Don't we all need something to look forward to in between a busy morning and before knocking off for the day. Since breakfast is a luxury enjoyed by earlybirds on the weekends, lunchtime is the only time during the work week when i can indulge in a little escapism and pamper my tastebuds and soul. Find solace in thy food. That is my motto when I need a little pick me up! Comfort food brings back fond memories of my childhood, , my favourite moments, etc...Check out this Japanese Dorama called "Lunch Queen". Relish in the heartwarming dishes served up by cute looking brothers of 'Kitchen Macaroni' in this drama. The feisty lead actress is eye candy for the brothers but what is most ye catching here is their food. Makes me wanna go Ma Maison for their omurice. I havent found any nicer tasting omurice in S'pore. If you know of any other , please let me know. The satisfaction of knowing you made a difference to someone's life through your cooking is maybe why cooks do what they do and pastry chefs and bakers tirelessly toil through the day to bring you little bundles of joy in the creations they serve up.
My favourite jap lunch haunts are : (pls call for reservations)
1) Ma Maison (63384819) @ Bugis Junction - they serve a reasonable ladies lunch set from 11am-2pm. For $15 nett you get to choose from 5 sets. Try to salad set with bread .Comes with soup, a drink and ice cream. The outlet @ central serves a slightly different menu. For dinner, go for the a la carte omurice, thin crusted pizza, and the escargots. Order the freshly bakes bread as a side dish to mop up the fragrant garlic in olive oil leftover from the escargot dish. The rice they serve here is a close second to the one served at Tamon.
2) Tamon ( 63466667) @ Katong has very nice lunch sets served on weekdays only. Master chef & owner hails from Hokkaido i think. Pity my office is too far away but if you work around that area, its worth calling in advance to place your order, if not reserve a seat. This joint can only seat 20 pax at most including counter seats. For dinner , skip the bento sets and try their grilled garlic/shitake/okra, cold salads are worth a try. If you're a fan of grated yam, they seem to serve the authentic traditional taste here. Order the special california temaki that is not on the menu. The rice is a must have too! Goes perfectly well with curry!
3) Sushi Tei @ raffles city & paragon - the only place i go for conveyor belt sushi. Try their seasonal salads. Order the handrolls one by one so the seaweed doesnt turn soggy on you. The salmon carpaccio is a nice change from sashimi. The chawanmushi is also much more flaVOURFUL than the ones served in other conveyor belt joints.
4) Tatsuya (67371160) @ the former Crown Prince Hotel . Bento lunch sets are reasonably price between $25-30 nett for the quality of food they serve. My favourite is the ladies lunch set which serves a cold tofu and potato salad for starters, followed by cold noodles nd assortment of sushi, chawanmushi with hints of yuzu rind grated over it for fragrance, and a slice of watermelon and orange sliced considerately halfway into the rind so you can polish off the pulp minus the mess. Forget about trying the chef's recommendation lunch degustation menu unless you have about $200 to burn per person. The mini sized warm sesame pudding appetizer is absolutely lovely.
5) Paste de waraku (65348085) @ central - you can find all kinds of flavours imaginable. But i still like the aglio olio version best. Also like the set where you can choose type of pasta and pizza combo set. Lets you sample a bit of everything on the selected menu for one price. Call 2 days before to secure a table before 7pm. After 7pm only walk in allowed.
6) Kuriya @ Raffles City
The bento sets here are pricey but the a la carte items are the yummiest. Gems like the steamed vegetables have a poached egg that oozes yolk when poke lightly. The sprinkle of garnish on top of the egg goes nicely with the yolk. Go for the cold soba, it is yummy on itself with the dipping sauce.
