Food – Japanese – DanielFoodDiary.com

Ippudo, which still counts as one of my favourite ramen shops in Singapore, has opened a quick-service, takeaway concept store Kuro-Obi at Marina Bay Sands.

Kuro-Obi was first launched in New York, and this Singapore MBS outlet is its first overseas foray.

Interesting to know: this is the first concept by Ippudo with a chicken-based Tori Paitan ramen.

The signature is the Kuro Obi Original ($12) which comes in a takeaway bowl, with a creamy chicken broth base served with chicken chashu, diced onion, spinach, seaweed and egg.

Other variants include Aka-Obi ($10) mixed in with spicy miso pasta, Cha Obi ($9) which has a vegetable shoyu broth, and Shiro-Obi ($8) – the original with no egg and seaweed.

The bowl of noodles can be customized by choosing from texture of the noodles to soup concentration, stock richness to condiment add-on such as garlic and onion.

I picked “Normal” for all choices.

First feedback (which is similar to what several of my friends had commented) was that the broth was too salty, and somewhat oily.

I can understand why. The soup was oilier than usual as this is a takeaway concept, and the oil would help keep the soup warm enough.

With that said, I did feel that the saltiness masked the delicate creaminess of the chicken broth.

For fans of Ippudo’s Hakata style straight, long and thin noodles, you may be disappointed to know that the noodles here are the yellowish, thicker, shorter type – as it supposedly keeps better and does not turn soggy so easily.

At least the chicken chashu was tender and tasty.

Side dishes of Chicken Rice, Tori Chashu Meshi, Tori Karaage, Takoyaki are available.

Ordered the Tori Karaage and was thankful I had 3 instead of 5 – the pieces were just too oily and not crisp enough.

Thankfully, Kuro-Obi is considered wallet-friendly in high-end Marina Bay Sands, with ramen starting from $8.

If not, Ippudo fans can still choose to dine-in at the 90-seater restaurant next door.

Kuro-Obi Marina Bay Sands
Bayfront Avenue #B2-54/55 Marina Bay Sands Singapore 018972 (beside Skating Rink and Rasapura)
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 11:00pm (Sun – Thurs, PH), 10:30am – 11:30pm (Fri, Sat, Eve of PH)

* Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Kuro-Obi – Ippudo Launches Chicken Ramen Takeaway Concept At Marina Bay Sands appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

“Irrashaimase!” DANRO Japanese Collagen Hot Pot Restaurant by Ministry of Food (MOF) has opened a NEW outlet at the basement of Cathay Cineleisure Orchard.

You can expect hotpot buffets starting from $15.90++ for weekday lunch and $24.90++ for dinners, with a collagen soup base at an additional top-up of $2 (ie $17.90++, $26.90++).

Students aged 18 and below (with student card) get to enjoy the buffet lunch at a Student Promo Price of $12.90++ (T&C apply). Such a value-for-money price!

Although DANRO has branches at Punggol Waterway Point, JEM, United Square, Bugis Junction and NEX, every outlet has slight differences in offerings and pricings. (This write-up is focused on the Cathay Cineleisure Orchard branch.)

Note: Hurray for friends at Punggol. DANRO at Waterway Point offers hotpot delivery now. Details at bottom of post.

In Japan, eating together from a shared pot is important to establish closer relationships with family and friends. DANRO hopes to promote the culture of “nabe wo kakomu” which means “sitting around the pot”, bringing warmness and closeness to the people who eat together.

This new outlet is located at a convenient location at downtown Orchard (right next to Tensho and the food court), which you can gather with friends before or after a movie or KTV outing upstairs.

Unlimited servings of premium meats
What I like is that sliced of US Beef, Pork and Chicken are served in boxes and brought to the table. No need to ‘fight’ for meats at the buffet counter.

The meats are sliced only upon-order at the restaurant, ensuring better freshness. So you don’t get ‘frozen-tasting’ meats.

The thickness (or should I say thinness) was suitable for shabu-shabu, for you to better appreciate the tenderness of the meats.

While the meats presented were not of the highest-highest cut, I was still pleasantly surprised with its quality and thought they were still relatively worthy for its price. Especially the beef and pork.

Note: Dinner buffets include prawns.

5 Types of Collagen Soup Broths
Not just one, but five types – Chicken Collagen, Pork Garlic Collagen, Chicken Collagen Spicy, Pork Garlic Spicy and Herbal Collagen.

The collagen is extracted from boiling the skin and bones of pork or chicken, then made into white wobbly jelly-like blocks.

As the heat from the hotpot dissipates, the collagen-jelly will melt into smooth, milky soup.

If you are a first timer to DANRO, I would suggest you stick to the basic flavours of Chicken or Pork Garlic Collagen, as I found that the spiciness of the other two broths (though it was still light) to be distracting.

Tip: Add some garlic you can find from the condiments area, to enhance the aroma of the garlic soup.

4 Types of Other Soup Bases
Good that this is a ‘Yuan-Yang’ pot which allows double soup broths. The other choices, other than the collagen, are Sukiyaki, Tonkotsu, Mala, and Pork Tomyam.

For something ‘safe’, the Tonkotsu soup is prepared with a traditional Kyushu secret recipe, rich in nutrients and flavours from boiling the pork bones for many hours.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Mala, and was told by Head Chef Sonoda that this was “Japanese style Mala”, in which less spices and oil are used, but you could still appreciate if you are a spice-lover.

Indeed, I found myself slurping up the soup more often, without feeling greasy or with after-rumblings in the tummy.

Another great choice would be the Sukiyaki soup base. Chef Sonoda said that this local version that he created would be less salty than the Japanese ones, because he realized that Singapore customers actually liked to drink the soup (Compared to the Japanese who don’t).

Tip: Break and beat an egg in a bowl, then dip the cooked beef slices briefly into the beaten egg before popping into your mouth – just the way the Japanese do it.

Other food selection includes:
– Different types of Japanese fish cake & fish balls, mini-sausages, crab stick
– Vegetables such as leek, white radish, Japanese lotus root, carrot, spinach, sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, cabbage, local greens, onions, sweet corn cob
– Mushroom – wood ear mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms
– Cooked food such as deep fried items, fried udon and fried rice
– Fresh fruits (saw a platter of cut watermelon)

Condiments, dips and sauces
A variety of dips are available to compliment the hot pot ingredients, including ponzu sauce, shoyu, goma sauce, peanut sauce and chilli padi.

Unlimited Serving of Drinks and Ice Cream
Drinks such as hot ocha, iced tea and soft drink are also included within the price.

The feedback I had to DANRO was, while the refills of the soups were FREE and prompt, I thought they could be less diluted.

Also, the Herbal Collagen and Pork Tomyam bases might need some fine-tuning for them to be more acceptable to the masses.

From the last time I tried DANRO, I thought the restaurant has improved in terms of both the variety and quality of the soup bases.

This is also probably one of the most affordable, if not the most value-for-money Collagen Hotpots available in Singapore. Time to get together, and get pretty.

DANRO Cathay Cineleisure Orchard Pricing
Weekday * 80 min lunch, 100 min dinner limit per diner
Lunch $15.90++ (Adult)
$9.90++ (Child 4-10 yrs)
Dinner $24.90++ (Adult)
$9.90++ (Child 4-10 yrs)

Weekend, PH and eve of PH * 100min limit per diner
All day $24.90++ (Adult)
$11.90++ (Child 4-10 yrs)

Student Promo
$12.90++ for students age 18 and below with student card.
Promotion Timing: 11:30am – 5:00pm (Mon – Fri), 11:30am – 1:00pm (Sat – Sun). Except Eve of PH, PH. T&C apply.

DANRO Japanese Collagen Hotpot Buffet – Orchard
Cathay Cineleisure Orchard #B1-08/09, 8 Grange Road Singapore 239695
Tel: +65 6262 6103
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm (Sun – Thurs, PH), 11:30am – 10:30pm (Eve of PH), 11:30am – 11:00pm (Fri – Sat)
(Buffet Lunch timings during weekdays end at 5:30pm.)

DANRO – Punggol
Waterway Point #01-33 (East Wing), 83 Punggol Central, Singapore 828761
Tel: +65 6386 1741

DANRO – JEM
JEM #01-16, 50 Jurong Gateway Road Singapore 608549
Tel: +65 6338 7368

DANRO Waterway Point Delivery
DANRO at Punggol Waterway Point is offering Hotpot Delivery. Enquire from within store, or call +65 98228271 to place your orders.

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Ministry Of Food (MOF).

The post DANRO – Japanese COLLAGEN Hot Pot BUFFET At Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, Prices From $15.90++ appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

What will the Japanese feel when they find Singapore chilli crab sauce doused over tempura? At least it is not salted egg sauce, but never say never.

Don Meijin 丼名人 is a donburi eatery added to the Ramen Champion fleet at Bugis+, located at Level 4.

The eatery offers a couple of donburi items, including Tendon ($13.80), Roast Beef Don ($18.80), Pork Shogayaki Don ($12.80), Jumbo Chicken Katsu Don ($13.80) and a most intriguing Spicy Chiili Crab Tendon ($14.80).

A mini Udon set is available as add-on for a $3.00 top-up.

The Tendon may remind you of other Tendon already available in Singapore, including Kohaku Tendon (Suntec City), Tendon Ginza Itsuki (Tanjong Pagar), Tensho (Centrepoint) and Tempura Tsukiji Tenka (Wisma Atria).

The entire presentation and bowl used seem like a copy of the popular Kohaku Tendon, so comparisons are inevitable.

The Tendon pieces include tempura prawns, asparagus, pumpkin, seasonal fish fillet, eggplant and kakiage.

They are supposedly fried at a specific temperature in a water fryer. The water cleans and helps prevent degradation of the oil, as well as filters food residues to keep the oil clear.

I think some diners, especially those who like heavier and saucier things on the palate, could appreciate the Spicy Chiili Crab Tendon ($14.80). Especially those who cannot stop drizzling sauces over their rice.

The chilli crab sauce was moderately spicy with that heavy ketchup aftertaste. Personal preference, but I would prefer a sauce which would be more egg-y.

As the sauce is so intense-tasting, the flipside is that it can distract from the flavours of the tempura pieces, such as the sweetness of the prawns and vegetables.

Which to be fair, some of the parts (those not drenched in the sauce) were actually crisp.

You can try this Chilli Crab Tendon, if you need something to spice up your life OR just want to try another Tendon in Singapore.

Don Meijin 丼名人
Ramen Champion Bugis+, 201 Victoria Street, #04-10, Bugis+, Singapore 188067
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:30pm Daily

* Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Don Meijin 丼名人 – Spicy Chiili Crab Tendon At Bugis+. You Wanna Try? appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Correct me if I am wrong, but Singaporean diners generally prefer salmon for sashimi and sushi. Therefore, a maguro (tuna) speciality restaurant opening at Tanjong Pagar Centre got me curious enough. (It’s next to Hattendo.)

Kuro Maguro, which translates to “bluefin tuna”, is sister restaurant to Maguro Donya Miuramisakikou Sushi & Dining (I know it is a mouthful) located at Eat At Seven Suntec City. Both specialise in sashimi and sushi grade Maguro (tuna).

Maguro Donya Miuramisakikou Sushi & Dining is headed by Chef Shuji Sawada, regarded as one of the most renowned maguro and sashimi wholesalers in Japan.

The brand uses the technique called ‘super frozen’ to freeze its maguro at minus 60 degrees Celsius, and also ships the freshest maguro from the trawler directly, and hence is able to keep prices competitive

Lunch focuses on 18 different donburi, with options such as Otoro Meshi ($32.80), which features marbled tuna belly; Salmon Oyako Meshi (S$20.80) with salmon chunks and juicy roe; Salmon Toro Aburi Meshi ($24.80) in which salmon is flame-seared upon serving.

I had the classic Barachirashi (S$18.80) with an assortment of cubed sashimi.

Compared to the other brands in Singapore, I find that this bowl had a cleaner, somewhat more delicate taste without going too heavy on the marinate.

Ingredients wise, the bowl had proportionally more maguro pieces, complemented with fluffy Japanese rice which was tasty on its own.
My qualms with some other barachirashi bowls is that the short-grain rice used may not be of the best quality, and diners had to depend on (too much) seasoning. This had no such problem.

The dinner offers both donburi and sashimi.

There are offerings of Maguro ($38++ for 3-cut, $38++ for 5 cut), Chūtoro (medium fatty tuna, $38++), Otoro (lowest section of tuna belly, $58++), Kamatoro (collar bone of bluefin tuna, $18++), Amaebi (sweet shrimp, $12++) and Hotate ($24++).

If you are not a fan of Maguro, perhaps you were disappointed with previous less desirable experiences with dark-red coloured tuna sashimi. Give this a chance, and you would be greeted with pinker, fresh tasting sashimi with rich, buttery flavour.

My main qualm about Kuro Maguro was the serving time. It took a while, say about 20 minutes for a bowl of donburi to be served during lunch, which could be considered relatively long for CBD workers in a rush.

Kuro Maguro Grand Opening Special
Taking place from 1 to 3 February 2017, Kuro Maguro’s Grand Opening Sale will entitle all customers to 50% off the delicious Otoro Meshi donburi. Limited to one bowl per person.

Kuro Maguro
Tanjong Pagar Centre, 7 Wallich Street #01-04 Singapore 078884 (Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Tel: +65 6386 8561
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 2:00pm, 5.30pm-10:00pm (Mon – Sun)
Last Order 10pm (Mon – Sat) Last order 9pm (Sun)

Maguro Donya Miuramisakikou Sushi & Dining
3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City North Wing #03-314 Singapore 038983 (City Hall MRT, Promenade MRT)
Tel: +65 66545054
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 10pm
Reservation Online – Maguro Donya Miuramisakikou Sushi & Dining

* Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Kuro Maguro – Maguro (Tuna) Speciality Donburi And Sashimi Restaurant At Tanjong Pagar Centre appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Michelin-starred Tsuta Ramen (or Soba) has been attracting long queues since it opened at Pacific Plaza.

Good news. Tsuta has its 2nd outlet in Singapore, and its choice of location is quite unexpected.

At Tai Seng.

Friends at Tai Seng (and surrounding Paya Lebar and Hougang), are you screaming with delight? Finally, you cannot say Tai Seng is an area where “birds don’t lay eggs”.

The location of Tsuta is at Level 1 of the new mall 18 Tai Seng, a short walk away from Tai Seng MRT.

Other prominent F&B you can expect there include Liao Fan Hawker Chan – famous for its Michelin-starred Hong Kong starred soya chicken rice and noodles, dim sum restaurant Tim Ho Wan, Harry’s Bar + Dining, and a couple of the usual names found everywhere else. LOL.

While it is known as a “ramen” store, Tsuta would prefer to call its offerings, Soba.

Two basic noodle choices are available – the Shoyu Soba ($15.00) and Miso Soba ($16.00), inclusive of GST with no additional service charge. Top ups of Ajitama egg and char siu are available.

The other Shio Soba ($15.00) which can be found at Pacific Plaza is not available at Tai Seng (yet), as they would like some form of differentiation between the two Singapore stores.

The Shoyu Soba ($15.00 for basic bowl, $22.80 for addition of char siu and ajitama egg) appears to be the crowd favourite, featuring its distinct piquant black truffle sauce.

Reviews so far have been mixed, and one of the harshest I read was YouTubers @nightowlcinematics giving it a 0/5 rating, saying it was ”one of the worst ramen I ever eaten”. Ouch!

I personally find this a respectable bowl, has a ‘clean’ delicate soup broth with subtle notes of truffle, matched with straight long thin noodles with a good bite.

Perhaps diners were expecting more due to the Michelin-honours and hype surrounding the brand.

Exclusive to this Tai Seng outlet is a Miso Soba ($16.00). After addition of Char Siu and Ajitama Egg, the cost will be $23.80.

When I took the first mouthful, I thought the soup base reminded me of Ramen Miharu’s during the good old days, with its cloudy Miso base and addition of corn.

Between the two, I preferred the noodle texture of the Shoyu bowl. The Miso Soba uses a yellowish, flat and broad type of noodles.

I would recommend tasting the soup unadulterated first, before mixing in the dollop of hot chilli paste which would add another dimension to the base.

Again, I think this was a good bowl of ramen – and I would love having this (the Shoyu) again, though lacked in the ‘wow’ factor for a deeper impression.

Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta – Tai Seng
18 Tai Seng Street #01-01 Singapore 539775
Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm, Last Order 9:30pm

Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta – Scotts
Pacific Plaza #01-01, 9 Scotts Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6734 4886
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm, Last Order 9:30pm

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights.

The post Tsuta Ramen – Michelin Ramen At Tai Seng, Offering Exclusive Miso Soba appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Remember Sushiro at Thomson Plaza?

We were thrilled last year to find a satisfying bowl of Bara-Chirashi Don at $12.80, wrote about the humble Japanese eatery, and the crowd flooded in. Oh well, had to queue already after going back, but good for them.

Sushiro has just expanded to Thomson Plaza #01-22/30, next to the main entrance and atrium. In place of the previous store space of #01-113F is another concept, Takumi by Sushiro which is more focused on Gyuniku Donburi.

Compared to Sushiro, Takumi’s queue was much, much shorter. I went with the intention to queue for at least half an hour, but was surprised when I was the next in line during peak hours.

The menu at Takumi is also streamlined and straightforward, with a meatier-take of beef and chicken rice bowls.

If you prefer curry, Takumi also serve Chicken Katsu Curry ($12) and Gyuniku Curry ($14) rice bowls. Both come with the option of udon as well.

I opted for the Tokyo Gyuniku Don ($12). If you like a bigger serving, you can go for their Mount Gyuniku Don ($22). (However from observation, the larger size that looked like a mini-hill filled with more rice, but not with a proportionally substantial increase in meat portion.)

When I first tasted a few spoonfuls, I felt the meats were juicy enough. Compared to the usual donburis which are typically drier, their version was more soupy.

The bowl was also overloaded with onions and rice, and I wished that they mixed in more beef instead.

Another friend thought that the meat was over-blanched, and the sauce tasted diluted by the time it seeped into the rice. He said, ”Like Yoshinoya?” You decide if it is a good or bad thing.

I assumed the bowl was prepared on the go, but the beef and onions were precooked in a big pot, and was topped on the rice by the chef when serving.

Nonetheless, Takumi is still a good option to go for if you happen to be in the Upper Thomson vicinity and have mad cravings for a beef donburi.

Or if need dinner, but is too lazy to queue at Sushiro.

Sushiro Takumi
301 Upper Thomson Road, #01-113F Thomson Plaza, Singapore 574408 (Near Marymount MRT) Opening Hours: 11:45am – 2:15pm, 5:45pm – 9:15pm (Tue – Sun)>

* Written by Kayla Chew @kaylacys with a passion for both food and travel. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Takumi by Sushiro – Affordable Chirashi Don Shop At Thomson Plaza Opens Gyudon Concept. $12 Per Bowl appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

”Isn’t this Bak Chor Mee, but Japanese style?” Well, technically, you can say that.

Mazesoba can be explained as dry Japanese ramen (or Japanese gan mian), in which “maze” means “to mix”, and “soba” means “noodles”.

Kajiken at Orchid Hotel is the first shop dedicated to selling just Mazesoba in Singapore, and has opened its 2nd outlet at Novena Square 2.

Its signature dish is Mazesoba Nagoya Style ($12.80), in which dry ramen noodles is mixed with spicy minced pork, soft boiled egg, seafood and chopped vegetables.

No wonder people call this the Bak Chor Mee, which essentially means “minced pork noodles”.

There is a “20 seconds rule” in eating the Mazesoba:
1. Mix the ingredients for 20 seconds.
2. Want more kick? Add vinegar or chili oil!
3. Finish eating? Ask for “Oimeshi” and the staff will give you a small portion of rice to mix with the remaining sauce.

The mix of sauce reminded me of the Taiwanese style of Dan Dan Mian, with a mild level of spiciness that doesn’t overpower the other ingredients. Yet added with that umami mouth-feel as you take bites.

I liked the addition of chopped vegetables and egg – one provided the occasional crunch and refreshness; the other a layer of stickiness between the noodles.

Even though the wheat noodles seemed moderately thick, the combination was well-balanced and didn’t feel too heavy.

If you would like a variety of ingredients, you can have the Mazesoba with all toppings ($15.80) which would include char siew, soft boiled egg, deep fried chicken and bamboo shoot.

I wished there was some of that signature spicy minced pork there to add a lift.

If this is your first time to Kajiken, go for the Nagoya style if you can take spiciness because this is not commonly found in Singapore.

Kajiken 油そば専門店歌志軒 – Novena
10 Sinaran Drive #02-03 Square Two Singapore 307506 (Novena MRT)
Tel: +65 6904 4714
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm Daily

Kajiken – Tanjong Pagar
Orchid Hotel #01-07, 1 Tras Link Singapore 078867 (Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Tel: +65 82260199
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3:30pm, 6:00pm – 9:30pm (Mon – Fri), 11:30am – 9:30pm (Sat – Sun)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Kajiken – Dry Japanese Ramen At Novena Square 2, Something Like “Bak Chor Mee” appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Singapore has quite a few Japanese ramen shops that originated from our country itself – Michelin Bib Gourmand A Noodle Story, Brothers Ramen. Buta Ramen, Kanshoku Ramen, Xin Hao Ramen and Ramen Atelier.

Local start-ups, local chefs.

While the ramen purists may not have a favourable take, I am open to see some interesting synergies, that can well reflect our local culture and tastebuds.

Here are 7 Ramen Restaurants / Stalls That Originated From Singapore. Time to support local

Kanshoku Ramen Bar
ION Orchard #B3-18, 2 Orchard Turn Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 6509 8221
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm, Last Order 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Kanshoku Ramen Bar
Orchard Central, 277 Orchard Road #01-06, Singapore 238858
Tel: +65 6384 4770
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Daily

Truffle Dry & Truffle Broth Ramen Going Strong
Kanshoku Ramen means “to finish eating every last bit of your food’ in Japanese”.

Some may not know this is a locally developed brand. Their broth boiled eight hours with filtered water, no added salt or preservatives, pork marinated for four hours, and Hakata style ramen made in house.

The Truffle Ramen ($16.90) is THE ramen that propelled Kanshoku to further fame. Some friends liked it precisely because the dish of hot, straight, thin noodles reminded them of Truffle Angel Hair Pasta (of this famous French restaurant), except that this is hot.

There is a balanced combination of kombu, shaved black truffle and truffle oil – when tossed would emit that light alluring aroma.

The current incarnation also included an onsen egg and torched caramelized charshu marinated in a slight sweetish sauce. Wonderful additions. Kanshoku Ramen Bar (ION Orchard)

A Noodle Story
Amoy Street Food Centre #01-39 7 Maxwell Road Singapore 069111 (Tanjong Pagar MRT Exit G)
Opening Hours: 11:15am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 7:30pm (Mon – Fri), 10:30am – 1:30pm (Sat) , Closed Sun, PH

Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore Ramen
Opened by young hawkerpreneurs, A Noodle Story serves “Singapore-style ramen” ($7.00, $9.00) that was listed in the Singapore Michelin Bib Gourmand Guide. So proud of these guys.

A bowl with Japanese style charshu, soy-flavoured braised egg, Hong Kong style wontons, potato wrapper prawn fritter for that crunch.

Aesthetically pleasing and well-arranged, for a hawker stall. I like it – you don’t get a bowl like this anywhere else. You understand why there is always a long queue, every bowl was patiently cooked and arranged, and you could feel the pride in their work.

The Ramen Stall
787 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198755
Opening Hours: 5pm – 6am (Mon – Fri), 12pm – 6am (Sat, Sun, PH)

Halal Volcano Ramen
The Ramen Stall is sister restaurant to The Ramen House at Short Street. Two things to note: The Ramen Stall opens till 6am in the morning for supper-goers, and it has been certified Halal.

Their specialty is the Volcano Ramen ($11) with 3 levels of spiciness, and others such as Mushroom Ramen ($11), Beef Ramen ($12.90), Abalone Seafood Ramen ($23.90), and Vegetable Ramen ($11).

My personal recommendation is the Dry Ramen ($11) tossed in a special sauce, complemented with shoyu-marinated chicken cha-shu, braised egg, cucumber strips and dried scallops.

Brothers Ramen
10 Anson Road, International Plaza #01-20 Singapore 079903 (Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 6:30pm – 8:30pm (Mon-Sat), Last order 8pm. Opened PH, Closed Sun

Hunky Brothers Ramen At International Plaza
Run by brothers Cai Weili and Weisheng, Brothers Ramen serve up ramen with a different take, and the owners candidly shared they learnt to cook from YouTube, and fine-tuned the recipe several hundred times.

Selection available included Brothers Ramen ($12.90), Chicken Ramen ($12.90), Spicy Ramen ($13.90), Chashu Ramen ($14.90) and the Supermen ($16.90) which would come with more pieces of pork chashu.

They handmake their own noodles, therefore the strands are more eggy and perhaps less springy, and the soup is cooked with a combination of pork, chicken, fish and vegetables, rather than just pork in the past. The soup has a ‘cleaner’ and more localized taste than the typical tonkotsu broth we would be used to.

Xin Hao Ramen
470 North Bridge Road #03-19 Bugis Cube, Singapore 188735 (Bugis MRT)
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:00pm (Mon-Sat), Closed Sun
https://www.facebook.com/xinhaoramen

Japanese Ramen At Bugis Cube With A Local Take
Xin Hao’s Miso Ramen ($11.00) is accompanied with grilled meat, flavoured egg, deep fried enoki mushroom and bonito flakes (Okay, I ordered one egg too many, but it was good.)

The grilled meat is the best part, tender with marinate that reminds me of a Chinese-style pork chop.

If you are not into the rich and oily type of soup base, this version which is ‘in-between’, flavourful yet not too creamy, can suit your palate. I wished there was a more distinct flavour of miso though, which did not seem pronounced enough.

Buta Ramen
Far East Square, 137 Amoy Street, #01-04 Singapore 048775 (Telok Ayer MRT, Raffles Place MRT)
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 6:00pm (Mon – Thurs), 10:30am – 8:30pm (Fri), Closed Sat, Sun, PH

Singapore Style Pork Rib Ramen At Far East Square
Their specialty is pork rib ramen, created as the owners are fans of our local bak kut teh. Their creative juices flowed and experimented to pair our local delight with noodles and soup.

On the menu include Chashu Ramen ($12.90), Boss Rib Ramen ($14.90), Spicy Chilli Chashu Ramen ($13.90), Black Garlic Chashu Ramen ($13.90), Spicy Chilli Boss Rib Ramen ($15.90), Grilled Belly Ramen ($13.90) and Black Garlic Dry Ramen ($11.90).

I tried the Spicy Boss Rib Ramen ($15.90, no GST or service charges), where the ribs are sous vide and cha shu cooked over 24 hours so that they become certainly tender.

Ramen Atelier
2 Science Park Drive, #01-34 Ascent Singapore 118222
Tel: +65 9008 3614
Opening Hours to be updated as they are closed temporary

Ramen Atelier influenced by French culinary techniques
Chef owner Andrew Ng was trained in French cuisine, and his love for Japanese food and ramen has brought him to merge his French culinary know-how with Japanese cooking techniques to create his style ramen.

Ramen Atelier’s interesting menu includes Ramen Rouge, which incorporates tomato and butter, and Ramen Noir which has a squid ink miso soup base.

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post 7 Ramen Places That Originated From Singapore – Support Local appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

The name of “Hokkaido White Curry” piqued my interest immediately, as the Japanese curry dishes commonly seen in restaurants in Singapore are typically brown in colour.

The main difference between the usual Japanese curry, and white curry is that the latter is made using fresh Hokkaido milk without tumeric, the spice that contributes to the yellow colour.

Appearance wise, white curry looks like a creamy stew, but with hints of curry and spiciness.

Tengawa Hokkaido White Curry is the latest addition to the stretch of Japanese restaurants along the Nihon Food Street at Millenia Walk.

It is a 30-seater eatey, offering only 3 set meals on their menu at the moment.

The food items include Ebi (Prawn) Fry White Curry Set ($16.80), Japanese Style Hamburg White Curry Set ($15.80) and Chicken Katsu White Curry Set ($15.80).

Each set meal comes with a side of Truffle Oil Chanwanmushi, free flow of pickles, Miso Soup, and white rice upon request.

Sounds value for money.

My favourite was the Chicken Katsu White Curry Set ($15.80) with deep fried golden brown, crispy batter that gave it a crunch with every bite.

The chicken cutlet was tender and not too dry, which did reminded my other friends of Saboten (2 doors away), except that the former comes with white curry instead of brown curry.

The spiciness level was manageable, with peppery notes, and should be older-kids-friendly.

The texture of the white curry was thicker and creamier due to the addition of Hokkaido milk, but surprisingly tasted grainy and powdery at the same time – as though it was a mix off the shelf and not properly stirred.

On a side note, While I appreciated the effort in the beautifully plated dishes, the huge black plate took up half the surface of the table, leaving us diners with limited space for the side dishes and drinks.

The owner took pride in the fragrant short grained rice, as he had prior experience in supplying rice to some of the local Japanese restaurants.

The other good thing was that there was free flow of rice available.

However, Tengawa can consider offering an option for extra white curry, as the portion served barely sufficient for the small amount of rice in the plate.

Hokkaido white curry might be something new in Singapore’s food scene, and get first timer diners interested enough.

However, to keep attracting repeat customers, more could be done in terms of refining the texture of the curry, portion and variety of dishes.

Tengawa Hokkaido White Curry
Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard, #02-14, Singapore 039596
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/TengawaWhiteCurry/

* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Tengawa – 1st Hokkaido White Curry Japanese Restaurant In Singapore At Millenia Walk appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Taipei] Addiction Aquatic Development (AAD) 上引水產 has become a must-visit for many travelers to Taipei, especially if they are craving for fresh and super affordable seafood, sashimi and sushi.

Some call ADD Taipei’s answer to Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market.

The capacity and area are not as huge though, but you get the drift. (After which, I realised where Singapore’s Emporium Shokuhin might have gotten their inspiration from.)

Located on Minzu East Road near Songshan Airport, this is a new base carved out from the Taipei Fish Market, with 10 different areas ranging from a wholesale market supermarket, a standing sushi bar to a florist.

Developed by Mitsui Food and Beverage Enterprise Group, I find the general vibes vibrant, energetic and somewhat exciting.

Like there are so many things to see and explore. The interior plays cool upbeat music, and you do not feel like you are in a traditional fish market or supermarket. If you need help, there are several staff walking around who can provide friendly assistance (unless it gets superbly crowded, which does).

However, ADD can get extremely crowded during peak hour weekends, which can be unpleasant if you just want to grab a seat for some food. My take is to visit during a quieter weekday, before or after meal hours.

Some gentle reminders:
– There are no credit card services, and only cash is accepted in the AAD, so remember to bring enough.
– All the areas, except The Hot Pot section, are on a first-come, first-served basis.
– You can reserve seats at The Hot Pot section by phone (886 2 2508 1268)
– Each of the 10 areas is independently operated, so you cannot bring food from other areas into another section.
– No pets are allowed, unfortunately. (I guess especially cats, LOL)

Here are the 10 areas within Addiction Aquatic Development 上引水產:

1. Live Aquamarine Products
A live aquamarine area, in which temperature controlled tanks contain live seafood from all over the world. Can watch how the people process live fish and seafood.

2. The Sushi Bar 9:30am – 12:00am
Probably the busiest section of all. Chef Tadashi Takeda oversees a 12 meter standing sushi counter.

Generally value-for-money. A Nigiri Sushi Set with salad, grilled items and soup is priced between NT$580 to NT$980. A 9 piece Nigiri Sushi Combo is also inexpensive at NT$460.

I think the most value-for-money is the Addiction Sashimi Set at quite an-unbelievable NT$210. (Sorry, I come from Singapore, so that is SUPER CHEAP.)

However, some items took a while to come. About 40 minutes? Considering that I was standing all this while waiting for food to arrive, I guess the wait is the ‘price’ to pay.

3. The Seafood Bar 10:00am – 12:00am

Reasonably priced fresh raw oysters, shrimps, and crabs. This is located just behind the sushi bar with limited seats. Slightly confusing for first timers.

4. Hot Pot 11:00am – 12:00am
Located upstairs. Seafood and vegetables cooked in a seaweed soup base hot pot.

Varieties range from Hotpot with Sliced Pork (NT$480), Sliced Beef Short Ribs (NT$880), Mud Crab (NTS980) to a deluxe pot with seasonal seafood and sliced beef sirloin (NT$1680).

5. The Charcoal Grill 10:30am – 12:00am
Located outside. Experience fresh seafood, meat and vegetables barbecued over charcoal. In addition, drinks such as draft beer, tea, and coffee are also available.

6. Fresh Food Supermarket 6:00am – 12:00am
Other than the aquamarine products, you can find imported and local fruits, vegetables, and quality meat cuts.

7. Cooked Food
Grab-and-go bento sets. For lunch boxes with seafood, vegetables, and meat.

The king crab and hairy crab purchased in the live aquamarine area can be cooked or fried for a service charge here.

8. Merchandise
For dining ware, kitchen utensils, flower decorations, professional cooking reference publications, and holiday party selections.

9. Fruits
Local and imported fruits.

10. Flowers
Colourful flowers and plants for decoration.

Addiction Aquatic Development 上引水產 is quite a place to look see, shop and eat. Along with Taipei 101, some of the night markets, I would consider this one of the Top 10 Must Visit Places in Taipei for foodies.

Addiction Aquatic Development 上引水產
No. 18, Alley 2, Lane 410, Minzu E Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 104
台北市民族東路410巷2弄18號
Tel: 886 2 2508 1268
Opening Hours: 6:00am – 12:00am (Take note of different operating hours for various sections)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Addiction Aquatic Development 上引水產 – Taipei’s Must Visit Seafood Market For Affordable Sashimi appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Menya Sakura at 64 Boat Quay is the group’s first outlet in Singapore, and it specialises in Nagoya-style ramen. You can find a few branches over at Indonesia such as at the Lotte Shopping Avenue.

Ramen land there? This is another ramen eatery at Boat Quay, with competitors Ramen Matsuri, Ramen Bar Suzuki and Takumen at Circular Road just a few minutes walk away.

The Singapore shop is helmed by Chef Sho Naganuma, ex-Executive Chef of Hide Yamamoto at MBS.

Nagoya-style ramen is characterised by hearty soups, brewed from both selected meats and seafood to achieve the best combination of flavours from the land and sea.

The recommendation ramen at Menya Sakura include Chuka Soba ($10.90) – noodles in a broth of clear chicken soup and fish dashi, Tonkotsu Tsukemen ($14.90) – Sakura’s original thick noodles served with an intense dipping soup, a blend of rich pork bone stock and seafood broth, and Tonkotsu Ramen ($10.90) featuring pork bone soup simmered for 12 hours.

I had the Tonkotsu Gyokai Jukusei Ramen Special ($16.90), with a base of cloudy soup made with pork bone stock, dried seafood and aged soy sauce.

The general style here is thick and rich, the soup base cooked to a full-bodied brown, heavy every spoonful, with a layer of vivid ‘seafood-y aftertaste.

Yet, it is not overly salty, just gao-gao (rich).

Noodles are also of the thick, chewy style, of complete opposite styles of the Hakata straight type which what most Singaporeans like.

For the record, it is tough to find good Tsukemen in Singapore.

Menya Sakura’s Tonkotsu Tsukemen ($14.90) happens to be one of the better ones around in terms of a more balanced sauce of density and savouriness. Noodles were springy, almost like udon.

However, the dipping sauce was served only luke-warm, and turned to room temperature fast. Unfortunately.

There will be a group of ramen lovers who will like this style, yet some others who might feel the entire bowl would be too filling.

I liked it enough as there was a level of authenticity in its taste, as some ramen shops from Japan would adapt quite a bit to suit local palates.

Menya Sakura
69 Boat Quay, Singapore 049857
Tel: +65 9469 3366
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:30pm, Last Orders 10:00pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun, PH

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Menya Sakura – Rich Nagoya Style Ramen And Tsukemen At Boat Quay appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Chef Keisuke Takeda is no stranger to Singapore’s F&B scene. After opening Keisuke Kani King at Orchard Cineleisure exactly a year ago, the 12th dining concept – Teppanyaki Hamburg Nihonbashi Keisuke Bettei is something more than just Ramen!

There is no stopping of this “Keisuke” fire.

We remember one of Singapore’s first Tendon specialty Restaurant – Tendon Ginza Itsuki at Tanjong Pagar, along with his ramen concept stores including Keisuke Tontotsu King at Orchid Hotel, Tori King at 100AM, Four Seasons at Bugis Village, Ramen Dining Keisuke Tokyo at Suntec City, Matsuri at Parkway Parade and Ramen Keisuke Lobster King at Clarke Quay.

One thing to note about the Keisuke brand – it does not repeat concepts.

Tanjong Pagar seems to be Chef’s lucky turf, and this new Japanese hamburg restaurant is located at Peck Seah Street, a few minutes walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT Station.

Here, the focus is on the Hamburg (pronounced hahn-bah-gu in Japanese), made using prime US beef patties, seared on a teppanyaki grill and served on sizzling hotplates.

Only 2 main dishes are available on the menu, namely Triple Cheese Prime Beef Hamburg Set ($20.80) and Keisuke Prime Beef Hamburg Set ($18.80).

Each Hamburg set comes with free-flow rice, miso soup, eggs from the Live Egg station, 20 different rotating Japanese side dishes (aka osozai) and 1 of the 4 different sauces – Keisuke original sweet and spicy sauce, demi- glace, oroshi ponzu (radish with vinegar) and teriyaki.

Just in case you missed out. FREE FLOW EGGS.

Freshly prepared according to preference at the live Egg Station, you can get to choose different styles of egg: fried, deep fried, boiled, scrambled, half boiled, omelette and tamagoyaki. (Er no, not Eggs Ben yah?)

My favourite was the Triple Cheese Prime Beef Hamburg Set ($20.80), with an addition of 180g of Triple Cheese Prime Beef patty at $12.80.

Stuffed with a mixture of three cheeses (cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan), I (and everybody else with handphones) got my cameras ready as I sliced through to release the oozing cheese to capture the “Insta-moment”.

Do not bother searching for a knife to cut the patty (it was not available and never will) as the patties were minced in such a way that it would be so tender to break apart using a pair of chopsticks.

I thought Keisuke hits it right again this time. With a combination of sweetness from the onion minced patty, and savoriness from the cheese, this felt almost like the perfect Japanese hamburg.

Add some cheese pull to attract diners to post on their instagram, and salad for the supposedly (and trying to be) health conscious, Teppanyaki Hamburg Nihonbashi Keisuke Bettei should appeal to the local diners.

Teppanyaki Hamburg Nihonbashi Keisuke Bettei
72 Peck Seah Street Singapore 079329 (Tanjong Pagar MRT)
(Opening soon on 13th March 2017)

* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. This is a hosted meal. Writeup will be further updated when the restaurant officially opens.

The post Teppanyaki Hamburg Nihonbashi Keisuke Bettei – Cheese Oozing Japanese Hamburgs With Salad Bar appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Another ramen shop with a Michelin-star relation opens in Singapore. Jimoto Ya’s signature ramen is created by Chef Nobumasa Mieda of Michelin-Starred Kaiseki Restaurant MIEDA from Sapporo Hokkaido.

Jimoto Ya Singapore is located at the Nanking Row of China Square Central, right opposite popular Korean BBQ restaurant Wong Dae Bak. This should make it a popular lunch spot with office workers nearby.

What makes their ramen different from the others is, the broth is made from a special blend of amaebi (sweet shrimp) and tonkotsu.

This explains the distinctive aroma reminiscent of hae mee (prawn noodle soup) upon walking into the eatery.

There are 5 basic types of ramen currently available – Ebi Shio ($16.50), Ebi Miso ($16.50), Ebi Shoyu ($16.50), Ebi Curry ($16.50) and a cold Hiyashi Cyuka ($18.50).

I ordered the Ebi Shoyu ($16.50) upon recommendation of a ramen-loving friend.

True enough, this bowl hits the right notes on almost every level.

I am habitually most particular about the temperature of the broth, because somehow in Singapore many ramen shops serve soups that turn cold too soon, too fast. (And I typically take 3 quick shots, and will go on drinking the first spoonful.)

Jimoto Ya’s sweet prawn and pork bone combination broth remained hot from start to the end, staying flavourful, robust and satisfying. The lightness of the shoyu complemented the sweetness of the prawns well.

In contrast, a rather heavy and partly salty Ebi Miso ($16.50) didn’t seem all that compatible. As though there were occasional clashes from two strong characters.

If I were to nit-pick, it felt that the bowl lacked of a melt-in-your-mouth char siu to feel more complete. It was served with minced meat and cabbage instead.

The richness of the broth somehow reminded me of Keisuke’s first shop in Singapore, which also specialised in ebi ramen. That didn’t last long. I think it just wasn’t the right timing then for local customers to accept something more fanciful.

Jimoto Ya is one of the more impressionable ramen shops that opened in Singapore of late, and I hope they can keep the standard there.

Jimoto Ya 海老麺総本家地元家
3 Pickering Street, Nanking Row, 01-44/01-45 (opp Hong Lim Complex) Singapore 048660
Tel: +65 6223 3397
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary visited the shop unknowingly during their private tasting, and was given a treat. It sounds weird, but it’s true.

The post Jimoto Ya – Ebi Ramen By Michelin Starred Chef From Mieda Arrives To Singapore appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Looks like Kaisendon 海鮮丼 where you can freshly cubed sashimi cubes on rice, is getting even more popular in Singapore.

This is probably fueled by Japanese food-loving diners who crave for a filling yet healthy meal.

Kaisen Tei 海鮮亭 by Ministry Of Food (MOF) has opened at Level 3 of 313@somerset serving Kaisendon and Curry Rice bowls.

(Click PLAY for video of Kaisen Tei at 313@somerset.)

It also looks set to expand with outlets at Raffles Place (GSH Plaza) and Novena (United Square) in the coming months.

What is Kaisendon?

Essentially cut sashimi pieces such as salmon, maguro and hamachi on rice, in which ‘don’ is the abbreviation of ‘donburi’ – which means rich bowl dish. In Singapore, the fishes used are typically cubed, and tossed with sauces before serving.

Over at Kaisen Tei, you can choose from the signature donburi options, or DIY for a personalized bowl.

I went straight for the Signature Kaisendon ($16), considered value-for-its-money with 3 types of fishes – salmon, maguro (tuna), mekajiki (swordfish), mini hotate (scallop), and ikura (salmon roe) in a single bowl.

A KaisenSalad ($16) option is also available.

You may realise that the rice is stickier than the regular Japanese rice. That is because Akitakomachi Rice is used, a premium short-grain rice from the Akita prefecture known for its mildly sweet taste and sticky texture. Because the water content is high, the grain stays plump.

Accordingly, filtered water is used in the food preparation as this will result in more appetising food (no chlorinated water taste), and cleaner fruits and vegatables.

Other than the freshness of the ingredients, I find that the seasoning plays an essential part in Kaisendon.

The house-made Kaisen sauce is created by Japanese Head Chef Sonoda Kazunori, and the sashimi are seasoned only upon ordering. Only the fish is mixed with this sauce, not the rice, so that you won’t find the entire bowl overly flavoured.

That touch of sweet-soy and vinegary dressing felt balanced overall, without being too light, or heavy such that you don’t get appreciate the raw fish to its fullness.

When you order a DIY bowl ($11 for two choice, $16 for 4 choice of fish), you get the option of a preferred sauce of the four available – Kaisen, Wasabi Wafu, Yuzu and Sanzoku.

My personal recommendation is to go for the Kaisen for rice bowls, and Wafu or Yuzu for a salad base as the tanginess compliments well with greens.

Other varieties on the menu include Aburi Salmon Don, Ikura Don, Hotate Don, Negitoro Don, and a selection of Japanese curry rice such as Chicken Katsu Curry, Ebi Curry and Korokke Curry.

I say go straight for the Pork Katsu Curry ($16.80) because KUROBUTA pork is used for the cutlet, and the pork chops are known to be exceptionally juicy and packed with flavour.

A distinctive difference I noted was that the pork was tender yet still had a firm bite, and relatively crisp even though it was taken straight off from the display counter. I would have wished the meats were freshly fried, but there were some space constraints.

Kasien Tei’s edge is in its seasoning, fluffy rice, and the flexibility in allowing diners to personalise their donburi. Great for a healthy takeaway meal.

As there are many similar shops out there, perhaps it can continue to innovate for more interesting varieties and seasonings, to stand out from its competition.

Kaisen Tei
313@somerset, 313 Orchard Road, #03-41, Singapore 238895 (Somerset MRT)
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm (Mon – Thurs, Sun, PH),
11:30am – 10:30pm (Eve of PH, Fri, Sat)
https://www.facebook.com/Kaisen-Tei-1938802393007850

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Ministry of Food.

The post Kaisen Tei – Signature Kaisendon, KaisenSalad And Curry Rice Shop Opens At 313@somerset appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Tokyo] Tsuta 蔦 Japanese Soba Noodles in Tokyo is the first ever ramen joint to get a Michelin star, which is an indication of its possibly exceptional quality. (Read: 10 Must-Try Ramen & Tsukemen at Tokyo)

However, the name and entire queuing process can be confusing for 1st timers. So if you intend to find some directions, I will try my best to make it clearer for you here.

First thing’s first, while Tsuta is named a “soba” shop, it won a Michelin for its “ramen”.

Only 150 bowls of ramen are served daily – priced at ‎¥1,000 to ‎¥1,500 (SGD$13 to SGD$20) a bowl.

The queue system is not quite the same as the other ramen shops. Starting from Step 1…

Enthusiastic diners make their way to get a queue ticket from as early as 7am. Depending on whether it is a peak period, queue tickets can get distributed finished anything from early morning to mid-noon. (I got a 11am slot when I went at 7:30am.)

Otherwise, you can check for the queue status on their Twitter page @number_ticket (Tweets are in Japanese though, but you can do a google translate.)

Make your way to Sugamo Station on the JR Tamanote line. Get out of the South exit, then turn left. Tsuta will be a 3 to 5 minutes walk away. (Yeah, not that far!)

The shop only opens at 11am. Therefore, queue tickets have allocated slots of 11:00am (white), 12:00pm (light blue), 1:00pm (blue), 2:00pm (pink), 3:00pm (green), and 4:00pm (yellow).

Prepare ¥1,000 CASH per ticket as a deposit. The money will be returned to you when you come back.

Return to queue by the side of the restaurant at the allocated time. Tip: Even if your ticket says 12:00pm, it helps by coming slightly earlier, and not linger around.

Once you are called to enter the shop, prepare cash/coins as you order the ramen via a vending machine.

When you are finally in… the 9-seater ramen eatery serves soba in ramen style (¥1000 for its most basic bowl, ¥1500 for the most popular shoyu bowl), known for its soy based broth where the soy is aged for 2 years.

The noodles are made with four types of whole wheat flour, chashu served with black truffle sauce, and broth an umami chicken-seafood blend, along with rock salt, red wine and rosemary infusions.

The base of the soy broth is made with three types of shoyu. Two of the shoyu are formulated in-house.

Chef Onishi has personally visited a shoyu brewer in Wakayama Prefecture and requested for it to brew the third soy sauce to his specifications. This shoyu is made with whole soy beans that are matured for two years.

I went straight for the Wanton Ajitama Shoyu Soba (¥1,500) which contained wonton, seasoned egg, roast pork, braised pork, bamboo shoots, Japanese leek and black truffle sauce.

Be conservative in your photo-taking, and just go straight to consume.

I was in bliss when I had that first bite and sip of the broth, and understood possibly why the Michelin inspectors would confer such honours to the humble noodle shop.

The broth itself had a clean yet layered taste, intricate and delicate, unlike other rich heavy ramen broths (which excite in a different way). It was light enough, and so won’t leave queasy feeling even if you intend to finish the bowl.

The noodle texture was unlike what I ever had before, and I would best describe it as a cross between ramen and soba – firm with softness, chewy with bite.

Almost every ingredient worked, except the wanton which had never-ending skin. With that said, the skin was silky smooth though.

The question ALL my friends had was, ”Better than Singapore’s Tsuta or not?”

My casual and candid reply would be, ”About 10 times better.”

Other items on the menu include Sio Soba (¥1000 – ¥1500), Tsukemen, Rice Bowls and side dishes. I say stick to its star ramen dish, and hopefully you won’t leave disappointed.

Tsuta 蔦
1-14-1 Sugamo, Toshima-ku, Tokyo (5 min walk from Sugamo Station)
東京都豊島区巣鴨1-14-1 Plateau-Saka 1F
Tel: 03-3943-1007
Opening Hours: 11am – 4pm
Google Maps – Tsuta

Tsuta Singapore
9 Scotts Road, #01-01/02/03, Pacific Plaza, Singapore 228 210

Click HERE for other Tokyo Food Entries

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Tsuta Tokyo – The Michelin Ramen Deserves Its Hype. Here’s How You Should Queue – It Is Confusing appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Tokyo] Robot Restaurant must be one of the most bizarre experiences one can have in Tokyo.

While it is called a “restaurant”, there is no proper dining per se. Do not expect much (or anything) from the food, but sad-looking bento boxes that the convenience stalls would have offered better ones.

The restaurant reportedly cost over USD$100 million, featuring 90 minutes (technically less) shows where skimpily-dressed girls ride on robots and engage in mock battles under neon light and loud music.

Is that an adequate summary?

(Click PLAY for video of Robot Restaurant)

The Robot Restaurant is obviously very popular, with four shows daily at 4:00pm, 5:55pm, 7:50pm, and 9:45pm sold out frequently.

The walls of the reception were lined with photographs and autographs of international celebrities who paid a visit.

Online reviews seem positive, and I have been putting this on my Tokyo bucket list. The only thing stopping me was its cost.

Priced at ¥8,000, this is hardly cheap.

However, during the peak season, you would need to book your tickets online via the official website or related agencies at least a week in advance.

Visitors need to turn up 40 minutes before show time to collect tickets. Reception is opposite the show building, and the distribution of tickets can take quite a while. Also, entrance to the show venue is at the basement, led by a narrow stairway.

For first time visitors, please note that guests are prohibited from attending the show if they are:
– Drunk
– Wearing sunglasses
– Disheveled in appearance
– Wearing excessive costume
– Gang members or anyone with visible tattoos (you have to cover up if you have them)

The above is from an email sent to me, I didn’t make it up.

In terms of programme, I was expecting more from the robots themselves, which unfortunately were taking secondary fiddle roles, acting like floats in the carnival carrying performers literally making their rounds on the floor.

The girls were obviously putting their best, super energetic in dancing, smiling, drumming, singing, swinging, being take photos of. Audience generally got high, though some were spotted leaving mid-way, never coming back.

Keep in mind they have 4 shows per day.

For those who think that there is a cabaret performance, the presentation is not quite like that.

If you are wondering if it is appropriate to bring kids – because the female performers do show quite a bit of skin, it is generally safe in that aspect.

However, do note that music can be too loud for the kids, and Robot Restaurant is in the middle of Kabukicho – a red-light district.

What I didn’t quite like was that there were far too many breaks in between.

While it was a 90 minute show, there were about 3 to 4 breaks in between, each lasting from about 5 to 15 minutes, leaving very little time for the actual performances.

It was a pity, as some portions were actually crazily entertaining, but ended with a drink/toilet break before you know it.

The show started with staff parading merchandise and sales of drinks. It seemed entertaining at first, and became off-putting after this happened EVERY SINGLE BREAK. ”Get some drinks. It’s last chance.”

The organisers seemed to take the opportunity to sell anything from food, beer, snacks and tee-shirts. The audience either being high or bored, ended up buying popcorn and drinks.

I wished there was some form of narrative or storyline. The Robot show started with girls drumming, a panda riding on a bull, then moved on to a story of robots invading a peaceful garden, to an evil queen trying to defeat a dinosaur then got eaten up.

Something like that, as if anyone cared enough. It ended on an anti-climatic song-and-dance with audience waving light sticks.

The space was super cramped, and it was almost impossible to get up or down the seating area if you were just slightly overweight.

Audience in the middle portion and front rows probably got the best deal, as the main actions took part in the centre of the floor, with spectators at the edge feeling left out a fair bit of time.

Food was a sushi bento, priced at an additional ¥8,000. You won’t need me to describe to know how it would taste.

So why is the Robot Restaurant that popular again?

It is probably because you don’t get anything like this anywhere else in the world. It is like a fantasy realm of kawii Japanese-manga type girls on top of robots, singing with occasional screaming. There is fun in that.

A final precaution, as I stepped out of the restaurant, I was immediately approached by pimps who asked if I wanted “pretty girls” and then shoved me a catalogue.

Robot Restaurant
Shinjuku Robot Building Basement 2, 1-7-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Japan
Four shows at: 4:00pm, 5:55pm, 7:50pm, 9:45pm (Turn up at the reception 40 minutes before showtime.)

Click HERE for other Tokyo Food Entries

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Robot Restaurant – Most Bizarre ‘Restaurant’ In Tokyo With Dancing Girls + Robots appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Tokyo] Some claim that Cremia is the BEST soft serve ice cream you can have, in the world.

The Japanese are already known to make high quality soft serve, and this takes it a level up.

Here’s a breakdown of its parts: 25% Hokkaido fresh cream is used to that rich deep flavour and full-bodied milk feel; 12.5% high milk fat content for a well-rounded flavour; langue de chat us for the cone; and its form is a silky, wavy shape said to look more graceful.

I have to agree that barring no fast melting, there would be that moment of surprise when you see how different it looks from other ordinary soft serves – pointed tip, wavy form and all.

Mine melted in about a minute, though I was already very fast with photos.

If you like your soft serves tasting pure and unadulterated, Cremia is probably for you.

The texture was velvety-smooth and creamy, almost like tasting milk in another form. (I wished there was some serviettes provided as it kept dripping. Oh, and this is Japan… no serviettes?!)

The best part for me was its cone, made out of wafer-like thin cookies twisted into shape. Not airy, complimented the softserve to a T.

This could be one of the most worthy ¥500 (SGD$6.40, USD$4.60) spent in Japan.

You can find Cremia at the main Silkream store, or various kiosks around.

Cremia – Silkream
1F, Haimanten Jinnan Bldg. 1-19-3, Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0041, Japan
Tel: 03 3464 4900
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 9:00pm

Other Related Entries
BAKE Cheese Tart (Tokyo)
Zaku Zaku (Tokyo)

Click HERE for other Tokyo Food Entries

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Cremia – Milky Softserve With Cookie Cone. Some Say This Is The Best Softserve Ever appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

We are suckers for almost anything named “Hokkaido”, so I am pretty sure a Hokkaido Ice Cream Puff shop in Singapore will generate some social media traction during its opening days.

Hokkaido Ice Cream Puff has opened at 35 Haji Lane, offering crispy-type puffs with a fat scoop of ice cream sandwiched in between.

First things first, Hokkaido Ice Cream Puff is not exactly from Japan, but a franchise chain that originated from Malaysia. It also has stores in Brunei.

When you think about “Hokkaido”, you may imagine more Japanese-inspired ice cream flavours like matcha, azuki red bean, melon, and goma black sesame, but there were none of these.

What they offer are Mint Choco Chips, Chocolate Chips, Cookies & Cream, Vanilla Chips, Mango, Taro, Coffee, and an ‘un-Japanese’ Durian flavour – which is likely to be a popular choice here anyway.

A puff priced at SGD$3.90 in Singapore, and RM3.80 if you buy it up north in Malaysia FYI (Technically, you can buy 3 with at that same price.)

Entering the shop, you could be attracted by that baked buttery aroma lingering in the air. All the puffs are baked fresh by the hour to ensure a level of crispiness.

I was curious about the Durian, and so ask what type of durians was used for the ice cream.

”Just durians.”
”I meant say…. D24 or Mao Shan Wang?”
”Let me ask!” (40 seconds later) ”Ordinary durians”
”Okay.”

She was not wrong. The Durian Ice Cream did taste ordinary. In other words, there wasn’t that smooth Hokkaido-milk quality if you were expecting that.

Early online reviews described the ice cream as “taste pretty much off the ice cream tubs in supermarket”, “pretty normal”, “generic brand” and “the $1 uncle kind”. You get the drift.

Otherwise, the freshly baked puff was the highlight, with a fragrant crisp on the outer layer.

Quick note: During peak hours, the scooping may take a while.

Hokkaido Ice Cream Puff
35 Haji Lane Singapore 189224
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 8:00pm (Mon – Fri), 11:00am – 8:30pm (Sat – Sun)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Hokkaido Ice Cream Puff Singapore – Freshly Baked Puff With Fat Scoop Of Ice Cream At Haji Lane appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Tokyo] Within the busy urban jungle of Shinjuku 新宿, you find quite a couple of food treasures with historical value.

Tempura restaurant Tsunahachi 天ぷら新宿つな八 which was founded by Kyuzo Shimura in 1923, has remain highly popular among most locals and tourists.

At the heart of Shinjuku where you get surrounded by stores from BIC Camera and Uniqlo, I was excited to find such a restaurant. FYI, another famous tempura restaurant Funabashiya Honten is within sight.

There was about a 8 – 10 people queue, and took a relatively short waiting time of 15 minutes before I got in.

Customers can choose either to sit at the counter, or at the tables at the table. It is at the counter where you can witness the true skills of the tempura masters.

The commitment of Tsunahachi in cooking tasty tempura boils down to using fresh ingredients, good oils – sesame in this case, and skills of the chefs. Have to agree on that.

The restaurant is also known to deep fried live shrimp for diners, and supplies are gotten from a “special route”.

Considering that I have spent quite a far bit (can be above SGD$100) at other tempura restaurants, the more reasonable price range over here is welcomed.

Lunch starts from ¥ 1,512 (SGD$19.50), and dinner from ¥2,484 (SGD$32).

A basic Tempura Set goes for ¥2,484 (SGD$32) which includes two shrimps, assorted seafood, vegetables, Anago (sea eel), deep-fried small shrimps (kakiage), appetizer; and a set of rice, miso-soup and Japanese pickles (osoroi).

There are varying menus, all the way to an Omakase priced at ¥8,000 (SGD$103).

The most popular is the Edomae Set Plate at ¥4,536 (SGD$58.49), which would include Japanese tiger prawn (Kuruma-ebi), squid, two seafood dishes, two vegetable dishes, Anago (sea eel), deep-fried small shrimps (kakiage), appetizer, and a set of rice, miso-soup and Japanese pickles (osoroi).

The pieces were deep fried right nimbly in front of you, then placed on a ‘holding’ dish. You would notice that the absorbent paper while dotted with some oil spots, won’t be incredibly oily.

There could be a restaurant or two I tried where the pieces were even lighter, tastier and less oily, but Tsunahachi was a winner in its own right.

Almost every single piece was delightful in its own way – fresh and juicy on the inside, coated with fluffy batter. Could be a notch less greasy, but I am not complaining much.

One of the most memorable pieces was an ala carte order of a Tempura Egg Yolk ¥150.

It was an amazeballs-moment when I watched the white removed from the egg, the yolk placed in batter then deep fried.

The control of the oil and timing was also crucial, as the Tempura Egg was completed with a protective coat of batter, but with runny yolk on the inside.

The chef needed to be truly experienced to execute that ‘simplest’ thing well.

Tsunahachi
3-31-8 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0022 (Shinjuku Station East Exit or Shinjuku-Sanchome Station Exits A1-A5)
Tel: 03 3352 1012
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 10:30pm
Google Maps – Tsunahachi

Other Tokyo Branches
Keio: Keio Department Store 8F, 1-1-4 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023
Ginza: Matsuya Ginza 8F, 3-6-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104－0061
Ikebukuro:Lumine Ikebukuro 8F, 1-11-1, Nishi-ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-0021
Tokyo Daimaru: Daimaru Tokyo 12F, 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6701

Click HERE for other Tokyo Food Entries

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Tsunahachi – Historical Tempura Restaurant In The Heart Of Shinjuku Tokyo appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

“Kappo” 割烹 which means “to cut and cook”, is used to refer to the traditional way of cooking Japanese cuisine with dedication. We finally have a dedicated Kappo restaurant in Singapore.

Niku Kappo, which originated from Tsukiji and offers the authentic Japanese Kappo cuisine, has opened at B3 of ION Orchard (directly above Jasons, a floor above MUJI).

This is the first Niku Kappo outlet out of Japan, and is brought in by the WATAMI group.

A Kappo restaurant is one where the chef will cook right in front of the guests, for an overall enriching ambience and experience.

It makes the entire meal more interactive and ‘entertaining’ as well, as you can watch the chefs prepare dishes with dedication and meticulous effort.

At Niku Kappo, the focus is on the Niku, 肉, which is the selection of meat.

The food selection is different from other Japanese restaurants, and you get food items such as Meat Sushi, Meat Hot Pot (shaped like Mt Fuji), and an Iron Pot dish of Yaki Tetsu freshly prepared by the table side.

How interesting.

With multiple selections to choose from, here are 7 Signature items from the Niku Kappo menu:

Tokusen Niku Sushi Mori ($36.90, 9 kinds 1 pc each)
Meat Sushi, aka Niku Sushi, is something different from the sushi that we are familiar with.

Instead of using sashimi (raw fish) as a topping, a slice of meat such as wagyu or chicken is used.

The Tokusen Niku Sushi Mori is a selection of 9 pieces of meat sushi out of the 10 offerings here. Suitable for those who cannot decide which one to get, or just want to try everything.

This is a generous platter of Wagyu Rump, Grilled Miso Wagyu, Wagyu Toro Sushi, Wagyu Uni Sushi, Wagyu Uni Gunkan (wrapped by Wagyu), Wagyu Tataki Sushi (seared on the surface), Wagyu Rossini (with foie gras and shaved truffle), Shime Dori (Chicken) and Tori Mentai Gunkan (shredded chicken with mental mayo).

My favourite was the the Wagyu Toro Sushi, enhanced with a soft and fatty bite; and Wagyu Uni Gunkan tasted all-in-all sweet and creamy with a subtle hint of saltiness.

Mt. Fuji Nabe ($18.90)
This is that one dish that is the centre of attraction and hard to miss.

With a tall and huge structure resembling Tokyo’s famed icon Mount Fuji, the dish comes with 200g of meat piled up with assorted vegetables in a hot pot, in a rich pork bone soy sauce broth.

Similar to that of a Sukiyaki where the ingredients are slowly cooked in the Japanese hot pot, there are two options available: the Beef & Pork or Pork Nabe (means “Hot pot” in Japanese).

A substantial portion good for sharing.

As the meat was thinly sliced, the flavour of the broth was easily absorbed into the meat to give it a slightly salty, savoury taste. Oishii!

Yaki Tetsu Edo Style ($18.90 – $31.90)
“Yaki Tetsu” means “cooking on iron” in Japanese. The flat round shape of the pot ensures even distribution of the heat, enhancing absorption of the sauce.

The Yaki Tetsu is available in 3 different types of beef options: AUS Beef ($18.90 per pax), AUS Wagyu ($25.90 per pax) and Akagi Wagyu ($31.90 per pax) and requires a minimum order for 2 pax.

While the dish is made upon order and freshly prepared beside the table, the “Edo Ama Miso” known for its sweetness is first added to the iron pot to cook the meat and served in a tamago (egg) sauce.

The second dish is then prepared by filling the entire pot with beef, vegetables and tofu and slowly simmered over fire.

Niku Tendon ($12.90)
Probably the first in Singapore to serve Pork tempura in a Tendon bowl.

As the name implies, there was only meat (pork and chicken) with fried seaweed and the usual vegetables, without the usual prawn tempura.

Drizzled with a sweetish savoury sauce on the thin, crispy, golden battered crust, I loved the light and airy batter that coated the pieces.

For the price of $12.90, this is probably also one of the cheapest Tendon (aka Tempura Donburi) in Singapore.

Tori Kushi Mori ($18.90)
For the non-beef eaters, there is the option of the traditional Japanese chicken dish – Grilled chicken skewers.

Each skewer is topped with sesame (Rikyu style), yuzu (Yuan style), miso (Saikyo style), teriyaki and vinegar & tartar (Nan Ban style), available at $3.90 each.

Tori Kushi Mori offers a platter of all 5 skewers at $18.90. My favourites were the Yuzu (Yuan style), and Vinegar & Tartar (Nan Ban style) – both citrusy and appetising.

Dancing Caesar Salad ($7.90)
The salad doesn’t dance (literally), but instead, the salad is prepared, stirred and tossed in front of the diners by the (dancing) service crew. How entertaining.

Shirasu & Ikura Pizza ($13.90)
A fusion dish between the Italian and Japanese, resulting in a thin crust pizza with tomato sauce, topped with whitebait and salmon roe.

The salmon roe added some texture to the pizza, that sent a burst with every bite.

Dining at Niku Kappo was an interesting and enriching experience, from the unique dishes that revolved around various meats to the live food preparation by the table side.

Itadakimasu!

Niku Kappo
ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, #B3-23, Singapore 238801
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 10:00pm (Mon-Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/NikuKappo.sg/

* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape. Photos by @stormscape and @DanielFoodDiary. This entry is brought to you in partnership with Niku Kappo.

The post Niku Kappo 肉割烹 – Japanese Kappo Restaurant From Tsujiki Opens In Singapore At ION Orchard appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.