Japanese

[Telok Ayer] Tried their 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞 𝘿𝙤𝙣 (Small, $10.90). It tasted amazing during the first few bites, but got a bit jelat towards the end. I actually couldn’t finish it even though it was such a small portion. It’s definitely for mentaiko ADDICTS only 😅

Love the ambience here though. The gorgeous bar and plush chairs give me Gatsby vibes.

This place sells the freshest sashimi that I’ve tasted in a while. While it’s more expensive than my usual $10 chirashi bowls (I am a poor student after all), it’s definitely worth it with the quality and quantity of fish provided. I’d dare say that the sushi here is better than those sold at some pricier hotel establishments. ⠀
⠀
If I had to choose a favourite child, it’d probably be the 𝘼𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙞 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙣. The smokiness of the charred fish paired really with the fattiness of the salmon. They do sell an Aburi Salmon roll ($16.90), but I’ve always felt that the dons are more satisfying to eat. Perhaps it’s some prejudice I have against sushi rolls 😅⠀
⠀
Other highlights included the crunchy swordtail and fatty yellowtail. Special shoutout to the scallop (not pictured because I ate it) which wasn’t fishy at all. It was actually really tender and sweet! As a former scallop hater, I was shocked.

This place is half the price of Man Man, and honestly I think it’s just as good. The unagi has a crispy charcoal-grilled exterior, with a fatty chewy interior. The double portion is super generous, and sure to satisfy any unagi cravings. I think the unagi is made from live eel too, so it’s really fresh.

I know they say there are 3 ways of eating this dish, but personally I prefer eating the unagi normally. It’s such a pity to drown the crispy unagi in dashi.

10/10 would recommend. Definitely would be back again! Beats Man Man hands down when it comes to ambience and price. It’s a place I can visit regularly for my fix of unagi.

The loin gozen came with katsu, dessert, as well as unlimited rice, miso soup and vegetables.

Loin is a fattier cut as compared to tenderloin. I usually go for the loin because the fat really makes this dish amazing.

This place is alright, but I feel like there are better katsu places around - like Tonkichi! The katsu felt a bit small and it wasn’t very satisfying :( If you’re a big eater like me, perhaps this isn’t the place for you!

The set came with tempura (2 prawns + some vegetables) and the truffle pork don. The pork was thinly sliced and very crispy.

While I enjoyed the set as a whole, I probably won’t get this again because I prefer my meat to have more bite. Will probably be back to try other dishes though.

Btw, this restaurant is very popular amongst Japanese businessmen so it must be pretty authentic! They also have $10 lunch sets so it’s pretty good for the office crowd.

Sushi was not fresh at all... 5 nigiris for around $5. Had stomach pain after eating this. Would not recommend.

Got half of each type of roll for a total of $17.20. This place is delicious and it’s always been my guilty pleasure... but seriously? $17 for one full roll? After eating this healthy but not-so-filling meal, I have to fast for the next 2 lunches alr

I get that the ingredients are a lot but I’ve had similar rolls in CBD for way cheaper :/ Aussie Roll where you at!

Delicious and tender beef bowl for only $10 (before GST) with Beyond! Would definitely come back again because it’s really worth it. Our server, who I suspect was the owner of the place, was also really friendly and personable.

But I wish that the rice had more seasoning (with teriyaki sauce or something)! It was a bit dry with just the egg yolk and the creamy white sauce.

The star of this meal is clearly the cold udon. The katsu was okay, but I found the Japanese rice to be disappointing in texture. The rice and udon set I chose was one of the cheaper sets (~$17) but if you wanted to get chirashi or anything fancier the sets could cost up to $29. And that’s EXCLUDING the drink and dessert in the Burpple deal 😬😬😬

The Burpple Beyond set came with a drink (I ordered a $3 Houjicha) and a dessert. I loved the matcha and black sesame ice cream! The black sesame was really rich and creamy.

Paid around $14 per pax after Burpple Beyond. Personally, I wouldn’t come back for the set because I think it’s not really worth it, especially since I didn’t really like the rice. I’d maybe come back for the udon though and get some of their cheaper mains.

Got the L bowl which was super filling and really hit the spot. Very generous portions of beef for $15 per pax after Burpple Beyond! One of the best beef dons I’ve had. And for this price point, it’s really a steal!

Would recommend coming at off peak hours, as the shop is rather small and the tables are placed closely together.

My all time favorite... I get this every time I’m here so it’s 10/10 for me, especially at this price point. What’s interesting about this place is that their rice is always really vinegary. It gives a nice kick to the don, and it’s quite unique to Umi Nami.

Paid $8.80 after Burpple Beyond

This was really good for this price point! Unagi at a cheaper price point is usually very hit-or-miss, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Paid $8.50 per pax after Burpple Beyond