in the cool, flavourful bonito broth before slurping. So refreshing.
Just a little confused about this mini chirashi-don-and-cold-soba ($20) set because the mini chirashi don (which I didn't think would have rice) and the soba were carbs x2. How is one supposed to pair this?