Amazing portion - Great variety of tempura, and it comes with Chawanmushi, Miso soup (with salmon), and a salad.
While the tempura was pretty normal, the rice was tasty and good. Overall, I'd give this ten-don, a Seven out of Ten (7/10). Good value for money but not amazing
Good portion (picture was taken after we were half done with it). Salmon skin was crispy and tasty. Comes with a mayonnaise and roe dip (mmmmm).
The seared wagyu beef cubes are so succulent, juicy, and tender, with a light chew that releases all the lovely smoky meaty fatty savoury salty flavours within.
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A touch of sea salt lends greater depth of taste. Served with a side of addictively crunchy garlic chips, which burst with pleasant herbal spice notes.
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Well worth the splurge.
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Invited tasting.
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Botan Japanese Restaurant
More details in profile & blog
This features premium cuts, gently placed over sticky chewy vinegared sushi rice which has a delicate grainy sweet sour flavour.
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Especially notable is the Bafun Uni / Horse **** Sea Urchin, this luxurious morsel is creamy and grainy in texture, with a fresh delicate taste of the ocean.
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I also had the Maguro Akami / Tuna Fish Loin, and Shake Rosu / Salmon Fish Loin, both of which were decent.
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Invited tasting.
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Botan Japanese Restaurant
More details in profile & blog
What I like most is the light, crisp, non-greasy tempura batter coating the ingredients. This retains its light crunch even after dipping in the tempura sauce.
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The assorted medley of vegetables includes string beans, chili, brinjal / eggplant / aubergine, sweet potato, and pumpkin, all with a soft moist chew and bright vegetal earthy sweet flavours.
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But the star is easily the large juicy kuruma ebi / king prawn / Japanese tiger prawn, which has a refreshing succulent bite and bold sweet savoury flavour.
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Invited tasting.
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Botan Japanese Restaurant
More details in profile & blog
Said to be a popular post-drinking / hangover dish, the Nagasaki Plate Noodles resembles the Chinese Sang Mee, except this version is both hearty and healthy.
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The thin crisp noodles are coated in a rich vegetable gravy, upon which is ladled a medley of vegetables, all stewed till soft, including cabbage, carrots, choy sum / Chinese flowering cabbage, black fungus / cloud ear fungus, bean sprouts, and narutomaki / kamaboko / cured fish surimi.
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This has robust vegetal earthy sweet savoury flavours, and the overall dish is light on the palate. Pure comfort food.
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Invited tasting.
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Botan Japanese Restaurant
More details in profile & blog
The Grilled King Prawn With Mentaiko Sauce is a luxurious treat.
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The large juicy kuruma ebi / king prawn / Japanese tiger prawn has a refreshing succulent bite and bold sweet savoury flavour.
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The dressing of creamy mentaiko / pollock fish roe sauce lends robust briny salty flavour, yet doesn't overwhelm the natural flavour of the prawn.
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Lightly torched to give it a smoky aroma. So delicious.
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Invited tasting.
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Botan Japanese Restaurant
More details in profile & blog
Served whole, this fresh Japanese Grunt Fish is a seasonal sashimi dish.
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A rather uncommon fish for sashimi, the Japanese grunt fish has a meaty moist chew to texture, rather like a tender piece of meat.
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There's a distinct sweet savoury flavour, with a pleasant fatty fish taste that carries a hint of the ocean.
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Invited tasting.
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Botan Japanese Restaurant
More details in profile & blog
Fresh slices of sashimi are a highlight here.
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The Maguro Otoro / Tuna Belly has a tender, moist, succulent chew to texture, with rich fatty fish taste and savoury sweet flavour. The tuna fish belly is served over an earthy herbal shiso / perilla leaf, very clean-tasting and fresh.
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The Shake Harasu / Salmon Belly has a tender, moist, succulent bite to texture, with delicate fatty fish taste and sweet savoury flavour. The salmon fish belly is served with juicy globules of briny salty tobiko / flying fish roe, very clean-tasting and fresh.
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The Kanpachi / Greater Amberjack / Yellowtail has a firm, juicy slippery chew to texture, with bright meaty sweet savoury flavour. I like pairing the greater amberjack fish / yellowtail fish with a bit of light soy sauce for added salty notes.
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The Nama Hotate / Fresh Scallop has a bouncy, juicy slippery bite to texture, with delicate sweet savoury flavour. The sprinkle of lime juice lends a zesty tangy sour citrus note, while the pairing of big juicy globules of ikura / salmon roe complements the scallop with a sharp burst of briny salty flavour.
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Invited tasting.
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Botan Japanese Restaurant
More details in profile & blog
This Chilled Tofu Beancurd With Century Egg features soft wobbly silken tofu beancurd coated in a rich gravy of century egg sauce.
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Finished with gelatinous diced century egg, crisp spring onions, and juicy globules of briny salty tobiko / flying fish roe.
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Each bite bursts with earthy sweet eggy flavour. So good.
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Invited tasting.
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Botan Japanese Restaurant
More details in profile & blog
Dining here is truly a sensory experience. A feast for the eyes and the taste buds. This place is the perfect combination of authentic Japanese food at high quality without exorbitant prices that is such value for money.
Appetizer:
Fugu mirin which is actually PUFFER FISH! This can a great beer snack that tastes like BA KWA! Its really awesome!
Sashimi were cut into thick slices which made sure you got a good mouthful of flavour when you bite on it and was almost melt-in-your-mouth quality! So fresh that you could taste the ocean in your mouth!
Chawanmushi, what makes it so delightful is the incredibly silky and rich flavour of the steamed egg with tint of like yuzu taste.
Pidan Tofu, bits of century egg with the smooth tofu that complements each other well.
Main:
Mentaiko King Prawns are decadent! Succulent prawns with mentaiko with every bite bursting with flavour.
Sushi were fresh, and the flavours of the seafood stood out well, it’s a bit like having a party in your mouth.
Wagyu beef in cube size cutting, which allow deeper meaty flavours in the wagyu. Chewier, yet still tender.
Botan is an unassuming Japanese restaurant that serves quality Japanese cuisine - the Kaisen don comes with a luxurious spread of sashimi and a homemade sauce that is served at the side:)
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My old love for sushi and new love for poke bowls made me order this bowl of yumminess. It was just the way I was imagining it. Lovely slices of fresh salmon and tuna with a touch of that tear-jerking wasabi cream.. and I was in heaven.. Once you get addicted to this kind of stuff, it's hard to resist it everyday.. I have to train my brain to walk past such shops every few days after I have such fishy bowls..
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Can't wait to have you again! #kaisendon #bojan #pekinstreet #chinasquare #singapore #burpple #burpplesg
Over the years, many Japanese eateries have come and gone but there are a few that are steadfastly serving their unique dishes, regardless of trends.
Along the row of more snazzy looking restaurants at Far East Square is Botan Japanese Restaurant. They've been in business for eighteen years and very little has changed. Up till today, they still have an entire section in the menu devoted to their in-house made tofu, while the set meals they offer remain popular with many who work in the area. The Negitoro Don, pictured above, is one of the latter.
From what I recall, this is available only on the days they receive shipment of the tuna, and maybe if you're lucky, the following day as well.
Over a bed of Japanese rice, hand-minced raw maguro, tobiko and scallions are spread, and then graced with a beaming moon of yolk. Once broken and mixed in, the raw egg coats everything in silkiness. You can choose to smoothen things further by adding the somewhat slimy yam that's provided on the side. I personally love their sesame sauce and tend to splash it on, flooding my bowl with its supreme fragrance.
However, I have no idea what got over me today that led me to order this Negitoro Don ($17). Maybe after seeing the egg yolk and minced tuna belly on top of Japanese rice made me change my mind. Reasons for me not liking sashimi are due to the fishy smell and texture, but I actually enjoyed my lunch today. However, I still can't see myself eating those slices of raw fish anytime soon.
BOTAN Japanese Restaurant
Address: 37, Pekin Street, Singapore 048761
So disappointed that the rice they used is normal steam rice. So underwhelming. And expensive ($23) for what they gave
Back at Botan last night to try their Negitoro Don ($17) - fresh minced tuna and ikura atop a bowl of rice and topped off with a raw egg yolk. The first mouth was heavenly, but the last got a bit jelat. Nevertheless, the freshness of the minced tuna shone through, peppered with sweet ikura bits here and there, it was overall a good eat. The set here comes with soup and desserts (oranges).
For $28, the cuts given were pretty decent. Would have been more excited if they actually gave sashimi rice instead of hot steam rice. Side dishes was fried fishcake in broth-y sauce. Miso soup was a tad salty and chawanmushi was tasteless. Value for money overall but maintain reasonable expectations!
I had the Chirashi Bento for just S$35 which is truly value for money for this generous portion. It comes with assorted raw fish topped on seasoned rice in lunch box, side dish, grilled mackerel, deep fried prawns, grilled chicken with sweet sauce, steamed egg and miso soup. This Chirashi Don is of such premium quality that I felt it was well worth the price!
This unpretentious hidden gem tucked away at Far East Square has been around for years, serving good, affordable bentos to groups of hungry diners. Their long list of bentos ensures that your group has an ample array to choose from, such as the Negi Toro Don ($17), Chirashi Set ($25), or the Udon & Sushi Set ($22). If you can't decide, the Ladies Set ($28) has a little of everything — sashimi, California roll, soba, and tempura! This space is comfortable to sit at for hours while you catch up with your friends over a bottle of sake. Just beware that the entrance is rather nondescript, making it easy to miss.
