Singaporeans love mentaiko, you can see it in dishes everywhere in Singapore — be it the mentaiko fries in cafes or the Aburi Mentai dons in casual Japanese restaurants.
I’d heard people say that “Mentaiko goes well with anything.” Maybe that’s not wrong — the pink cod roe pairs well with many things, especially since its umami kick gives a potent flavour boost to any dish.
If you want to test that hypothesis out for yourself, here are some of the places with the most unique mentaiko dishes in Singapore that aren’t your typical mentaiko fries or rice bowls.
ShuKuu Izakaya — Rosti with Mentaiko
This new age izakaya at Stanley Street has a penchant for creative usage of mentaiko in their dishes, compared to the typical Singapore Izakaya. Their signature dish is a rarely-seen combo of Rosti Mentai (S$9), adding a nice creamy contrast to the crispy potato.
Besides the mentaiko Rosti, you can also find items like the Kani Gratin (S$8), which adds even more creaminess to the crab gratin with a generous layer of mentaiko.
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???? 8 Stanley St, Singapore 068727
????️ 5:30pm–10:30pm (Daily)
Fish & Chicks — Mentaiko Pasta with Grilled Mentako Salmon
While mentaiko pasta is a common sight in many cafes, how often do you see it in coffee shops? Homegrown Western brand Fish & Chicks is one of the few places in Singapore where you can get your mentaiko fix without all the fuss.
The Mentaiko Pasta with Grilled Mentaiko Salmon (S$12.90) comes with a mound of pasta gloriously drenched in mentaiko sauce, while you get a juicy slab of salmon at the side too, also jazzed up with some creamy torched mentaiko.
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???? Multiple outlets
Kajiken — Cheese Ramen and Mentaiko
Any mention of ramen would probably produce a mental image of piping hot Tonkotsu broth. But at Kajiken, the first dry-style ramen shop in Singapore, they serve dry-style ramen that’s sometimes jokingly referred to as an elevated Japanese Bak Chor Mee.
The Grilled Cheese with Cod Roe Mazesoba (S$17.30) is an umami bomb that combines mentaiko creaminess with cheese stretchiness. But if you would rather do without cheese in your ramen, you can add mentaiko to any ramen for S$2.
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???? Multiple outlets
Five Oars Coffee Roasters — Mac and Cheese, and Mentaiko
A popular brunch spot that had just relocated to Siglap just a few months ago. They refreshed their menu after the move to the East side of Singapore, adding some interesting new dishes including a Mentaiko Mac & Cheese (S$16).
A dish that’s worth trying for any lovers of the creamy pink sauce, as the mentaiko adds even more creaminess to the already rich and hearty Mac & Cheese base.
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???? 6 Upper E Coast Rd, Singapore 455200
????️ 8am–10pm (Daily)
Hakata Ikkousha Ramen — Ramen in Mentaiko broth
Ok, tonkotsu ramen and mentaiko sound like a weird combo but if you’re looking for the most unique mentaiko dish in Singapore, this established ramen joint serves up a one-of-a-kind bowl of noods with everyone’s favourite fish roe.
Why not? The tonkotsu broth and mentaiko mixture might actually suit your palate, especially with the creamy texture of Ikkousha’s signature broth. It’s perfect for those who are game to challenge your tastebuds to something that you’d probably never had before.
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???? Blk 7, Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #01-104B, 081007
????️ 11:30am–10pm (Mon–Sat), 11:30am–9pm (Sun)
???? 30 Victoria Street, #F1-07 Chijmes, Singapore 187996
????️ 11:30am–10pm (Mon–Sat), 11:30am–9pm (Sun)
Koh Grill & Sushi Bar — Over-the-top Mentaiko sushi roll
This one probably doesn’t need much introduction to most sushi lovers. But if you haven’t heard of them, they make one of the most recognisable and most recognisable sushi rolls in Singapore.
The Shiok Maki (S$16.80) is a legendary dish that most mentaiko and sushi lovers in Singapore would definitely fawn over. Packed with grilled unagi, salmon and avocado then drenched with a secret sauce that tastes like a buttery mentaiko concoction — a truly decadent treat.
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???? 435 Orchard Road, #04-21 Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, 238877
????️ 11:30am–10pm (Daily)
Okinawa Onigiri @ Eatbox — Onigiri with Mentaiko
If you’re going to Eatbox, one of the places you definitely have to go to is Okinawa Onigiri. The stall features thick hand rolls from S$3.90, stuffed with rice and spam, along with some other proteins for a hefty bite.
The combination of fried shrimp tempura, omelette and mentaiko worked quite well to make the Shrimp Onigiri (S$5.90) an umami bomb with a bit of crunch and creaminess in the mix.
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???? 2 Serangoon Road , #01–55 to 59 Tekka Place Annex Building, Singapore 218227
????️ 8am–10:30pm (Daily)
Kamome Bakery — Baguette and Mentaiko
Nobody does mentaiko better than the Japanese themselves. That’s why Kamome Bakery’s Mentaiko Baguette (S$2.40) is so highly raved about on social media by bread lovers.
There’s a layer of mentaiko covering the exterior of the baguette, while another layer of mentaiko is spread inside for a double whammy of seafood-tinged umami.
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???? 169 Thomson Road, Goldhill Shopping Centre, Singapore 307621
????️ 8am–5pm (Thur to Tues)
Bao Makers — Baos with Salmon & Mentaiko
As a contemporary cafe focused on baos, you will find some very quirky and Asian-inspired flavours on their menu ranging from traditional Belly of Pork (S$4.30) to those with local elements inside such as the Chilli Crab (S$4.50).
And of course, it’s not really Asian fusion in Singapore without a mentaiko dish — they’ve got a Salmon Mentaiko (S$4.30) that comes with a piece of fried salmon, some creamy mentaiko sauce, tobiko, and cheese. So you can expect the most umami salmon experience from this bao.
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???? 4 Jiak Chuan Road, Singapore 089261
????️ 12pm–3pm, 6pm–9pm (Tue to Thu), 12pm–3pm, 6pm–10pm (Fri), 12pm–3:30pm, 6pm–10pm (Sat), 12pm–3:30pm (Sun)
ChubTuTu — Handmade Tutu Kueh and Mentaiko
ChubTuTu is a small Tutu Kueh shop in Yishun that not only hand makes their Tutu Kueh, but also put very unique spins on what goes into their rice cakes.
Besides other interesting flavours like chilli crab, nutella, and durian, one of the interesting flavours you can find on rotation here is mentaiko.
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???? 759 Yishun Street 72, #01-298, Singapore 760759
????️ 11am–8pm (Daily)
Big Fries — Super long fries and Mentaiko
Mentaiko fries are one of the most popular cafe dishes in Singapore, but Big Big Fries’ version is special. Instead of scattered bits of fried potato, they set out loooong poles of crispy goodness neatly on a plate.
The crispy Fries (S$7.90) are doused in an exuberant amount of mentaiko, but you can also choose to split the flavour profile with another sauce such as their Truffle Mayo.
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???? 1 West Coast Dr, #01-65 NEWest, Singapore 128020
????️ 12pm–10pm (Wed–Mon)
Tittle Tattle — Salmon Waffles and Mentaiko
Mentaiko with salmon is one of the most natural flavour combinations out there, but what about adding some crispy waffles to the mix?
If you’re a fan of crisp, lightly-flavoured waffles, then you would enjoy their Salmon Mentaiko Waffles’s (S$20) mix of textures and flavours in combination with the sous vide egg. They are also open till late on Weekends with free wifi & plugs if you need somewhere for a late-night HTHT.
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???? 183 Selegie Rd, #01-03, Singapore 188329
????️ 3:30pm–10:30pm (Mon to Thu), 3:30pm–6am (Fri to Sun)
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The guy who will go on a 30 minute monologue about artisan coffee when you ask if they want Starbucks.