My Body Is Here, But My Soul's In Japan

Do yourself a favour and try the Century Egg Tofu ($7.80), different from the Chinese kind, this one comes slathered in a creamy, umami century egg sauce, shredded crab stick and tobiko.

Not many know about this cozy izakaya tucked away in Golden Mile Tower. @yorimichi_lzakaya serves up great comfort food; think super satisfying garlic fried rice, a good variety of appetizers and well grilled yakitori skewers.

Nantsuttei Ramen has been at Orchard Central for quite some time, and if the full table of Japanese businessmen near us was anything to go by, pretty legit too! Nothing groundbreaking here, but the tasty, thick broth served with a thick slice of cha siew makes for a pretty satisfying lunch. I got the negi version as well, which came with a mountain of sliced welsh onions.

One benchmark a good izakaya has to pass for me is their tebasaki, the grilled mid joint is a great litmus test for tender juicy meat, and a salty crisp layer of skin. Glad to say that Yatagarasu Yakitori passed with flying colours! The rest of their items impressed us as well and it’s definitely a watering hole we’re keen to revisit. Just do note that seats are quite limited and we had to make a reservation a week in advance.

Charcoal-Grill & Salad Bar was out of cod the last time I visited, so here I am to finally have a go at this delicate fish that comes highly recommended by Veronica! Tender, oily and seductively smokey, this and the Atka mackerel are easily my favourite is on their menu.

Of course, we’re mainly here for their yummy salad bar too (my picks: potato salad, shredded cabbage with sesame sauce and the dan dan mian).Then end off the meal like me by gorging yourself with their coffee jelly and cream. 🙈

None of that sandwich nonsense where middle is deceptively stuffed, leaving you with only bread towards the end, this stacked sandwich is the real deal.

It’s a tasty sandwich, with big chucks of egg in a well seasoned egg mayo mix. Quite pricy though, so more of an occasional indulgence if you’re feeling it.

Yujin has some pretty good izakaya vibes for the right prices! This beef tataki was tender, tasty and refreshing thanks to the bright, citrusy ponzu onion sauce it lay in. Great for sharing and to go with their yummy cocktails.

Who needs cake anyway with Sumo Bar Happy’s birthday promotion; FREE sashimi slices = your age! Came down for a family celebration and got 60 slices of thick, firm salmon.

You’ll have to make a reservation within seven days before/after the actual birthday with a minimum of four pax and each diner needs to order a main, but the food’s good anyway, so no issues there. 👅Time to check your calendars for upcoming birthdays!

A new mazesoba is available at Ramen Champion Bugis+’s Teppan no Hoshi stall! Doesn’t break the mold, but this is one solid bowl of thick noods with great chew. Chef Horikawa gives this an awesome hit of spice with his chilli paste and original sauce blend. Heavy flavours, but oh so tasty.

If the selection of oden is too overwhelming, maybe the Oden Mori is for you. Pre-selected, this set gives you bigger bang for your buck with six items: konbu ($2), daikon ($2), konyaku ($3), chikuwa ($3), fried tofu ($5) & the oh-so-tender beef tendon ($5). The broth it comes served in is really light but that doesn’t compromise on flavour. Everything also comes slicked in this slimey but tasty coating too, sounds gross but I enjoyed it. 😂

Not sure if the items in the set change but it’s a pretty good option if it’s your first time here.

Stream angler liver with soy vinegar was the description. For those who haven’t had ankimo before, it’s smooth and actually doesn’t taste of much, just a very light, livery flavour. Paired wonderfully with the bright ponzu sauce and crunchy slivers of kelp.

New sister concept from Nobu-Ya, Yama-Ya is a oden-centric spot serving up great izakaya style food and rice bowls (also, they don’t have the drink requirement of their more grown up counterpart).

Can I take a second to talk about this salmon ikura bowl? 8 slices of salmon. A sea of ikura on a bed of rice topped off with furikake. $16.80. Sheer bliss... The oden was good, but this is what I’ll be back for. They also have a mini kaisen don at the same price, but that’s a lot smaller (unless you splurge for the $24.80 bowl).