Japan Ichiban

Huevos Estrellados is a dish involving eggs fried in a large amount of olive oil or any other oil. In this case, our arrived in a small hotplate where the server proceeded to help us mix the Potato Hash, Onsen Egg and Chorizo and frying it on the spot. Not gonna lie, the end product reminded me of Char Kway Tiao.

The Ebi Sriracha features Prawn Tempura with Sriracha Mayo and Tobiko and is the dish that stood out least through out the night. The fact that it's not deshelled also make eating it less enjoyable #firstworldproblem

Tucked at the 2nd floor, HKK is a speakeasy by Zouk Group, located away from the buzz and bustle of Clarke Quay.

Just like its moniker, Chikin Tsukune is basically charcoal grilled meatballs. Chicken tsukune usually varies from shop to shop, since the recipe for making it is by using up chicken scraps that might otherwise go to waste. Here, the meatballs were pretty huge and arrived super glossy, where its soaked in Sansho Tare that spots a thick viscosity and sweet caramelised flavour. My only qualm were the soft bones mixed in the meatball - it does give it a slight crunch to change up the texture but I personally do not like soft bones.

Moving onto the mains, I chose what could possibly be the most non-Japanese dish in a Japanese environment. The Black Pepper Chicken features grilled chicken thigh which was not dried out, lying innocently on a pool of black pepper sauce with broccolini on the side for some added fibre to counter the protein heavy dish. Savoury and delicious, this goes perfectly well with the bowl of rice on the side, making this a well balanced meal that I believe Health Promotion Board will approve 😂

Take your pick from their affordable 2 or 3 courses set lunches. I started off my meal with their Salmon Carpaccio - thick, fresh and pink slices of salmon were seated in a puddle of cucumber lime puree and yuzu dressing, with a shower of pea sprouts, white radish, micro herbs and chilli oil for boosted umami.

It is impossible to get nice photos of the food here since the neon pink and purple light filled the restaurant. That said, I did had an enjoyable time here with live band coming back on in Singapore again with the restrictions lifted. While the food was rather mediocre, 1 dish did stand out for me though - the mala karaage. It was essentially like a 辣子鸡, where the chicken was coated with a thin layer of batter that crackles with each bite you take to reveal the tender and juicy chicken within. Absolutely addictive, I find it hard to stop at 1 and polish off the entire bowl in no time!

I am powerless in the face of this Crunchy Chili Chicken Karaage, which has been given a dusting of seasoned flour before being deep fried. It is that amazing combination of crispy and salty; of soft, tenderised meat steamed in its shell. Every bite promises a crunch, despite being drowned in the chili dressing. I can imagine this being a good bar grub, bring the beer!

tunglok is a household name, and I believe almost everyone has paid them a visit at least once! The food here is pretty value for money, and I left the place feeling extremely stuffed!

Started off with the Salmon Sashimi Platter and while it's pretty textbook, it was satisfying to say the least!

This Grilled Puffer Fish caught my attention as I had never tried it before and was feeling adventurous that day. Beneath the spiky outlook and potential toxins lies a chewy fish with texture similar to bakkwa. Yes, you read that right! Despite the wrinkled outlook, the chewy puffer fish was coated with a glistening sweet sauce, and when paired with the accompanying mayo and tobiko, gives off a lovely sweet and savoury flavour along with a light crunch!

Had the Wasabi Mayo Gyoza to go along and it wasn't too bad! Drizzled generously with wasabi mayo, I like the mild kick I get from the homemade sauce which helps to cut through the tonkatsu ramen dish as the broth gets heavy after a while.

Thick Cut Salmon Sashimi Slice
They weren't kidding when they said thick cut cause I've never seen a restaurant served sashimi of this thickness and freshness at such affordable pricing too! At $12 for 5 pieces, this appetiser sets the stage for the upcoming mains we are about to have. The wasabi was adorably rolled into a round shape akin to playdough though it most certainly taste nothing like it. Definitely a must order when you're here!

First time dining here despite having worked in the hood for ~4 years? Had always walked pass them without a second glance even though there's always a crowd here after working hours. Imagine my surprise when I finally dined here at my friend's suggestion, to find out what I had been missing out on. At a loss on what to order so we decided to leave it to the chef by getting the Omakase Skewer Set and it was bombz! Flavourful, juicy and succulent, every stick of yakitori was well glazed and I bet there's bound to be 1 that'll tickle your fancy. Apart from the yakitoris, we also ordered oden and various other dishes to go with our highballs which were equally good. Prices here are a little steep though, but the ambience, personable staff and flavourful food more than make up for it. I would definitely come back here again!