- Lunch sets
There's a lot of food in the lunch set which will delight people with large appetites. The teppanyaki on the other hand, can be quite ambiguous. The teppanyaki beef can be inconsistent, varying in the degree of how well done the beef is. Same goes for the teppanyaki salmon. However, this could be due to the fact that there was a sudden influx of close to 20 orders at the same time (JCC outing) so we can discount a slight inconsistency in the standards.
22)Sho-U @ Central
- Desserts
Excellent desserts! After all, you are paying a premium price to enjoy the desserts. The place is nice and quiet on a weekday afternoon and the staff are friendly enough to explain to you the various types of desserts. It has a good view by the Singapore river so it's nice to chill in the afternoon if you can spare the time.
23)Kura no Naka @ River Valley Road (next to MOS)
- Lunch sets
Good value for money as the sets are very big. For a set of about $20, you may get a starter salad and/or dashi maki tamago, tempura, the standard bento box of food, dessert and tea! It's often visited by a lot of Japanese as well, probably due to the location as it's near Liang Court. Service is very good too. Warning! They only open at lunch and dinner timings so if you arrive late, you might be irked when they ask for the bill in the middle of your meal. Of course, this is explained apologetically by the staff as they say that they will need to close the cashier.
24)Ichiban boshi @ Wisma, Esplanade, Suntec
- Ala carte
They have a great variety of sushi such that it can be quite odd like cheese and something sushi. Bento sets are not bad and often value for money. Sashimi freshness can be variable. Hotate sashimi at the esplanade outlet was terrible as it tooked too long to come and it had a fishy taste. In such cases, order what you know the whole world is ordering as the turnover rate is higher. Warning! Service can be variable from outlet to outlet. This is a resturant that is under the same group as Ichiban sushi.
25)Ken noodle's house @ Orchard Plaza
- Ala carte
Forget about the side orders and just stick with the ramen. After all, that's what they are famous for. Been there twice, food has performed up to expectations and is value for money. Go read the blog entry about it.
26)Kushinbo @ Suntec
- Buffet
I just don't like the concept of having to walk around and queue for my food, particularly when the sashimi is exposed for long periods of time. Good variety of food selection and I heard that everyone aims for the crab legs which are not bad but a hassle to eat.
27)Kyomomoyama @ Central
-Set lunch
Previously they offered $6+ or $12+ set lunches which are pretty decent. They also have varying discounts for particular days of the week like Wednesdays could be a discount for ladies or for sashimi and sushi orders. For the new year 2009, no discounts as of yet as the daily discounts expired at the end of 2008.
28) Japanese Gourmet Town @ Vivocity
- Ala carte
Japanese Gourmet Town is a collaboration between Botejyu okonomiyaki, Sapporo curry and Ajisen. At this place, you can find food from all three different restaurants and it satisfies cravings for most people at once.
The differences is that Sapporo curry specialises in soup curry, unlike the normal thick and sweet curry of Curry Favor or of most places. The okonomiyaki on the other hand, by Botejyu is a sight to behold! Place upon a hot plate, this japanese pancake filled with pork and vegetables is savory, topped with a sweet sauce. The sweet sauce gets too cloying after awhile so remember to tell the waiter to reduce the amount of sauce or eat slowly lest you get sick of it. Note that the Ajisen's ramen is the standard fare that you can find at the other outlets so no surprises here.
The key attraction would be the convenience and variety factor that Japanese Gourmet Town is striving for. Beyond the limited okonomiyaki menu of Botejyu where certain dishes are contantly unavailable and the long wait for the okonomiyaki, the only things that keep customers coming back would be indecisive diners who need variety and a long time to decide on their food. Ramen comes first so order that and wait your okonomiyaki out!
*First entry: 27/02/2007
Updated: 21/04/2008
Updated: 02/01/2009
Meanwhile, I'll continue saving money and search for people who are interested in joining me on a quest for good Japanese food!
Click here to view more pictures of Japanese food!
