Mentaiko Onigiri + Miso Soup Situated at Blk 211 Serangoon Avenue 4 just right opposite Serangoon Swimming Complex, The Plain Jane might be an establishment that has been well-known for their Swiss Rolls โ this is probably a thing of the past though, considering how The Plain Jane has since become JANE after a bit of a revamp. Introducing themselves as a neighbourhood diner serving food and drinks, the concept has taken a big shift โ whilst the interior of JANE still carries that familiar rustic and slightly industrial vibe with a mix of mismatched furnishings such as different tables of wooden, marble and glass table tops, the addition of big carpets and rugs on the old-school tiles seem to evoke some vibes that are similar to that of cafes of the mid 2010s; think establishments like Curious Palette for example. Apart from the familiar settings, JANE isnโt quite the establishment that The Plain Jane used to be โ now opened only in the evenings, there are no longer any Swiss Rolls being listed on the menu here. Instead, JANE takes on a Japanese vibe here โ offering a food menu, the hot food menu is segregated into sections dedicated to โSmall Foodโ (i.e. small plates โ think items like Edamame, Tako Wasabi and Wakame Salad), โFoodโ (i.e. larger plates that are meant for individual consumption or small sharing plates โ think items like Japanese croquettes and an Ochazuke), as well as โNoodle Saladโ (i.e. cold noodle salad such as Cold Soba / Udon Salad). โDessertsโ now comprises of a small variety of ice-cream flavours, whilst beverages are mostly of an alcoholic nature โ think bottled beer, G&T, Chu Hai, and Japanese Sake for a start. The non-alcoholic drinks on the menu includes a couple of soda-based beverages, as well as hot green tea.
Felt that we wanted to for something light for dinner and went with the Mentaiko Onigiri with Miso Soup. There is some preparation time required for the item, considering how the Mentaiko Onigri does come served up warm, plated on small metallic tray along with the miso soup. Topped with Kewpie mayonnaise and Ebiko over the top, the Seaweed Nori wraps the bottom of the Mentaiko Onigiri. The Mentaiko Onigiri is probably best to be enjoyed by hand. Taking a bite into the Mentaiko Ongiri, the rice did carry a good bite โ not too dense to the point that it was too difficult to chew through, but sticky enough so that everything could still hold its place without falling loose apart after chewing on it. As one takes further bites into the Mentaiko Onigiri, one would find the spicy mentaiko within; this adds a hint of umami-ness and a slight kick of spiciness that should work fine for those who have a lower tolerance of spiciness โ the seaweed at the bottom further adds to the umami factor of the dish with a slight crispness. The accompanying Miso Soup was nothing much to shout about, though if anything, was pretty comforting โ recommended by the staff to give a little stir before consumption, there was a strong earthy, bean-y note that came with the soup that one would associate with Miso Soup. Whilst it does not come with some of the usual condiments like tofu, there was plenty of kelp within the Miso Soup, as with three pieces of tofu puffs that provided a different texture to the soup and soaking up all that goodness as well.
We could see how some cafe hoppers would be mourning the loss of The Plain Jane with its revamp into JANE โ after all, The Plain Janeโs Swiss Rolls has always been an item that is often mentioned about and compared against with other fairly established names serving the same; think notable brands like Rich and Good Cake Shop per se. That being said, JANE does sound like the answer that The Plain Jane has to the ever-changing F&B landscape in Singapore โ the trend has long been gone for Swiss Rolls these days, and JANE being that diner with a Japanese influence as a neighbourhood-ly drinking hole might well be what is missing in the neighbourhood these days; this is considering how there is a consistent trend for Kissatens and Izakayas in recent times. It is difficult to predict the way in which JANE will go from here โ whilst they are still able to preserve much of the vibes that one would associate with their former branding, the changes that The Plain Jane made with its transition to JANE in its character are pretty stark. The prices of the items on the menu are kept somewhat reasonable for the type of establishment that it now is โ the โSmall Foodโ items ranging from $5 to $9, while the items off the โFoodโ section of the menu are priced between $6 to $12; the โNoodle Saladโ items are priced at $8, though it is noted that the items do come in a somewhat smaller portion poised as a light bite. Nonetheless, JANE is a pretty unusual concept for an eatery that is situated within the neighbourhood โ one with loads of indie character that hipsters would probably enjoy!
