Part One of this series features two reasonably-priced Japanese restaurants.
Affordable Japanese Food
I adore Japanese cuisine for its whimsical exquisiteness. Yet, a good Japanese meal - be it kaiseki or omakase style - is often totemo takai. Hence, I was glad to have stumbled across two establishments that offer reasonably-priced Japanese food. While these restaurants certainly do not offer basilic banquets, they are worth a visit for those on an austerity drive.
1. Ginza Kuroson Singapore
Strategically situated in Meidi-ya (a place frequented by Japanese expats in Singapore), Ginza Kuroson offers a plethora of fresh fish imported from the ports of Japan. While the items on its ala carte menu may not conform to the notion of being "cheap", the lunch set is undeniably a steal. There are three lunch sets (all under $20), the most reasonable of which I believe to be the $19.90 option, which consisted of a generous serving of tempura moriawase, grilled chicken, sashimi rice bowl and fresh sashimi served neatly in a compartmentalised tray. The meal was also complimented with a salad and a bowl of miso soup.
$19.90 Lunch Set
In addition, be sure to give the ikageso (squid tentacles) a try. I must admit, though, that I was initially skeptical when my fellow diners urged me to order the ikageso. Nevertheless, the lightly battered, chewy tentacles rose to the occasion, for the layer of batter was of a homogeneous thickness and (unlike much of the other fried food I've had) did not have an iota of rancidity.
Ikageso
Kudos to Ginza Kuroson for having gotten that right!
2. Ippudou
Having been a regular patron of Aoba, I was dismayed when its outlet at Ion shut its doors a while ago. In retrospect, Aoba was not exceptional in any way. Barring its eggs which sported yolks of glorious lava-esque consistency, the ramen served was usually overly limp and the sheer saltiness of the soup often left a thirst that lingered on for hours. Nevertheless, it exerted an inexplicable pull on me, prompting me to make several repeat visits over the years.
Since Aoba moved out, I have been on the prowl for other noteworthy ramen outlets, much to no avail. However, all that changed when I was introduced to Ippudou by a couple of old friends I met up with. Like parrots that chirped (or perhaps, squawked?) in harmony, all of us opted for the Shiromaru Tamago ($18), the purported signature dish at Ippudou. Indeed, we were taken by surprise when the server asked how we would have liked our noodles done - soft, medium or hard. That Ippudou offered three methods of ramen preparation was, truly, pretty cool. All of us opted for our noodles to be of medium hardness and waited eagerly to sample ramen prepared al dente.
Given my abstemiousness when consuming carbohydrates, I was surprised at the way I devoured my noodles. In fact, there was a stark contrast between Ippudou's ramen and that which most would be familiar with - the flavourful flour threads were of approximately the same thickness as angel hair pasta and required quite a bit of masticating. Yet, al dente had never worked so well before, and with every bite came a growing edacity that, if kept unchecked, might very well have burgeoned into an insatiable appetite for the chewy goodness that was the ramen.
Furthermore, the tamago was simply ambrosial, so much so that it relegated that at Aoba to the echelons of the "so-so" category. Indeed, the egg yolk was like an orb that oozed with luteous lusciousness, akin to the evening sun that fades into the effulgence of the Western sky.
Mm...
Saigo ni, it would probably be wise to re-evaluate the common misconception of Japanese food being pricey and off-putting, for a multitude of economical options exist. After all, at times, even the kingliest of kings might choose to forgo a regal repast for a simple, unpretentious meal, one that satisfies the palate and yet conforms to the requirements of a stringent budget cut.
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