The basement of TANGS Plaza had recently been through a revamp and there has been much talk about the new Hawkers’ Street food hall that is located within the revamped basement — that being said, it does seem that TANGS Plaza had included quite a number of new F&B establishments within the mix of tenants that are supposed to occupy the space; there is a mix of commercialised establishments such as that of an outlet of Ya Kun Kaya Toast, Gong Yuan Ma La Tang 宫源麻辣烫 and Lao Ma Ban Mian 老妈拌面 whilst more indie establishments such as the likes of Momolato, Percolate, Plain Vanilla etc. also can be found there. One of those indie establishments that had taken up a space in TANGS Plaza would be that of KAREKAMI — these folks aren’t new to the local F&B scene however, having been previously operating as Kare at Fusionopolis prior to their move here. Occupying a space that is dedicated for a food kiosk, KAREKAMI is simply decked; the establishment seeing the use of wooden tables and chairs matched with wooden fittings; the dining area comprising of dining tables that would fit those visiting in groups of four (4) to six (6) pax pretty well. It is noted that patrons do also get the choice to sit alongside high tables around the sides of the stall; these would work well with individual diners especially. KAREKAMI’s menu revolves around their Curry Rice, Curry Udon, Teriyaki Don, and Salad Bowl offerings — they also do offer a variety of side dishes that one can also add on to their order. Beverages served up at KAREKAMI includes Hot Green Tea, as well as a variety of canned beverages.

We had been a little bit in a phase for Udon and considering the namesake of the establishment, we had decided to give their Kare Curry Udon a go — the menu describes the Kare Curry Udon to come with elements such as three (3) pieces of Karaage Chicken and two (2) pieces of Tsukune Chicken Balls that is served with their Curry Udon. The style of Udon that comes with the Kare Curry Udon would be the Sanuki Udon; the broad and chewy Udon noodles that most should be pretty familiar with considering how this is usually the default that is being served when one orders Japanese Udon at other Japanese establishments. Other elements that are included in the Kare Curry Udon that are not being mentioned would include Shibazuke (i.e. purple pickles), as well as root vegetables like potato and carrots. Digging into the Curry Udon, we were initially expecting the Japanese curry here to taste somewhere a little bit more commercial — it does seem that the folks at KAREKAMI does make their own Japanese curry where there are noticeably clumps of broken down carrots and vegetables within; we also note that the curry also does come with a slightly more peppery and spicy kick that should be manageable for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness. The Tsukune Chicken Balls do come with a firm bite; coming slightly saltish with a hint of meatiness but our favourite element has to be the juicy chunks of Karaage Chicken that came with a golden brown deep-fried batter — all that whilst not being greasy. The root vegetables are cooked to a consistency where they are soft and had been broken down whilst being stewed with the Japanese curry.

There is a choice for patrons to further add on a Mini Salad on the side for every choice of Curry Rice, Curry Udon or Teriyaki Don that one opts for — and we went with it to pair up with our order of the Kare Curry Udon. KAREKAMI does not describe on the elements that come with the mini salad, though it can be observed that the mini salad includes items like corn nibs, baby tomatoes, leafy greens, edamame and Rice Krispies. The mini salad also comes doused with Goma dressing, though patrons whom wish to go for more Goma dressing can also help themselves to the bottle placed at the self-service area to add on more if they so wish to. The inclusion of nibs of corn helps to add a slight hint of sweetness to the mini salad, while the Rice Krispies was also another interesting addition that helps to provide a further dimension of textures to the salad; the goma dressing gels everything together with its creamy, nutty and roasty notes. Apart from the Mini Salad, we also found ourselves opting for the Tamagoyaki from the Sides section of the menu; this does come pretty tasty with a subtle hint of sweetness that one would expect out of a slab of authentic Japanese Tamagoyaki whilst also being tightly packed, yet soft and fluffy at the same time.

KAREKAMI is one of those establishments that probably will get misunderstood for those just merely passing by the establishment without stepping in to check them out — after all, casual Japanese establishments serving up Japanese Donburi and Japanese curry dishes are often more “pedestrian” and seemingly serves up commercially-made elements that usually would appeal to the wider audiences. That being said, KAREKAMI does seem to place a lot of emphasis in creating their very own flavours for a more unique experience — all that whilst also serving up their very own Karaage Chicken and Tsukune Chicken Balls that really showcases how these folks places an emphasis on the diner’s experience; taking pride in food that they serve up. Items listed in the Curry Rice, Curry Udon, Teriyaki Don, and Salad Bowl sections of the menu are priced from $9.90 to $16.90 — prices that are rather reasonable considering this is an establishment at the heart of Orchard; a spot that is worth considering to dine at if around the area!