Tag: Bars

With 16 casual dining establishments handpicked from Japan, Japan Food Town is the closest you can get to the Land of the Rising Sun without hopping on a plane.

Located on the 4th floor of Wisma Atria, it’s a place where friends and families can enjoy a diverse array of Japanese culinary experiences. All the outlets in this sprawling 20,075 square food enclave are carefully selected based on their strong reputation and rich heritage dating back centuries, and with its eclectic range of Japanese dishes, it has won the hearts of gourmands.

From 14th July to 10th August, Japan Food Town will be celebrating its first year anniversary! To commemorate this momentous occasion, they will be holding their first ever 1-for-1 promotion across all 16 outlets, for the span of a month. Each restaurant will be offering the promo on a selected dish, and there are limited sets each day, so head down early to enjoy the deals!

We got to feast on some of the signature dishes offered by the restaurants in the food hall. Join us as we take you through a gastronomic journey of Japanese culinary delights, and feast your eyes as you witness the chefs whipping up a storm!

1. TAKI

First up was this glorious, immaculately-plated Shokado-bento from TAKI. The bento is a treasure trove of classic Japanese dishes such as tamago, yakitori skewers, and thick slices of sashimi. The chawanmushi that came with the set was silky smooth, bouncy, and had a melt-in-your-mouth texture that we couldn’t get enough of.

At TAKI, diners can get acquainted with a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Called “Kuzushi-Kappo”, this new branch of Japanese cuisine involves adding a modern and casual twist to traditional Japanese dining, using fresh and premium ingredients. Originating in Kyoto, it is fast gaining worldwide popularity.

Find it at 435 Orchard Road, #04-52, Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, S(238877)
Book a table at TAKI and earn 2X-Chope Dollars with the code TASTYBLOG

2. Osaka Kitchen

Next, our taste buds were treated with this simple yet absolutely delectable stuffed egg omelette at Osaka Kitchen. With the head outlet in Tokyo recognized as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in 2016, you know you’re in good hands here. Sit at the counter and watch the chefs whip up your meal, while you dig into teppanyaki dishes fresh off the flat iron top.

Called Tonpei Yaki, this dish features a crepe-like omelette that is stuffed with chopped pork belly strips and rolled into a fluffy egg pillow. Prior to serving, the chef adds generous amounts of mayo and okonomiyaki sauce. We absolutely loved this – the saltiness of the okonomiyaki sauce perfectly balanced the sweetness and creaminess of the mayo, and together with the fluffy egg omelette, it was an explosion of tastes and textures.

Find it at 435 Orchard Road, #04-46, Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, S(238877)
Book a table at Osaka Kitchen and earn 2X-Chope Dollars with the code TASTYBLOG

3. Nabe Seizan

Beef takes centre stage at Japanese hot pot restaurant Nabe Seizan, opened by the same chef behind 2-Michelin starred restaurant Seizan in Tokyo. What differentiates them from other hot pot restaurants is their soup stock. Made with 100% premium bottled water, the soup is prepared with a unique blend of kelp, kombu, bonito, and tuna, with absolutely no added MSG.

With a stock so pristine, there’s no need for dips and sauces – all you need is a good couple of swirls of the beef in the boiling stock and consider yourself sorted! The natural essence of the beef is meaty and tender, coming through beautifully as it cooks. The broth also imparts a slight umami to the beef, adding new dimensions of flavour that you wouldn’t have thought possible. Simple, yet oh-so-amazing.

Find it at 435 Orchard Road, #04-44, Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, S(238877)
Book a table at Nabe Seizan and earn 2X-Chope Dollars with the code TASTYBLOG

4. Inaniwa Yosuke

At Inaniwa Yosuke, a restaurant specializing in handmade udon noodles, the beauty lies in the simplicity of its dishes. We tried two versions of the noodles: one chilled and the other in hot broth. The noodles in the Kake Udon were steeped in a steaming vinegary broth, while the Zaru Udon came chilled, with 2 dipping sauces.

To prepare the chilled udon, the chef boils the noodles for 2-3 minutes, rinses them twice in cold water to stop the noodles from cooking further, before skillfully pulling it into a neat bundle. The udon is then served with a smooth sesame dip and a soy sauce that has hints of wasabi. Soft, chewy, and silky, the noodles were truly remarkable, with the wasabi adding a punch to every bite.

Find it at 435 Orchard Road, #04-45, Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, S(238877)
Book a table at Inaniwa Yosuke and earn 2X-Chope Dollars with the code TASTYBLOG

5. Yakiniku Heijoen

Yakiniku beef lovers will rejoice at the sight of the premium meats served at Yakiniku Heijoen. Here, they treat their beef like fine wine, only procuring top quality Wagyu beef varieties from all over Japan.

We had the Deluxe Heijoen Kalbi which features Japanese beef carefully sourced from black-haired cattle. Thin, beautifully sliced beef are presented to you at the table, which a waiter later proceeds to help you cook them to perfection. Buttery with an almost mellow milky flavour, the beef is moist, tender, and has an astoundingly melt-in-your-mouth quality that you won’t soon forget. The marbling of the beef fat adds a level of complexity to the otherwise plain meat. Despite the simplicity of having it gently cooked over a hot grill, the nuances of flavours is anything but simple.

Beef buffs will also be able to sample top-notch Nozaki beef from Japan at Yakiniku Heijoen. Nozaki beef is an A-5 grade meat, the highest out of 5 levels, and is sourced from cows which are taken care of under a thorough fattening management. This gives the meat an excellent flavour, while not being overly rich.

Find it at 435 Orchard Road, #04-47, Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, S(238877)
Book a table at Yakiniku Heijoen and earn 2X-Chope Dollars with the code TASTYBLOG

6. Sabar Singapore

Sushi takes a creative spin at SABAR, a restaurant specializing in all things mackerel. Using top-quality mackerel from Aomori, the Assorted Saba Sushi comes with saba cooked in 3 ways – Aburi, Vinegar, and Grilled. Rolled into a compact oval shape, the rice grains used are from Yamagata prefecture and have a texture reminiscent of those used in Chinese rice dumplings.

All of us couldn’t stop raving about the Shime Saba which had a slight tang imparted by the vinegar and salt marinade used. If there’s anything I would come back for, it would be for the vinegar mackerel sushi, hands down.

Find it at 435 Orchard Road, #04-50, Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, S(238877)
Book a table at Sabar Singapore and earn 2X-Chope Dollars with the code TASTYBLOG

7. Tsukiji Sushi Takewaka

Takewaka opened his first shop over 3 decades ago in Tsukiji, the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. Here, every piece of sushi is handcrafted by experienced and skilled chefs, using the freshest catch of the day.

The interior of Tsukiji Sushi Takewaka is simple and understated with two kinds of seatings – floor and counter. Upon entering the restaurant, we promptly plopped ourselves onto the high stools and watched in amazement as the sushi chef nimbly assembled our sushi platter. We had the Tsukiji, a platter of authentic Edomae-style sushi that came with a variety of nigiri sushi. Fresh and clean-tasting, it didn’t take long for us to wipe the plate clean.

Find it at 435 Orchard Road, #04-43, Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, S(238877)
Book a table at Tsukiji Sushi Takewaka and earn 2X-Chope Dollars with the code TASTYBLOG

8. Bonta Bonta

Rice is usually thought of as the supporting role in a meal, or as a mere accompaniment to meats and vegetables. However, a meal at Bonta Bonta will change your mind about the humble rice grain. Here, the rice is selected by a rice sommelier and processed to the highest standards to qualify as Kinmemai. It is moist, fluffy, and has a slight buttery taste, making it an excellent base for rice bowls such as the Salmon Oyako Don that we had.

The Salmon Oyako Don was a stunning sea of orange – think thick cuts of salmon sashimi, aburi salmon, and beads of fish roe crowning a bed of warm Kinmemai rice. The chewy rice grains balanced out the richness of the fatty salmon while the fish roe added a pop of umami to each bite; this was truly a bowl of decadence.

Find it at 435 Orchard Road, #04-39, Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, S(238877)
Book a table at Bonta Bonta and earn 2X-Chope Dollars with the code TASTYBLOG

With a comprehensive cross-section of authentic Japanese cuisine such as soba, udon, ramen, donburi, yakitori, Teppanyaki, tonkatsu, sushi, a sake bar and more, all under one roof, you’ll definitely be spoilt for choice! The 1-for-1 promotions are only available until the 10th of August, so head down and indulge yourself in the flavours of Japan!

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