Food Attack

Lastly, the fuwa-fuwa Dashimaki ($5.90) was like a warm hug. The omelette was perfectly seasoned and just slurps right down the throat. Oh and if you are okay with ginger, their rendition of the Potato Salad adds a fair bit if it which I don’t mind at all as it cuts the heaviness of the carby item and love the briny pops from the ikura.

All in all, 酒処 栄三郎 | Sakedokoro Eizaburo’s offerings were pretty affordable but the items do add up and the portion is relatively small. I am not too fond of minimum drink orders as well, noting that every pax has to get at least 2 drinks~

A good amount of hits at this new Izakaya located in Fortune Centre. Love the quality of the grub with my favourite being the unassuming golden-brown Chicken Nanban with Egg Tartar Sauce ($5.90). Crisp, crunchy, juicy, well-seasoned fried chicken chunks covered with lip-smacking sauce; a foolproof crowd-pleasing snack.

A close second was Eizaburo’s Wagyu Sagari/ Hangar Steak ($9.80). The seared protein didn’t look like much but was wonderfully tender. The onion sauce (I believe?) was utterly savoury and you simply can’t go wrong with garlic chips. I especially liked the fact that they paired it with boiled cabbage and capsicum so it balanced the dish out.

I also had the Assorted Special Sashimi ($24.90) which I didn’t enjoy as much due to the selection (I think I would like their 5 Kinds Sashimi more). However, the Uni Sushi ($9.80) was chef kisses! Please get the Uni, you just have to, as it was so sweet and fresh-tasting.

For the choice of yakitori, the 5 Kinds of Yakitori ($12.90) platter would save you a couple of bucks but since I don’t really like offal I ordered a few ala carte. The sauced Tsukune Yakitori ($3.90/ pcs) was a solid 10/10, so succulent and flavourful. I made a mistake and ordered a salted Mune (Breast) Yakitori ($2.90) which was a tad dry in comparison, skip that and get the salted Tebamoto (Drumstick) Yakitori ($3.90/ pcs) instead.

Foie Gras ($16/ ala carte) - I was expecting a little more with this premium option, seeing that there were quite a few good reviews but it was just decent. The chunks of garlic-soy enriched duck liver could be even more buttery and the spicy leeks were a little overpowering.

Red Crab Crispy Sushi ($18/ 3 pcs) - A fun snack with the golden crisp sushi rice base and sweet, flaky, seasoned deep sea red crab that was topped with decadent lumpfish caviar.

Chicken Ribs ($14) - Finger-licking, sweet-savoury, yaki-sauce glazed fried bone-in chicken thigh. Served hot with flakes of Kizami Nori, the meat was wonderfully succulent and the batter was nicely done (not too thin or thick).

Renewing my love for handrolls, Toku Nori Handroll Bar’s Signature Set of 5 rolls, Jyosen ($38), was pretty satisfying (and surprisingly filling).

Hotate - Fresh-tasting, plump, sweet scallops with yuzu kosho, lime and chives. Light in flavour so it was better dipped in soy sauce. But the first bites were lovely, with the crisp nori.

Hamachi - Likewise, one of the milder tasting rolls, the yellow tail with yukari (shiso rice seasoning) and shironegi would be great with an extra oomph but the onion taste is more distinct.

Maguro - Finally a more flavoured roll as the tuna was paired with smoked onion cream and crispy shallots. The extra crunch from the fried shallots and just the sweet aromatics of onions was yums.

Salmon - Tender, fatty sliced salmon with sriracha tomato coulis and crispy salmon skin was an easy crowd-pleaser. The tinge of heat from the spicy, tangy sauce was paired nicely with the crispy bits of salmon skin.

Engawa - The true winner, however, was the flounder fin with roasted garlic and shiro miso. The melty torched fish was so good and the complementary toppings added to the umami quality.

My colleagues as well as my latest go-to breakfast, since we found out about So Good Bakery, is their Sea Salt Butter Roll ($2). In the morning, when it is fresh out of the oven, it is just the right amount crisp on the outside and the buttery aroma is simply perfect. And for that extra boost of savouriness, I prefer the Parmesan Cheese Butter Roll ($2.20) as the crusty cheese layer on top made it much more decadent. Literally so good and for the price point, grab a dozen, please!

As a non-coffee drinker, I have been keeping an eye out for Big Short Coffee’s specialty tea, as there is usually one available on their seasonal menu. Hence, seeing the latest selection from the Winter 2025, I knew I had to try Yeast Coast ($9) which was essentially a sweet potato milk tea with a lusciously umami cheese cap and crisp brulee. Think Japanese purple sweet potato puree, with tangy koji fermented rice mochi, assam black tea, fresh milk, finished with yummy wildflower rare honey cheese cream and a fun layer of caramelized sugar at the very top. It's not too sweet and is pretty satisfying.

My friend’s Shio Paitan ($14.90) was pleasantly salty and you do taste more of the chicken. Likewise, the lip-smacking and umami broth wasn’t all that thirst-inducing. It was a pretty classic bowl; served with bamboo shoots, sliced chicken, chicken meatballs, soy egg, spring onions and saffron. The tsukune was the best part as it was soft and bouncy. A rainy day comfort food.