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]

Arteastiq @ Mandarin Gallery - Spending A Fulfilling Birthday Lunch

Spent my last birthday painting at Arteastiq and I had decided to do it again this year! 3 hours of solitude for half the price is so worth it (because there is one-for-one birthday promotion), coupled with a cup of their signature tea. It so happened that it is listed in Eatigo as well, which gives us 50% off its main courses at a stipulated time slot. Hence, we decided to head down to one of the outlets for a meal before starting our art jam. The service at its Plaza Singapura's outlet was so disappointing that we switched to Mandarin Gallery. Be it the space, the staff, the standards were up a notch.

Burrata with Grapefruit 3/5

We ordered 3 main courses, in which Gospel of Elves ($19) was just as great as an appertizer that comes with Burrata cheese and compressed grapefruit. Of course you don't expect the burrata to be as pillowy as that of a premium Italian restaurant but it was satisfying enough. The compressed grapefruit was tangy and its astringency balanced the milky burrata. What I didn't quite like was the idea of drizzling it with lavender olive oil. The taste of lavender just doesn't gel with food.

Salted Egg Yolk Capellini 3.5/5

Symphony from the East ($23) is a crowd pleaser with its salted egg yolk cream coating every strand of the capellini. The pasta was light and its sauce had the right consistency. However, don't let the pasta sit for too long as they tend to stick together after a while. The prawns were the right match for the flavour. The only complain that I have is that the prawns should be cleaned more thoroughly.

Salmon Wellington 3.8/5

The Royal Princess ($27) was a stir to the appetite the moment it came. Enveloped within the thin and flaky crust is a complete slab of juicy salmon and minced mushroom. The crust remained crisp till the end of my meal. Coming from a pie when the fillings are usually heavily seasoned and dry, I didn't expect the salmon to be so fresh and moist and it filled up almost every inch of the crust, even the four corners. The tangy sour cream sauce at the side complements the fatty salmon. The greens which is sauteed cabbage and asparagus, perhaps can be improved.

What a fulfilling lunch! The standard and quality of their food way surpass my expectations. It would have wrapped up my day perfectly should I be able to continue my art jam. But alas, the venue was closed for a private event. Hence, for both the dining and art jam, please do remember to make a reservation before making your way down as it can get pretty crowded even on weekdays.

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.



Arteastiq
Mandarin Gallery
333A Orchard Road
#04-14/15
Singapore 238867
Tel: +65 62358370
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Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B to Orchard Road. Head west or turn left on Orchard Road against the flow of traffic. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 mins. [Map]