However, it’s kinda expected when Japanese food is so well-beloved here to the point that there’s a high chance the stranger standing next to you is a fan of the cuisine as well.

I think it’s safe to say that there’s no such thing as too many ramen restaurants and the opening of Singapore’s very own Mensho Tokyo at Raffles City is a testament to that.

Mensho Tokyo needs no introduction to hardcore ramen lovers. Tomoharu Shono, the man behind it all, is a bona fide ramen master, having led his restaurant to be crowned the Tokyo Ramen of the Year and Ramen Walker Grand Prix.

What makes Chef Shono’s ramen so different from the rest lies in the ingredients used. For starters, the noodles are handmade from whole wheat flour, which lend more aroma and a unique texture to the overall dish.

In fact, you can witness the noodles being made right in front of you as you enter the restaurant.

Mensho Tokyo also takes the concept of ‘farm-to-table’ incredibly seriously, ensuring seasonal ingredients come fresh from their farms and seas.

I could feel this dedication while tasting their ramen dishes, specifically the Signature Toripaitan (S$28) and A5 Wagyu Shoyu Aburasoba Ramen (S$41).

The Signature Toripaitan, as its name suggests, is the baby of Chef Shono. You’ll get not one, not two, not three but four types of meat in this dish: A5 wagyu, smoked pork, duck, and chicken chashu.

While the broth was rich and creamy, it was not at all heavy to the extent that I felt jelak afterwards. This is thanks to Chef Shono’s effort to create a dish that works for our tropical weather.

Not to worry, it still retains that notable flavour that’s well-balanced between savoury and smokiness. It’s simply the ramen dish to settle on for lunch or if you’re not an adventurous eater.

Want something more decadent? Opt for the A5 Wagyu Shoyu Aburasoba Ramen instead. When I say that this dish is indulgence in a bowl, I’m not kidding.

The truffle oil coated the noodles perfectly yet it was not so intense that it stole the attention away. The star of the show here is the slices of A5 wagyu and they were done so well that they basically melted in my mouth.

You’ll be served with a slice of calamansi and take it from me when I say that you need to add a squeeze of it to the dish. The tanginess brings out the slight sweetness of the truffle, making the dish even more palatable than it already is.

Another dish you have to try is the Duck Matcha (S$28). Though the matcha didn’t pack the punch I (as a self-proclaimed matcha lover) was hoping for, it still infused an earthy flavour to the dish.

However, I wouldn’t go so far as to say the dish felt ‘healthful’ since the duck chashu slices were oh-so-fatty and juicy.

I would tuck into their other ramen dishes like the Singapore-exclusive Chilli Crab (S$28) and Yuzu Shio (S$17) if I had a big enough stomach for them. 

I’m usually not one for desserts but since Singapore’s menu is the only one to feature them, it’ll be criminal for me to skip the sweets.

And, thank god I did not. Because the desserts were out-of-this-world good.

The Yuzu (S$8.80) features a refreshingly light yuzu sorbet topped with coconut meringue and almond crumble, which may help to cleanse the palate after a rather heavy meal.

On the other hand, the Houjicha Tiramisu (S$8.80) possesses a natural sweet nuttiness with subtle earthiness. The flavours weren’t too intense, making it suitable even for tea haters (not gonna lie, I’m side-eyeing you).

It’s impressive to witness the journey of Mensho Tokyo as it rises from a tiny shop in Tokyo to having multiple outlets around the world. Its San Francisco outpost, in particular, had received the seal of approval from the Michelin Guide.

While I’m unsure if Singapore’s will gain a similar level of recognition, I do know that the food has done its international counterparts justice.

Are you prepared for slurp-tastic satisfaction?

Mensho Tokyo
Facebook | Instagram | Website
252 North Bridge Road, #03-43 Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore 179103
11am–10pm (Daily)

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Photos by Sheree Chua

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But, whenever I do decide to indulge in a scoop of ice cream or Korean bingsu, I always end up paying the consequences later on (if you know, you know). 

If you find yourself in a similar situation, you might wanna consider this new dessert spot. 

Located within D’Nova Hotel in Purvis Street, The Artisan Cafe offers kakigori AKA Japanese shaved ice, just seven minutes away from Bugis MRT. 

You might be wondering: “what’s the difference between kakigori and bingsu”? 

Well, unlike bingsu which uses milk as a base, kakigori is flavoured with syrup instead. Safe to say, kakigori sounds like a go-to icy treat, especially for those with dairy restrictions (score!).

This cafe offers a series of interesting and popular fruity and floral flavours from just S$6.90 (small) and S$12.90 (large). 

Think Blueberry Yoghurt, Raspberry Rose, and Mango Pomelo Pudding, and Charred Pineapple — all of which come loaded with a ton of fresh fruits and shaved ice.

FYI, the desserts are a little massive which makes it great to share with a friend or two.

For something more unique and local tasting, the Tea Muah Chee boasts an extra stretchy and mouth watering mochi with floral aftertaste.

What I’m most interested in trying is the Black Sesame Mochi which comprises a bittersweet, nutty sesame-flavoured ice topped with homemade soft, melt-in-your-mouth mochi. 

This would certainly help to curb your sugar cravings without being too jelak as a dessert. 

Alcohol lovers are in for a boozy treat because they have Guava Sake and Yuzu Sake that leaves a pleasantly clean, citrusy, and fresh taste. 

But, you can never go wrong with the rich and fragrant Matcha Azuki served with a generous amount of red beans and earthy matcha.

Besides desserts, they also serve affordable eats and small bites, including the likes of sandos, pasta, and donburi bowls. 

You can turn this into a full meal affair with the 5-course Kakigori Set (S$59 for standard, S$39 for vegetarian) which includes a house salad, appetiser, soup, main course, and kakigori — there’s your lunch or dinner plans sorted. 

Are you in the mood for a sweet and icy treat?

The Artisan Cafe 
Instagram 
14 Purvis St, Singapore 188593
10am–2.30pm, 5pm–10pm (Mon to Sat), Closed on Sun 

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Kozen Dessert Bar is located in Flanders Square near Farrer Park MRT. And, for those of you who find the name of this dessert bar just a tad bit familiar, that’s because the bar is helmed by the same team behind Kozen Sushi Bar & Restaurant. The best part is, they’re open till late! 

On the menu, you can expect to find the iconic Shibuya thick toast adorned with various fruit toppings, topped with a dollop of ice cream and drizzled with various sauces. Apart from thick toast, there’s also a selection of waffles available here too. 

Probably the most unique offering here is the Pandan Custard Toast (S$15.90). It features the signature thick and fluffy toast drenched in a creamy pandan custard topped with ice cream and served with whipped cream on the side — in case you like it extra creamy. 

For those with a sweet tooth, the dessert also comes with extra honey on the side so you can adjust it to your liking. We reckon kaya toast fans will thoroughly enjoy this one for sure. 

If you’re like me and love the fruits and thick toast combination, then go for the Honey Butter Toast (S$14.90). The Korean-inspired dessert comprises thick toast with fresh strawberries, blueberries and bananas, topped with ice cream and dusted with icing sugar. 

The sweet, sour and tangy combination is one that can simply do no wrong. For ultimate enjoyment, you should definitely add a splash of honey to enhance the flavours of the buttery toast — chef’s kiss.

There’s also a waffle variant — Honey Mix Fruit Waffle (S$14.90) — for those who prefer waffles over thick toast. 

Other flavours offered here include the classic Nutella Banana Toast (S$15.90), Mango Toast (S$17.80) and Chocolate Toast (S$15.90). There’s even a Coconut Toast (S$15.90) for those who absolutely go coconuts for coconut. 

If you’re full from all the sushi you had, there are also lighter dessert options available like Matcha Ice Cream (S$4) or a comforting Milkshake (from S$7.90). 

Kozen Dessert Bar is open until 1am on Sunday to Thursday, and until 2am on Friday and Saturday. Do note that the dessert bar only begins at 6pm — perfect for satisfying those late-night sugar cravings. 

Would you fancy ice cream and toasts at midnight? 

Kozen Dessert Bar
Instagram
22A Flander Square, Singapore 209306
6pm–1am (Sun to Thu), 6pm–2am (Fri & Sat), Closed on Mon

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But don’t worry — now, you no longer have to wait four hours just for a taste of this famous donut shop’s doughy goodness as they’ve finally opened a permanent store in Singapore! 

Located at Junction 8 in Bishan, the takeaway kiosk (sorry, no dine-in) will offer 20 different flavours, with prices ranging from S$2.30 to S$2.50 per donut.

You can get six donuts for S$14, or 10 for S$23 as part of a bundle deal, but each customer is limited to a maximum of 10 donuts per purchase.

As anticipated, hot favourites like their best-selling chewy, moist and highly addictive Pon de Ring donuts are available, in flavours like Original (S$2.30), Plain (S$2.30), and the Singapore-exclusive Chocolate (S$2.50).

Having tried all five donut variations, the Pon De Ring, with its light and chewy mochi-like texture, is definitely a must-try. If you can only get your hands on one type of donut, this is it.

Go for the crunchy cookie-style Old Fashion (S$2.30), another of Mister Donut’s signatures, if you prefer your donuts on the denser side.

Fans of cream-filled yeast donuts will enjoy the fluffy Custard Cream (S$2.50) — we certainly preferred it to the Angel Cream (S$2.50), which comes filled with a slightly greasy- tasting whipped cream (that left a not-so-pleasant waxy aftertaste).

And if cake donuts are up your alley, the Strawberry Chocolate (S$2.50), yet another Singapore-exclusive comprising moist chocolate dough coated with strawberry-flavoured milk chocolate, will definitely tickle your fancy. Do note that it’s way sweeter as compared to the other flavours!

During the official opening, do keep an eye out for limited edition gifts, like folders and sticker sheets, that you can take home with any purchase. Oh, and a second outlet in the central area is in the works, so stay tuned!

Can’t wait to sink your teeth into these delectable donuts? Mark your calendars for 21 May, and be prepared to queue.

Mister Donut Singapore
Instagram
???? 9 Bishan Place, #02-27A, Junction 8, Singapore 579837
???? 11am-8.30pm (Daily), while stocks last

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Photos by Eunice Lim

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Picture this — you’re taking a nice walk out or window shopping at the mall, and you’re really craving for some good ol’ strawberry shortcake, but you also don’t want to go through the hassle of looking for a cafe or cutting your walk short. A cake-in-a-can that you can just pop open like a soft drink and eat with a spoon would be awesome (minus the mess as well!). 

Now, thanks to Okashi Gaku, gone are the days of us pining for the quirky and convenient dessert over the Internet as they’re finally bringing the cake-in-a-can to our sunny island from 16 September! 

Just like in Japan, the cake-in-a-cans will come served from a vending machine (again, ten points for convenience!) and will be located in Suntec City (hopefully more vending machines will pop up across the island after this as well!). 

Other than being super easy to just grab and go, the cake-in-a-cans are also really IG and TikTok-worthy as they’re not all just mushed up in the can — they’re actually packaged quite intricately and you can see the fruits and fresh cream very clearly just by looking at the can. 

The flavours that will be available include not only the popular ones like the viral Strawberry Shortcake (S$11.80), but also some Singapore-exclusive flavours such as Matcha (S$8.80), Mango Chocolate (S$9.80) as well as Tiramisu (S$9.80) — who knows, maybe as the cakes get more popular on our sunny shores, there’ll be more interesting flavours that come out (durian, maybe?)! 

So the next time you have a craving for something sweet and quick, head over to the Okashi Gaku vending machine at Suntec City and grab your very own cake-in-a-can! 

Okashi Gaku Cake-in-A-Can
???? 3 Temasek Blvd, Singapore 038983
???? From 16 Sep 2022

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While we practice patience and wait for the golden moment when Japan fully opens up to travellers, we can still experience a little slice of Japan right here at Asaru Studio in Singapore!

This interesting studio summarises its offerings very simply as “an experiential retail studio where one becomes mindful of the surroundings, allowing the five senses to connect with goods which may better their daily living”.

Here is where you’ll find a variety of lifestyle products from Japanese clothes to homeware, as well as handmade food items. 

You can have two kinds of experiences at Asaru Studio — Uchi (S$30) or Aruku (which means walk in Japanese, so basically it means just browsing the store). 

To get the most out of the experience, it’s recommended that you opt for Uchi (S$30), which allows you to browse the store, use the S$30 as store credits (for items worth more than S$50) and have a variety of delicately prepared Japanese bites. 

The treats are regularly changed according to the season or even just to the owners’ moods, but customers who have visited the studio have raved about their freshly whisked matcha, homemade strawberry/mugwort daifuku as well as their fluffy matcha swiss rolls.  Nothing too fancy, just simple items that are often paired with tea but are still really good (very apt for the theme of the studio!). 

If you’re looking to take some artsy fartsy pictures for your IG, Asaru Studio also has a very cosy and very Japanese-y aesthetic that’s perfect for that (there are many nooks and crannies that can make for some really nice shots!). 

For a true blue zen and tranquil Japanese experience in Singapore, definitely check out Asaru Studio! 

PS: To visit, it is recommended that you book an appointment as a maximum of five visitors are allowed in the small studio at a time – though they do accept walk-ins on less busy days.

Asaru Studio

Instagram | Website

????195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace, #01-07, Singapore 168976

???? Appointment

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