Tanuki Raw

Lots of exciting things have been happening recently, and along with it, I've been enjoying lots of good food. Celebrated Ngan's birthday (and more!) over a meal at Tanuki Raw. I heard about their happy hour oyster deal ($2 per oyster) and I've been wanting to try it out! But somehow I never made ti there for the evening. Guess I'm not that huge a fan of oysters? And I always had the impression that the food was rather pricey. When I heard about their newly introduced lunch menu though, I couldn't wait to try it!

The lunch items consist of a small variety of donburi bowls priced affordably under $20. 

I'd already seen quite a bit of hype going on about the Black Angus Short Rib Truffle Yakiniku Don ($14.80), and I simply had to order it when I got here! There was an unmistakable aroma of truffle oil that heralded the arrival of this dish, and our mouths started to water as we caught a whiff of it. The slices of beef were fabulously tender, with a quality and texture much better than anything I would have expected of a donburi, and at such an affordable price too! A few of us ordered this dish, and every single one of the onsen eggs arrived perfectly wobbly and the yolk spilled fluidly to coat the beef in its goodness. Gosh, I'm dreaming of having this again already.

Though I was planning to order the Yakiniku don even before I stepped into the restaurant, I was swayed by the Chirashi don as well. And it was a pretty value-for-money option! At $17.80, it is one of the more reasonably priced ones around, and it came with two slices of a section of sashimi including salmon, tuna, and even scallop!

The Salmon don ($12) is a great option for those who can't get enough of this yummy sashimi. And it was not just as simple as plain ol' sashimi - it had special additions such as seared aburi as well, which is a huge plus point! :) 

Thad ordered the Yakitori Chicken don ($12) and it was one of the items that surprised me the most. While I expected charred pieces of chicken, this turned out to be wonderfully tender and came coated with a slightly sweet sauce.

And one of the highlights of every bowl had to be the fluffy sushi rice that it came with! Deliciously seasoned with Japanese spices, it quietly impressed with the way it complemented the ingredients perfectly. 

Tanuki Raw's lunch bowls are available daily from 11.30am-3pm and are an affordable, quality option if you're dining in the vicinity. 

Tanuki Raw

Orchard Central #02-03

Tel.: +65 6636 5949

11.30am-10.30pm

Hamanoya Robatayaki

It's always great meeting up with fellow foodie friends, because it's always an adventure trying out somewhere new! Met Koi for dinner the other day, and when he told me he was bringing me somewhere he was pretty sure I've never been to, I was immediately excited. All I had to do was tell him what cuisine I wanted. Hmmmm. Since I'd been feasting quite a bit since it was my birthday week then, I opted for Jap - something healthy (hopefully). True enough, I've never even heard of Hamanoya Robatayaki, let alone tried it. And I was super impressed! Everything, from the quality of their food to the exquisite presentation was impeccable, a fantastic exemplar of Japanese standards.

We started with a seaweed appetiser, compliments of the chef. This was savoury, yet light, and tantalised our tastebuds to prepare us for the meal ahead.

The restaurant specialises in Robatayaki, which is a Japanese style of cooking where the food is grilled over charcoal. Every day, there are daily specials of the freshest catch, which are presented to customers should they be interested in having the fish prepared robatayaki/sashimi style. We opted for one of the fishes, and it was so delicious!! I'm not a huge fan of fish, especially those with bones (fillet FTW!!), but this was so incredibly fresh, the meat tasted almost sweet. It didn't require any additional seasoning, except a sprinkling of salt, and the essence of the fish shone in its simplicity. 

After this was where things started going a little crazyyy. There was a mind-boggling array of dishes on the menu and I didn't know where to start. We kind of ended up choosing an item from almost every category to get a good selection, which seemed like quite a lot for two people! Surprisingly though, while I was completely satisfied at the end of the meal, I wasn't overly full. That made me so happy! This is why I love Japanese food so much. How healthy it always feels!

See what I mean about the presentation though? Everything was soooo pretty! :) And I was so appreciative of the spotlight that shone right down on all the tables, which was the perfect lighting for all the photographs. No editing required! The slabs of Salmon and Tuna sashimi ($11.99 each) were generously thick, and of course, super fresh.

This is the Grilled Chicken Ball with poached egg ($4.99) if I'm not wrong. It was a really interesting dish, which I had no clue how to consume at first. It was actually a humongous ball of meat that was marinated in a sweet-savoury sauce, and you actually dip the meat into the poached egg and stir it around before popping it into your mouth. The combination was sublime!

Though I felt that we'd ordered quite a lot by now, I couldn't resist getting some sushi because they all looked so pretty. The Salmon and Mango Maki ($9.99) was a harmonious blend of flavours and textures that created a delicious taste explosion at every bite. 

Finally, the Tonkotsu Hot Pot ($17.99) was a comforting, belly-warming dish that was full of ingredients including carrots, pork ribs, tofu and mushrooms. The meat of the pork ribs were so tender that they could be prised off the bone easily, and I slurped up every last drop of the soup.

My experience at Hamanoya was exceedingly flawless and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitely one of the highlights in The Dining Edition at Marina Square, and I can't wait to be back to be impressed once more.

Hamanoya Robatayaki

Marina Square #02-106

Tel.: +65 6337 4245

Mon-Fri 11.30am-3pm, 5pm-10.30pm

Sat-Sun 11.30am-10.30pm

Teppei

I've finally tried Teppei!!!! :) The lunch, that is. Haven't managed to snag that coveted seat in their affordable omakase dinners as yet. I was really happy that I managed to get a taste of their lunch before I officially started work (far far away...). While the restaurant is famed for its wallet-friendly omakase meals, the lunch sets are kept affordable as well, for really great quality and value! 

There is always a queue at lunch, but it was honestly not as intimidating as I'd imagined it to be. The turnover in the restaurant is really quick, since there are only bar seats, and the food is served pretty efficiently too. I arrived at 11.45am (the restaurant opens at 12pm) and faced a queue that had extended beyond Tonkotsu King right next door. At 12pm on the dot, the doors were flung open and the crowd poured in, filling up the seats in an orderly manner. I was just shy of going in for the first round, with a couple of people in the queue in front of me. From then, it was like clockwork - the staff handling the inflow with Japanese precision, while taking orders and settling bills inside the restaurant. You can tell that they're used to the crowds, and they somehow manage to keep everyone happy, whether you're waiting for your food or standing in the line. 

The Barachirashi set ($17.60) is in my opinion, hands down the tastiest Chirashi under $20. The ultimate Chirashi winner for me is still Aoki, but this comes a close second at a price that is wayyy more affordable for regular eating ;) This is not exactly written on the menu, but it is served every day. I was a little shocked when the bowl that was placed in front of me. It looked...small. When I dug into it though, it was as if I was opening a treasure trove. The quantity of fresh, succulent slabs of sashimi they managed to fit in that small bowl was stunning! There was such a wide variety of fish in that bowl, most of which I'd never seen before, and it seemed almost never-ending as I ploughed through the bowl. And each piece of fish was supple, tasty and simply delectable. The wasabi they gave was awesome too, with a freshness that was befitting for the expertly-sliced fish. 

If the main dish itself is insufficient to satisfy you, there is no need to worry, since there are free-flow side dishes for you to pick at. Actually, I have no idea what the side dishes were meant to be, but they were useful in quelling the hunger pangs while waiting for our food to arrive. The top is some shredded vegetable dish, while the other is some sort of stewed/braised dish filled with lotus root, mushrooms and other ingredients.

The meal also comes with free flow tea! XT ordered the Niku Tempura Set ($19.80), which was a selection of various tempuras. Didn't manage to get a good picture of this because the tempura was all served separately - fresh out of the cooker! I loved how the batter was so light, scarcely oily, and the freshness of the fish shone through in the form of its supple, fluffy meat, despite the fact that it was deep fried.

I can totally understand why people would queue for this meal, and I would come back again and again if I could! I miss the Barachirashi already :') 

Teppei

1 Tras Link, Orchid Hotel #01-18

Daily 12pm-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm

Miam Miam

the first time i visited Miam Miam i was really excited when i saw their menu! everything on it looked soooo good, but unfortunately i was ill that day and couldn't stomach anything xP i really wanted to come back to order whatever that had attracted me though, and i'm glad i did! :)

Miam Miam is some sort of a Japanese-French fusion bistro. and you can see that in their super adorable menu with gorgeous typography. the food tastes great too! though the portions were incredibly disappointing, especially when the photographs on the menu were so deceiving. 

the single dish that kept nagging at me to return to the place was the Riz Noir ($16.50). a scrumptious looking pot of squid ink rice with assorted seafood (squid and scallops), topped with a fluffy omu egg. it looked like a deceptively huge portion in the menu, and my heart sank a little when the actual serving was significantly smaller. but it made up in terms of its punchy flavour, with each fluffy grain of rice smothered in a delicious aroma and rather generous serving of seafood. 

i quite liked the lobster bisque pasta ($18.80) as well, but it could have been much better if the sauce was a thicker broth, like the real lobster bisque. this was rather watery, although it was still quite tasty. the pasta was cooked al dente style! ^^ which i really liked, though some might find it undercooked. i love how pasta cooked this way seems lighter, and gives a more distinct texture that stands out from the rest of the dish.

i found the service here rather poor as well. we had to wait quite awhile for a seat, even though there was a whole seating area that was unoccupied, and the staff just kept telling us to wait, while brisk-walking past us. they also took forever to serve us our drink, and generally had rather unfriendly expressions on their face. we tried the matcha hot chocolate ($7.80) that sounded fascinating, but turned out to be nothing more than your normal matcha latte. and the funny thing is that they do serve matcha latte too! so i wonder what's the difference...?

i was super excited for dessert too! we ordered the chocolate molleaux ($9.80) which was a decadent, dark chocolate cake with soft serve ice cream on the side. we struck gold because they ran out of vanilla ice cream, and we were offered the matcha flavour as a replacement! (Y) wheee. haha cheap thrill ^^ the cake was beautifully moist, with just the right density, and a slightly molten centre (could have been better). warning: the portion was really tiny though, i think my photo might appear otherwise.

and FINALLY. building up to the finale......Miam Miam's FAMOUS FRENCH TOAST ($9.80)!!! ^^ there is a reason why it was named that, and it is a must-order. i'm not kidding. this was the saving grace of the entire meal. i only felt full after eating this. gosh! the french toast came in a stack, topped with a scoop of cream and honey on the side. i actually don't think the honey was necessary because we only drizzled a little on it, and it was quite sweet already! but more is good too ;) hehe. this was SOOOO DELICIOUS! there is no other way i can describe it - it's definitely one of the best french toasts i've ever eaten. perfectly sweet on its own, without being too cloying, the perfect balance between fluffy and dense, and oh-so-tasty, with/without the cream. 

i would definitely come back for the french toast one day. the others? i'll have to think about it. i don't really think the portions justify the price, but the fact that everything was pretty yums, does! (: 

Miam Miam

Bugis Junction #02-14

Tel.: +65 6837 0301

Daily 11.30am-10pm

Chikuwa Tei

behold! thick slabs of sashimi that are so deliciously fresh and supple ^^^ yummmms. haha now doesn't this look drool-worthy? :P hee.

i've been hearing lots about chikuwa tei's sashimi, and i just could't wait to try it!! and it definitely didn't disappoint ;) (btw sorry for the bad photo quality for this set of photos :( i didn't bring my camera so had to rely on my phone >.<).

chikuwa tei has quite a number of value-for-money bento sets, making decadent dishes like this good for a (more than) occasional treat ;) it's not cheap, but this chirashi sushi ($25) is definitely worth your buck. and it's already the most pricey on the list of available sets. think (okay you don't need to imagine since i've already got this charming visual representation here :P), a generous portion of 1cm thick pieces of assorted sashimi (tuna, salmon, swordfish), with a (big) handful of bouncy, juicy roe atop a bed of rice. sounds amazing doesn't it? this portion of sashimi is definitely sufficient to satisfy any sashimi cravings!!! i was simply mind-blown and was happily chomping on my food throughout the whole meal ;) it was really tasty, and even though i still feel that Aoki's version is unbeatable, this is a more affordable alternative that comes a close second :)

we even ordered more sashimi on top of that! the moriwase ($36) is meant for two people, but i really think it's enough for four! haha. there are already 16 huge slabs of sashimi on this plate!!!! how awesome is that?! :D and there is salmon belly ~~~ the best of the best ^^ one thing i realised though, is that their sashimi seems to be a little chewier (hard to bite through) than normal. not sure why that is the case, but it didn't really diminish our experience ;)

zhen ordered the beef teriyaki set ($18) that was fried so fragrantly, the aroma spread across the entire table the moment they served it. talk about working up an appetite ;) and this flavour was infused into every slice of beef, which was also very tender in texture! 

the Ten Cha Soba ($12) was such a wonderfully healthy dish!! i've fallen head over heels in love with soba since i was on exchange. it's so easy to cook, and i love the green tea essence infused in the green noodles! :))) well the fact that it came with tempura kinda negates the "healthy" factor :p but it's yummy anyway. i felt kinda cheated that the pile of soba looked so huge, but there was actually a block of ice underneath it though -.- haha but i guess that was necessary to keep it cold, plus give the dish its appearance :p

and the Sukiyaki Teishoku ($22)! (: a piping hot, rich broth with beef, vegetables and tofu inside! i always love sukiyaki for its savoury-sweet taste :)

we actually also ordered the Salmon Teriyaki set ($15), which was cooked delightfully as well! but my phone camera decided to die on me as well that day, so... :/ hehe anyway, love their food here, and now you know where to go for sashimi indulgence! :D 

Chikuwa Tei

9 Mohamed Sultan Road

Tel.: +65 6738 9395

Daily 11.30am-3pm

6pm-10pm

Yoshimaru Ramen Bar

this was a really surprise find that i thoroughly enjoyed!! was searching for a place to have ramen, and i came across this place which was recommended on some other blog. lo and behold, i realize it had been on my foodie radar list for quite some time but i completely forgot about it. anyway, super glad to have visited it, because it can be considered one of my favourite ramen places now! for some quirky flavours (which i absolutely love) and for its really affordable pricing (: i preferred this way more than the hokkaido ramen at santouka (though that was good too!) and it's so much cheaper!

the key is always in the details, and we had so much fun with this little bowls of sesame seeds which we were given to grind as we waited for our ramen to arrive. this is a really small shop tucked away in a corner of the holland village enclave, and i don't think reservations are allowed, so do take note of that!

i was at a dilemma between choosing the mini burgers and going for their ramen. ended up kinda forcing sam to share both with me :p so that we could get the best of both worlds!! and that was really the perfect combination. we had everyone salivating over the burgers ;) there are three flavours of burgers: spicy cha shu, teriyaki chicken ($2.80 each) and the mentaiko ebi mayo ($3.80). i ordered the combi of all three flavours which cost $8.80. and all of them were soooo good! first up was the ebi burger which came with a light crisp-battered ebi tempura encased in pillowy mini patties. i liked how all the burgers came with a generous serving of fresh lettuce within them, which deftly drew out the flavours of the other ingredients by cleansing our palate. the spicy cha shu was tender and yielded easily as it released its innate juices with a bite. the teriyaki chicken was delicious as well! 

shared the original karamiso tonkotsu ramen ($12) with Sam. this was a flavourful medly which hit all the right notes with its punchy broth, soft cha shu and delish flavoured egg! i always love the egg! 

if i could choose though, i'd go for the spicy version of the above (also $12). this delivered a beautifully hearty essence with the underlying spiciness, which livened up the entire bowl of ramen. not too spicy, just perfect.

Yoshimaru Ramen Bar specializes in Hakata ramen, and so we definitely had to order it! the Traditional Hakata Ramen ($11) was a simple, heartwarming dish with all the necessities (: it didn't make much of an impression with me though, because (*points below*)

saving the best for the last...the Karaka Men ($13) aka the spicy yuzu ramen!!! *squeals!* give me anything with yuzu and i'll fall for it ^^ LOVED THIS. i was really amazed at how the tangy notes of the yuzu went so harmoniously in this savoury dish. who knew that such a combination worked? the zesty flavour kept me addicted right from the start, and i couldn't help but reach for more spoonfuls of soup even though the bowl didn't belong to me. whoops! :P but it was REALLY awesome. i will definitely come back for this, and order a whole bowl for myself. yumms!  

Yoshimaru Ramen Bar
31 Lorong Liput, Holland Village
Tel.: +65 6463 3132
Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, 6pm-11pm
Sat, Sun & PH 11am-11pm 

Tonkotsu King

i've been wanting to try this place since forever!! i can hardly believe i waited so long for it. but the queue is just a huge turnoff. and though i thoroughly enjoyed my ramen here, i'd say i probably won't do this again anytime soon. tonkotsu king definitely has one of the best ramen broths ever though!!!!! :) i love how it is so rich and full-bodied.

i ordered the original tonkotsu ramen, but there are also the red (chili) and black (pepper) spicy versions. i can't judge the black version as i don't like pepper, but i loved the punch from the chili in the red one! the noodles are springy, kinda al dente style, and you can opt for the flavoured egg with the flowy yolk inside! i found it really fun to be able to choose from the various options from the thickness of the soup broth, to the ingredients, the noodle texture, etc. you can customize it just the way you like! :) the only let down was probably the cha shu which was not very tasty, and not tender. sad for me, because melt-in-the-mouth cha shu is a key ingredient i look out for.

if you aren't picky about wanting only the flavoured eggs, you then have a free-flow of eggs to satisfy! they also have a free-flow policy for beansprouts. so awesome :D and this sesame-seed grinding seems to be becoming a trend in ramen places here! :p a great way to entertain yourself before the meal. for this ramen joint though, the plus point is that your food is served almost the moment you take your seat. the queuing is done outside (and it's really stuffy in my opinion. not a pleasure at all), and you give the waitress your order there, so that you are served immediately when you get your seat. 

Tonkotsu King

Orchid Hotel, 1 Tras Street, #01-19

Tel.: +65 6636 0855

Daily 11.30am-3pm

6pm-10.30pm

Arashi Yakiniku Charcoal Grill

get ready, for an all-out no-holds-barred sinful, meaty dinner at Arashi Yakiniku Charcoal Grill. if you're in the mood for some lip-smacking, artery-clogging indulgence, this is the place to go. i confess, i was floored by the end of the meal. Arashi is a pretty new kid on the block, just opened a couple of months ago and it aims to bring affordable yakiniku to customers. their specialty is in wagyu beef cuts, and i'm so excited to share what i ate with you guys! (: get ready for a feast for your eyes (literally!!)

started off simple with the appetizers ($7.80) and Arashi Kaisen Salad ($15.80). i really liked the pickled beansprouts which were perfectly refreshing, while having a lightly savoury flavour that made it so yummy. sauces were provided as condiments to the dishes later on, but i didnt really have to touch those because the natural essences of the dishes were delightfully robust. the salad was a very light, healthy way to begin, and it came topped with prawns and salmon which were delicious! be sure to mix the vegetables into the sauce below though, because i found it rather tasteless when i didn't toss the veggies.

almost immediately, we were presented with the MEAT. now look at that marbling! we were served the "Ohmi" grade A4 wagyu beef from Japan, and this is just shy of the best grade of wagyu. the most premium A5 cuts require prior reservation. we started off with the tenderloin ($68.80), and had two other cuts of beef. true to its name, this was the most tender out of the three types of beef we had. it came with a sauce for dipping, but it's really not quite necessary. these were so tasty on their own! probably my favourite cut.

on the other hand, the Ribeye ($68.80) was just a little chewier, but this was absolutely bursting with juices, oozing a smokey grilled flavour that was even stronger than that of the tenderloin. 

ooh finally a picture of the grill! i really liked how Arashi has a smokeless grill - while it doesnt guarantee a 100% smoke-free meal, but it really reduced the smell and smoke significantly! we were in the restaurant for around 3hours and i emerged with barely a whiff of any smells of food/smoke on me. 

back to the meats - just look at that fire!!!!! and here, i present my nemesis. i kid :P but really, after this set of meats, i pretty much surrendered for the most part. Japanese Sirloin ($88.80), super fatty, literally dripping with fats (hence the flames), simply melts in your mouth with juices that pack a punch. this is not for the weak hearted. 

with all that meaty goodness, i was really glad to have some vegetables to balance things out! and i've discovered a new favourite bbq dish! pumpkin. i really never knew that pumpkins were a barbecue dish. no one told me! and i fell in love with it when i tried it for the first time. all these veggies are packed with goodness, and are the perfect neutralizers to the grilled meats. 

i'm a fan of garlic fried rice ($4.80), and i'm glad to say that Arashi does it pretty well! :)

also loved the clam miso soup ($7.80) that we were served! (: an update of the common miso soup (which you can just get out of the packet), i love how the clams added a touch of sweetness to the soup. and there was quite a generous amount of clams inside, which was awesome ^^

despite the fact that Arashi's specialty is in its meats, i have to say that their fish/seafood took my breath away and appealed to me much more! this Japanese Cod Fish ($18.80) was done so beautifully. delightfully tender, and bathed in a sweet Japanese sauce, this is a simple dish that was done really well!

we had quite a selection of goodies with the Tempura Moriwase ($23.80), and i appreciated their light batter that was very palatable.

guess what! besides beef, we had other dishes to grill as well :O haha ^^ yummms.

this was another of my favourites. the salmon in butter sauce was divine! and i'll never forget those prawns ($12.80). i was quite hesitant about trying them initially because i'm just lazy that way (didn't feel like having to peel open the shell), but i was convinced to do so because it was apparently quite easy to open. well, i tried, and it did! shows how fresh those prawns are :) and gosh, they were HUGE. and super juicy!!!! i started squealing when i ate it, because it tasted so unexpectedly good :') the scallops ($12.80) and squid ($6.80) were not too shabby either.

from top: Japanese Kurobuta pork belly ($19.80), pork collar ($20.80), Momi Tare chicken ($9.80). absolutely indulgent, and it was such a pity that i was full to bursting by this point and i could only afford to taste a small piece of each kind of meat. nonetheless, each variety impressed with their brilliant dimension of flavours.

check out Arashi's charcoal grill! ;)

when the end of the meal came, i was so glad to be presented with this adorable Arashi Mango Pudding. and underlying the gorgeous presentation was a wobbly pudding generously studded with bits of mango. i was really pleased by the portion of mango in this dessert - not just what you see on top! it was sweet, yet not cloyingly so, and was the perfect dish to cleanse my palate at the end of all the meat.

Arashi's dining area spans three floors and includes an alfresco dining area as well! private rooms like these can be found on the third floor, and can accommodate around 10pax. walking out into the crisp night air after my heavy meal, i could just imagine how wonderful it'll be to sit along the Singapore river on a cooling day with some yummilicious yakiniku.

Arashi Yakiniku Charcoal Grill
48 Boat Quay
Tel.: +65 8118 6383
Mon-Sat 11.30am-3pm
5.30pm-11pm

*thanks to Calvin & the OpenRice team for the invite :)