Heard about the new AmiYaki Japanese Authentic Home Grill which had recently opened its doors at Icon Village that is situated a stone’s throw away from Tanjong Pagar MRT Station. AmiYaki Japanese Authentic Home Grill takes over the former premises of Tokyo Soba, which has moved to a bigger unit just a few steps away within the same building. For those whom have visited Tokyo Soba in the past, much of the interior furnishings and fittings have stayed the same ever since the days when Tokyo Soba had occupied the unit; the differences are generally limited to the posters being hung on the walls as well as the signages on the facade that reflects the new tenant. Being an establishment that emphasises on Teishoku-style Japanese dining, AmiYaki Japanese Authentic Home Grill is big on terms such as “ichi ju-sansai” which means one soup and three dishes, while “AmiYaki” refers to the cooking method that involves grilling meat / fish over a wire net over high flames or red-hot coals — all these aligns to their aim on serving patrons a well-balanced, healthy meal. Patrons can either go for the sets, or order the items ala-carte — the items are listed either in the “Add On” or the “Appetiser” section of the menu.

Being one that is especially intrigued by dumplings, it was needless to say that the Special Handmade Gyoza Set was the item that caught our attention when we first skimmed through the menu here. All sets come with appetisers such as the Chikuzen-ni, Nibitashi, pickled Japanese cucumbers, Miso Soup and Rice — it is noted that the greens served in the Nibitashi and the ingredients that come within the Miso Soup may change on a weekly basis. Going straight for the Special Handmade Gyoza, these morsels of wrapped up meat fillings were really delicate and enjoyable — coming all wrapped up in a skin that is just of the right thickness, the skin has been beautifully pan-fried on the underside for a slightly crisp texture which provided a contrast of textures. Biting into the gyoza, the gyoza is not just filled with a meat filling — it also contains chives which provides for a nice savoury note with a bit of flavour contrast from the chives that cuts through the meatiness; the gyoza also being pretty juicy within as well. We were not expecting too much from the Chikuzen-ni, and Nibitashi — that being said, we were really quite impressed with the quality and execution of the appetisers here; the former was especially well done where it feels like a well-executed version of a homely stir fry of chicken and root vegetables. We found it to be especially appetising given how tender and juicy the small chunks of chicken is; coming with all sort of roots vegetables such as potato, carrots etc. that have been cooked to a soft consistency — an item which we found to be especially comforting and balanced without being particularly salty. The Nibitashi on the other hand was a little more simple; still great however — being just blanched, they were all crisp and retained that crunch which felt pretty refreshing from all the meat and gyoza that is served up here in the set. The Miso Soup here comes with quite a load of kelp — provides for a good bite for some texture while the soup was rich without being overly salty; the white rice on the other hand was beautifully executed with the Japanese pearl rice being sufficiently moist and sticky as it should be. Overall, a really comforting affair where it is not only just well-executed — the entire experience being one that is hearty, wholesome and homely as well.

Having tried only the Special Handmade Gyoza Set at AmiYaki Japanese Authentic Home Grill, whilst we did miss out on the grilled items which they have to offer the menu, one thing is definitely for sure — they definitely do go by their mission in feeding their patrons well in terms of quantity and quality. Would say that the set is well-sized; while it does seem to be pretty wholesome with quite a number of appetisers being served up, we did not feel that there was too much food — it was, however, pretty easy to finish given how the items here are rather well-executed. One thing we really enjoyed here is how they attempt to feed their patrons like as if they were home; there is just something about the food here that feels especially comforting and hearty; something different that makes it stand out and speak to the soul as compared to the other forms of Japanese cuisine typically served at other spots that are usually more delicate or intricate. Given how each set is priced really affordably mostly from $16++ to $18++, AmiYaki Japanese Authentic Home Grill definitely works as a spot for office workers in the Tanjong Pagar neighbourhood to go to treat themselves to a reasonably-priced Japanese meal that is well worth what it is priced at. We would probably be returning soon to give their grilled items a try — think the Pork Belly Set if not the Hokke Set; though definitely AmiYaki Japanese Authentic Home Grill is somewhere which we are looking forward to a swing by again.

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