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Posts tagged Japanese food
Munakata Japanese Buffet @ Life Centre, Jalan Sultan Ismail
Aug 11th
**Nov 2001 update: Life Centre is undergoing major renovations but Munakata is still open for business as usual.
About a year ago I went to Munakata‘s Japanese Buffet and I was happy with their authentic Japanese dishes served in the ala-carte buffet. Since then I have been to a couple of Japanese buffets with some even in Singapore.
Speaking from personal experiences I found that although the number of dishes served in Munakata is less compared to the rest, their food quality is hard to beat because they are fresh and only prepared upon order. This is especially true for the cooked food, Teppanyaki and Sashimi (albeit only Salmon Sashimi is available in Munakata)
I am also glad that there were no complaints on Munakata since it was posted, while the others were still bombarded with bad experiences and comments every now and then (eg. Tenji). Recently, Munakata updated their ala-carte buffet menu by removing some unpopular items according to customer feedbacks and introduced some new dishes. So I thought it is a high time for me to revisit to try the new dishes while keeping in check the food quality.
Starting with the new items, Yakinasu No Nikumiso Kaka (Japanese style grilled brinjal topped with minced chicken meat & soya bean paste) Despite being grilled to a soft and tender bite, the eggplants were still able to be picked up and held as a whole using chopsticks, while the toppings actually resembled sambal minus the spiciness.
Shunka Japanese Restaurant @ Maju Utama Business Centre, Bukit Mertajam
Aug 5th
There aren’t many Japanese restaurants in BM so I am glad that Shunka Japanese Restaurant at Maju Utama Business Centre is a good one. This business centre is also home to a number restaurants and cafes like Bloggers Cafe, Station 1 and Old Town. Currently it is the most popular venue to hang out in BM, right after Autocity.
Garlic Fried Rice @ RM4.90 – surprisingly more satisfying than expected for the nice ‘wok hei’ and portion. I have always thought felt garlic fried rice is served in tiny bowls only. Besides egg and chopped garlic, some minced meat and mushroom are included too.
It has been a long time I have had sashimi so this Salmon Sashimi @ R 9.90 was purely to satisfy my sudden cravings. The freshness was OK and had a “frozen” taste and texture but honestly, I did not expect too much.
Kuishin-Bo Authentic Japanese Buffet Restaurant @ Suntec City Mall
Jun 11th
Kuishin-Bo was the last Japanese restaurant in Singapore I went before coming back to Malaysia. The restaurant is popular for its Japanese buffet. Unless you want to risk not having any seats, reservation is a must especially during weekends.
Sushi and sashimi, very good quality and fresh for a buffet.
Tempura prepared with really huge and meaty prawns, some fried items and Yakitori.
Japanese Fried Chicken, soft shell crabs and squid.
Among the cold seafood the sweet mussel is said to be a specialty but I found it to be sandy and chewy.. not my type of seafood. The prawns were enjoyable though, sea-fresh and succulent.
Surprisingly I found that I liked the Kaminabe (Japanese Paper Steamboat) the most. The soup stock was already very flavorful on its own, made even sweeter with the additional seafood thrown in. A
Wahiro Japanese Restaurant @ Roxy Square, Katong
Apr 25th
Wahiro is a family run Japanese restaurant located at Roxy Square, Katong that provides authentic Japanese cuisine. The dishes are prepared with fresh air-flown ingredients from Japan at a reasonable price – reasonable in the sense that you get what you paid for.
Although the prices are a notch higher than its counterparts, I didn’t really mind because good service was rendered, the staff is knowledgeable and most importantly the food was great for me. No wonder it is one of the most well-received Japanese restaurant in Singapore. So I consider myself lucky to have discovered and dined at Wahiro before returning to Malaysia.
I chose the special Sushi Set @ $50 from the dinner menu for its variety of dishes served on a course-by-course basis. First was a mini Otsukuri consisting some of the chef’s selection of the freshest sashimi of the day – Hamachi, Maguro and Sake.
Then some mini Japanese appetizers served in small Chinese tea cups – Salmon Roe, tangy and spicy Seaweed, and Baby Squids served with mustard sauce. The latter two were new to me and I liked them. Not too much of a fan of Salmon Roe personally because of its fishy and salty taste.
