Inaniwa Yosuke @ Japan Food Town (Wisma Atria) - A Dish With 300 Over Years Of Heritage

My yearning for Inaniwa udon brought me to Inaniwa Yosuke, housed in Japan Food Town in Wisma Atria. By chance, my first taste of this legendary udon was at Sen of Japan and its superior texture amazed me. The production of Inaniwa udon is very labour intensive, a handmade process that takes up to 4 days. Back in 1665 when it was first developed by the Yosuke family, it was only served to the Imperial, till it was made available to the public in 1860. With 300 over years of heritage, rather than having it somewhere else, the best I feel is to have it back at its birth place.

Tempura, with SyouyuTare 3.8/5

You could choose to have it hot or chill but I feel that having it chill allow me to really appreciate the texture of the udon. I chose Tempura & Seiro set ($25) which consists of udon, a prawn and assorted vegetables tempura together with SyouyuTare (Soy sauce dip).

The udon was exactly how I remember it to be - smooth and light. It was tasty on its own simply with the cold soy sauce dip. I enjoy the combination of hot, crispy tempura with cold noodles. The cold soy sauce somehow soothes the crispy batter and gives it a shot of savouriness. The prawn was big and succulent, while the mushroom and brinjal were juicy. However, the batter was not as light as I want it to be and it got greasy after a while.

Valentine's Day Set 3.8/5

We also had the special Valentine's Day Set ($24) which consists a smaller portion of the udon, a hot soy milk hotpot with pork, 2 Inari, a fried Ebi and a small little cake.

The hot soy milk surprised me with its richness. It had a nutty taste, similar to a sesame dip. The pork slices were tender and paired really well with the silk udon. Though this set is seasonal, you may go for their Soy Milk Udon ($18) from the standard menu. My friend felt it was too rich, Hence I guess sharing 2 different dips would be the best way to enjoy this delicate noodles.

There are many places for ramen but for Inaniwa udon, this is the place to go. I would definitely be back when my craving kicks in again!

Written and photographs by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.


Inaniwa Yosuke 
Wisma Atria
Japan Food Town
435 Orchard Road
Level 4
Singapore 238877
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Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 11pm
Sat-Sun: 11am - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Ninja Bowl @ Duxton Road - A Refreshed Brunch Menu With Japanese Flair

With the successful launch of its sister restaurant, Ninja Cut at Seah Street, Ninja Bowl has also refreshed its brunch menu to give diners a whole new offerings with Japanese flair to indulge in their next visit.

Aligot-O Gozaimasu 3.5/5

Giving the classic French Pommes Aligot to a new twist is the Aligot-O Gozaimasu ($18). It comes with a generous slab of deep fried pork katsu, poached eggs, ume apple slaw and trufle cheese mashed potatoes. I like the idea of the apple slaw which gives the dish a nice crunchy and tangy contrast. However I felt that the pork needed a bit more marination or seasoning for a lift in flavour.

Mentaiko Scrambled 3.8/5

The Mentaiko Scrambled ($18) will definitely win the heart and tummy of many if the execution is spot on. It comes with pan seared Hokkaido scallops on top a bed of creamy mentaiko scrambled eggs, and topped with edamame and furikake. I could not really tasted the bold mentaiko flavour, I guess it needs to be bolder.

Ninja Okonomiyaki 4/5

Out of the four new brunch items I tried, the Ninja Okonomiyaki ($18) is my favourite. The highlight for me is the mini savoury pancakes which were crispy and packed with flavours. It is paired with the braised beef check, poached eggs, sliced red ginger and garden greens. I was hoping that I can change the poached eggs to fried eggs, which I felt will complement the okonomiyaki better.

Shinjuku Comfort 4/5

Perfect for the rainy day is comforting bowl of Shinjuku Comfort ($18) that comes with orzo pasta simmered in a rich miso broth topped with salmon confit, carrots, corn and onsen egg. It even comes with a piece of butter to be mixed into the broth ofr a velvety finish.

Fancy French 4.2/5

An all time favourite at Ninja Bowl is the Fancy French ($16). Stuffed with fig jam, the french toast is drizzled in a ume-bashi infused honey sauce. Fluffy and sweet, this is best paired with the fresh grapes, plums and homemade hazelnut butter for a balanced finished. I would recommend this at the start of your meal or you have to wait for about 20 minutes for this.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Ninja Bowl
15 Duxton Road
Singapore 089481
Tel: +65 62228055
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 930am - 730pm
Sat-Sun: 9am - 6pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Orchid Hotel. At Orchid Hotel turn right onto Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road to the opposite side of Tanjong Pagar Road. Walk along Tanjong Pagar Road to Duxton Hill. Turn left onto Duxton Hill and then turn right on Duxton Road. Journey time about 15 mins. [Map]