Ahh, izakayas.
What’s not to love about warm, comforting Japanese food paired with beers and sake? It’s fuss-free, accessible and provides an oh-so simple way to bond with friends after a hard day’s work.
In Singapore, izakayas are always associated with standalone bars situated along bustling streets. That perception may soon change, thanks to this famous Japanese restaurant.
Aburi-EN intends to make izakaya culture more mainstream among the local crowd and one effective way to do so is to bring izakayas into shopping malls — one of Singaporeans’ favourite places to go to (we can’t say no to free aircon).
Their new menu not only offers classic izakaya fare, each priced less than S$10, but also 1-for-1 highballs and full-pint Asahi beer. You don’t need to look out for any special timings as the deal occurs all day, every day.
Yes, you heard that right. If you love drinking like me (just to clarify, I’m not an alcoholic), you’ll be thrilled by this news and will surely get your drinks immediately as you settle down at the table.
And, that’s exactly what I did. I ordered the Classic Highball with Kakubin Suntory Whiskey (S$13) and it was just what I needed to cool down from the heat.
I think it’ll be good for me to point out on the get-go that the izakaya dishes served here are simple and quintessential. Nothing is pretentious or novel, so you can expect classic flavours done right.
For example, the Sweet Corn with Butter Shoyu (S$4.90) is sweet and slightly grilled to produce a light smoky char. I usually tend to avoid eating corn on the cob in public due to the potential mess but you can put that worry aside as the corn easily came right off.
You can’t miss out on skewers when you’re at an izakaya, so I had to get the Hokkaido Buta Bara Asparagus Kushiyaki (S$6.90). The thick slice of grilled pork belly provided a rich (and juicy!) contrast to the crisp asparagus.
I personally would have accompanied this meaty roll-up with a pint of beer to cut through all that savoury fats — just something you can take note of!
Another highlight for me was the Surume Ika Ponzu (S$9.90). The dish is straightforward enough, featuring grilled squid coated in ponzu sauce but the sauce was dripping with all the right flavours — tart, subtly sweet and briny.
I too enjoyed the Crab Cream Croquette (S$6.90) and Mehikari Karaage (S$8.90). The former is served with tartar sauce (which is a necessary condiment for all things fried, let’s be real), while the latter with mayonnaise and shichimi.
The Mehikari Karaage, in particular, was packed with umami goodness and contained a tinge of garlic that brought out the natural sweetness of the fish. While I wished these morsels had more crunch to them, the flavours made up for it.
Aburi-EN may have locations all around Singapore, but if you’re craving the full izakaya experience, head to their Causeway Point, Chinatown Point, Guoco Tower, Isetan Scotts, Junction 8, NEX, or Tampines 1 outlets.
Do note that the izakaya menu is only available from 5pm onwards.
A streamlined izakaya menu will also be available at their Jewel Changi Airport, VivoCity, Orchard Central, Changi City Point and Suntec City outlets from 5 August 2024.
What are you most excited about: izakaya dishes for less than S$10 or 1-for-1 alcohol?
Aburi-EN Izakaya
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📍Multiple locations
🕐 11am–10pm (Daily)
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