Kei Kaisendon @ Marina Square - Quality And Affordable Japanese Rice Bowls For The Sashimi Lovers

The kaisendon is a traditional Japanese donburi dish consisting of a rice bowl loaded up with a variety of fresh sashimi. If you love Kaisendon, Kei Kaisendon is a place not to be missed for quality seafood dons without the hefty price tags.

You'd usually find the standard Kaisen don in most Japanese restaurants elsewhere, but this Kaisendon speciality restaurant gives diners plenty of options with its variety of kaisendons - from the mentaiyaki, to hotate and unagi kaisendon. You can also choose from their add-on selection, and make it a set with a soup and salad (+$3) for a more fulfilling meal.

Mentaiyaki Tamago Kaisendon 4.2/5

The Mentaiyaki Tamago Kaisendon ($18.90) arrived in an impressive array of cubed sashimi and mentaiko tamago pieces. I liked how the piquant flavour and slight saltiness of the mentaiyaki balance out the light sweetness of the tamago. While the sashimi cubes are fresh and silky, the mentaiko-laden tomago blow-torched to perfection adds a lovely umami flavour to the don.

Hotate Kaisendon 4/5

The Hotate Kaisendon ($19.90) features a subtly sweet, almost creamy-like hotate on a bed of fresh sashimi cubes. The hotate was no less fresh, with a melt-in-the-mouth texture. The kaisendons are also filled with cucumber cubes which adds a crunch to the dish. Together with mouthfuls of Japanese rice and fresh seafood, it is just pure indulgence.

Gyoza 4/5

We chose the Unagi ($3.90) and Gyoza ($6.90) for our add-ons. Glazed with a soy-based sauce before being torched, the unagi slices are richly flavoured and has an incredibly soft and tender texture. The Gyoza ($6.90) features savoury ground pork fillings wrapped in silky smooth dumpling skin. These little parcels of goodness go perfectly well with the light soya sauce provided to add a nice touch of flavour to the dish.

Kei Kaisendon at Marina Square has recently participated in the Food Masters Singapore 2019 competition hosted by Singapore Press Holdings. Vote for them by SMS-ing C11 to 91188980. Just flash the message of your voting to the staff for a 10% off total bill during your next visit. *Only at Marina Square outlet.

Photos and words by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Kei Kaisendon
Marina Square
6 Raffles Boulevard
#02-266A/B
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 62528311
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take exit B. Walk to Marina Square via Marina Square Link. Walk to the destination. Journey time about 8 mins. [Map]

Bacha Coffee @ ION Orchard - Features Over 200 Types Of Coffee Around The World

First established in Marrakech in 1910, Bacha Coffee has set up its first coffee room and boutique outside of Marrakech at ION Orchard. Features over 200 single-origin coffees, fine flavoured coffees and fine blended coffees, the Arabica coffee beans are sourced from Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Asia and beyond, gathered and hand-roasted in Singapore. The interior is quite opulent, and I learnt Bacha at ION inherits the grandeur of Bacha Coffee's first coffee room in the Dar el Bacha Palace, where it still remains till date.

While you can select your choice of coffee according to their flavour profiles stated in the list, feel free to turn to any of the coffee masters for suggestions! All 200 of the Bacha coffees are served either hot or iced poured from gooseneck Bacha coffee pots, and you get to vary each cup of your coffee with its signature Bacha Coffee whipped cream, steamed milk, raw sugar and cracked vanilla bean.

From Single Origin Coffees, Fine Blended Coffees and Fine Flavoured Coffee, we tried Ethiopia - Sidamo Mountain Coffee ($9/pot), Saigon Morning Coffee ($9/pot) and 1910 Coffee ($9/pot) respectively. Each pot of coffee speaks true to its descriptions, especially for 1910 Coffee, which carries notes of strawberries and cream that lingers on the tongue even long after the cup returns to the table. It was quite a revelation to be able to 'read' coffee in such a manner, as I managed to do it once in Perth at a small cafe.

Coffee with cracked vanilla bean

Surprise, surprise. The coffee that I will return for is Kahwa! Kahwa! Decaffeinated Coffee ($9/pot) from the list of Fine Decaffeinated Coffees. Naturally C0₂ decaffeinated, decaffeinated coffee has never tasted so good. Instead of dulling the tastebuds, which I feel most coffees do, this seemed to have the ability to open up my senses even more.

Croissants 3.8/5

The menu is designed to enhance the coffee drinking experience, offerings include signature croissants with an array of sweet or savoury fillings, pastries, salads and mains. After trying a few of their pastries and dishes offered on their menu, I find the croissants ($8 for 2) are still the best accompaniments to my coffee. The simple formula of butter and coffee just seems so right.

Orange Almond Croissant

Nothing beats Butter Croissant, which you can fully appreciate the lovely aroma of the butter and the airiness of the croissant. The middle portion is where the dough has fully bloomed, with a crisp layer wrapping around it. I couldn't help but to tear it with my fingers and savour it. I like the size of it because compared to a larger one, you get four edges to munch on! As for the flavoured ones, you can't go wrong with the citrusy Orange Almond and Lemon. The tart Raspberry and Cinnamon will have been better if it isn't so sweet. 1910 Coffee and Chocolate sounds promising, but the chocolate filling wasn't to my liking. Pistachio disappoints with its flavourless filling.

Comte Cheese Croissant

Comte Cheese Croissant ($18) was voted one of the favourites too. It was loaded with warm, melted sharp cheese. Its dainty size comes in handy, as it may be too rich if it's any inch bigger.

Cucumber Tzatziki 2.8/5

On the menu, there are also Salads and Mains. Cucumber Tzatziki ($20) comes with caramelised watermelon and shredded cucumbers. Refreshing but it lacks some warm elements such as nuts or nutty dressings to balance the fresh ingredients.

Barramundi Tajine 4/5

For mains, Barramundi Tajine ($26) was wholesome and hearty with chunks of vegetables, with the Barramundi moist and tender. The broth was robust with seafood flavours, zesty and uplifting with spices.

Moroccan Pastilla 3.5/5

Traditionally made with pigeon, the Moroccan Pastilla ($24) here is made with chicken. Although I have never tried the original version before, this to me was delicious, especially when the filo crust was pleasingly thin and crisp. Again, I love the spices used in the filling, which add tons of flavours to the filling without being overpowering.

Strawberry Soup with Vanilla Ice Cream 3/5

We had a plated dessert as well - Strawberry Soup with Vanilla Ice Cream ($12), alongside with other pastries - Chocolate, Cocoa Bean Cake ($8), Tiramisu ($12) and Pandan Cheesecake ($9). The Strawberry soup was light and not cloyingly sweet. I like the density of the Chocolate and Cocoa Bean Cake, but it lacks richness. The Tiramisu is a child-friendly version, while the latter isn't worth the calories I would say.

Overall, I'm pretty impressed by the standard of coffee at Bacha, where each cup of coffee, served black, is distinctively different from one another. Bacha Coffee’s retail selection includes loose beans as well as coffees and single-serve coffee bags. Loose beans can be purchased by weight and ground to your specifications.

Written and photography 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.


Bacha Coffee
ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn
#01-15/16
Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 63631910
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

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