Waa Cow! Yakiniku

There is simply no lack of quick-service BBQ meat concepts in Singapore! Hence, presenting a decent variety of beef cuts and unique dips to go along, Waa Cow!’s latest store at myVillage adds to the growing number of yakiniku restaurants. For first-time diners such as myself, the Karubi, Pork Collar & Chicken Set ($15.90), as well as their Signature All Dips Platter (+$3.90), came highly recommended as you get to sample a bit of everything they have to offer. Note that the set comes with a choice of beverage and two complimentary sauces are placed at every table - Garlic Butter Teriyaki, and Ponzu Negi.

Well-seasoned with their savoury house-made sauce, the proteins cooked easily on the grill and were superbly tender. The marbling of the Karubi was pretty good too and I enjoyed how thinly the beef, as well as the Pork Collar, were sliced. Though the meats were great on their own, the additional dips really amped things up. The Truffle and Mentaiko sauce slaps. They were creamy, decadent, and umami - a little cloying, addictive, paired well with everything. The Sweet Sukiyaki with Onsen Egg, on the other hand, was not very distinct in flavour but the runny yolk and grilled meats were a match made in heaven. The Wasabi Mayo and Spicy Miso with Leek Relish, unfortunately, wasn’t my thang.

Since I was there, I also topped up for their Truffle Rice (+$2) and Ikura Chawanmushi ($7.40). Mixed in with ground fresh truffle, mushrooms, truffle oil, and seasonings; the short-grained rice was rather mild in flavour. However, the subtle earthy taste was complementary to the more strongly seasoned meats and dips. Real fancy, the delicate egg custard was quite refreshing with the addition of yuzu. The citrus-y element worked surprisingly well with the briny sweetness of the roe. A delightful meal overall, my westie heart is still with their flame-torched wagyu beef bowls (for the thick meaty cuts and I don’t have to travel all that far to satisfy my beef craving).

Waa Cow! should not be an unfamiliar name to most whom have been following the hipster Japanese dining scene for quite a while; with its first outlet being situated in Stephen Riady Centre within NUS U Town (it is often been mistaken that their first outlet is within the Raffles Xchange at Raffles Place MRT Station), Waa Cow! has become quite a staple within the Central Business District. One can now easily find Waa Cow!’s presence within Marina One West Tower, as well as in the recently renamed CIMB Plaza (formerly known as Change Alley). Waa Cow! has always been a brand associated with their Signature Wagyu Beef Bowls — that being said, their latest concept situated within myVillage @ Serangoon Gardens hops on the Yakiniku bandwagon. Adopting a similar approach to other individual / personal Yakiniku concepts such as that of Yakiniku Like, Yakiniku Go etc., Waa Cow! Yakiniku serves up a variety of different cuts of meat, chicken and pork for the patrons to grill to their heart’s desire. Patrons can either opt for the meats in ala-carte or in the form of a set, whilst there is an extensive menu of sides (in both to-be-grilled, or ready-to-eat form) for patrons to go for as well.

For those whom are looking to try the various different meats that Waa Cow! Yakiniku has to offer, the Karubi, Pork Collar & Chicken platter would be the one to go for. Opting for the set, the set sees the meat platter being served with a bowl of Japanese Rice, as well as a standard side of Spicy Miso & Leek Relish and a canned drink of the patron’s choice. For those looking to switch up the the items offered in the set by going for options such as the Truffle Rice, or to add on sides such as the various different types of Chawanmushi and Sashimi available on the menu, there would be additional charges on top of the standard price of each set. For our order, we had opted for the Truffle Rice, as well as to add on the Wasabi Mayo, Truffle Sauce and Mentaiko Sauce as well; each table also comes with bottles of the Ponzu Negi and Garlic Butter Teriyaki, as well as black pepper for patrons to use for the meat as well. Whilst the flavours and textures of the grilled meat are pretty much up to how one grills them, we note that the cuts of the meat were pretty much on point; the Karubi and Pork Collar were both more towards the lean side but still were pretty tender for the most part. The highlight to us apart from the Karubi and the Pork Collar though were the Truffle Rice and the various sauces we opted for. It is no doubt that Waa Cow! is not the first establishment to have came up with truffle-infused rice, but their variant was just amazingly subtle and light without being overwhelming — didn’t disrupt that delicate texture and flavour of Japanese short-grain rice. We went a little crazy with the sauces here considering how the additional sauces weren’t that necessary — the reason so is because we just could not settle with the thought of going for either the Truffle Sauce or the Mentaiko Sauccw; it has indeed been a long time since the last time we had made a visit to Waa Cow! anyway. The Mentaiko Sauce and Truffle Sauce were as good as we remembered them to be — sufficiently rich and creamy whilst being umami or carrying a good hint of truffle aroma, but the Wasabi Mayo sauce carries that slight earthiness of wasabi without launching itself into an overwhelmingly numbing affair. The Ponzu Negi and Garlic Butter Teriyaki were also good; the former being that lightly savoury sauce with a hint of Yuzu for a refreshing kick that resets the tastebuds, while the latter is a immensely thick and rich teriyaki sauce that is sufficiently garlicky for a slight twist.

Waa Cow! has been through quite a fair bit over the years; the establishment having also survived through the nation’s Circuit Breaker period where eateries in the Central Business District felt a great impact on their sales due to the lack of office crowds returning to office. From being a totally new brand name, and then establishing themselves as one of the go-to places for fancy Wagyu Beef Bowls in the Central Business District, Waa Cow! seemed to have proved themselves as a pretty trusted brand over the years — their outlets in Marina One and CIMB Plaza being hit destinations for office workers to hang out for an after-work wind down. It is needless to say that the folks around Serangoon Gardens are a pretty lucky bunch to have them around their neighbourhood — a Yakiniku concept with a focus on personal Yakiniku grills that is reasonably priced; the lowest-priced sets being listed at $14.90 before prevailing charges. With meats of a decent quality at its price as well as great sauces and a delicious specialty of Truffle Rice to boast, Waa Cow! Yakiniku is definitely one of the spots that is worth making the trek to for those who are especially into barbecue meats and the personal Yakiniku grill experience; a destination that is likely to be an attraction for those living outside the area to make a visit into this unique neighbourhood in the island.

Ordered karubi, steak, oyster blade and sashimi with truffle rice

Food: 7/10
Fresh meat, although I felt that it was a little small to my liking. The provided sauce was amazing (yuzu sauce as well as the garlic butter sauce) and goes well with the rice and meat.

Eating the truffle rice and meat on its own was a little bland though so its best to eat it with the sauce.

The salmon is very generous in portion with its huge slices.

Ambience: 7/10
Love the atmosphere and the place wasn't smoky either, great for a quick dinner date with a craving for both sashimi and yakiniku

Yakiniku fans rejoice, as a new yakiniku concept (Waa Cow! yakiniku) by Waa Cow! has opened at myVillage!

What sets Waa Cow! Yakiniku apart is its wide selection of sauces and dips to pair with their grilled meats. Their Signature All Dips Platter (refer to 3rd pic) includes Sweet Sukiyaki with Raw Egg, Spicy Miso w/ Leek Relish (my personal favourite!), Mentaiko, Wasabi Mayo, and Truffle. This is on top of their signature Garlic Butter Teriyaki and Ponzu Negi sauces available to each table too!

As for their meats, you can choose from beef cuts such as karubi, oyster blade, striploin, and ox tongue. My favourite cut is the karubi - so tender and flavourful (depends on how well you grill it though)! There’s also a selection of pork, chicken and vegetables too, to enjoy with their unique dips. Additionally, sharing plates such as fresh sashimi platters, and hot sides like chawanmushi and miso soup are also available, alongside alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Known for serving one of the best and most affordable flame-torched wagyu beef bowls in Singapore, WAA COW! is now beefing up the Grill-It-Yourself dining experience with its FIRST YAKINIKU OUTLET at Serangoon Gardens!

This new concept is aimed at providing a budget-friendly option for those looking to satisfy their Yakiniku cravings. The menu features different beef cuts (such as karubi, oyster blade, striploin, and ox tongue) and a selection of pork, chicken and vegetable options. They also offer lightly-flavoured truffle rice and sharing plates such as fresh sashimi platters, alongside alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.

A unique point to note is that @waacowyknk offer a wide selection of sauces and dips to pair with their grilled meats. While quality meats still take centre stage, the selection of artisanal house made dipping sauces gives diners a unique Yakiniku experience by allowing them to mix and match their grilled meats with different flavor pairings that guarantees to hit the spot.

The crowd pleasers - Garlic Butter Teriyaki and Ponzu Negi sauces are served complimentary but customers can also choose from five other interesting dipping sauces, namely Mentaiko, Truffle, Spicy Miso with Leek, Sweet Sukiyaki with Raw Egg, and Wasabi Mayo. Simply opt for the Signature All Dips Platter that consists of all five sauces for only $3.90!

To celebrate the opening of the first @waacowyknk outlet, the first 100 customers who spend a minimum of $50 nett will receive:
🍖$10 voucher (no min. spend, used at next visit)
🍖FREE Signature All Dips Platter voucher (used at next visit)
🍖 @waacowsg mini-sauce bowl and a specially-designed tote bag

Hurry gather your loved ones for a hearty grill session at @waacowyknk !

Known for serving one of the best and most affordable flame-torched wagyu beef bowls in Singapore, WAA COW! is now beefing up the Grill-It-Yourself dining experience with its FIRST YAKINIKU OUTLET at Serangoon Gardens!

This new concept is aimed at providing a budget-friendly option for those looking to satisfy their Yakiniku cravings. The menu features different beef cuts (such as karubi, oyster blade, striploin, and ox tongue) and a selection of pork, chicken and vegetable options. They also offer lightly-flavoured truffle rice and sharing plates such as fresh sashimi platters, alongside alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.

A unique point to note is that @waacowyknk offer a wide selection of sauces and dips to pair with their grilled meats. While quality meats still take centre stage, the selection of artisanal house made dipping sauces gives diners a unique Yakiniku experience by allowing them to mix and match their grilled meats with different flavor pairings that guarantees to hit the spot.

The crowd pleasers - Garlic Butter Teriyaki and Ponzu Negi sauces are served complimentary but customers can also choose from five other interesting dipping sauces, namely Mentaiko, Truffle, Spicy Miso with Leek, Sweet Sukiyaki with Raw Egg, and Wasabi Mayo. Simply opt for the Signature All Dips Platter that consists of all five sauces for only $3.90!

To celebrate the opening of the first @waacowyknk outlet, the first 100 customers who spend a minimum of $50 nett will receive:
🍖$10 voucher (no min. spend, used at next visit)
🍖FREE Signature All Dips Platter voucher (used at next visit)
🍖 @waacowsg mini-sauce bowl and a specially-designed tote bag

Hurry gather your loved ones for a hearty grill session at @waacowyknk !