Lunch at Ichiban Boshi @ Suntec City

3 Temasek Boulevard, #B1-111, Suntec City Fountain area, Singapore 038983

Tel: 6238 7088

Website: https://www.ichibanboshi.com.sg/en/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IchibanBoshiNovenaSquare/

Been a huge fan of Ichiban Boshi Japanese Restaurant for over a decade, always enjoying their delectable Japanese dishes that are wallet-friendly. From sashimi to rice bowls (don) to Japanese Curry and Lobster Salad Sushi etc- they never failed to be my comfort food.

Ichiban Boshi is a Japanese chain restaurant with 13 outlets in Singapore, and I daresay I have tried most of them over the years.  Happy to review that standard is consistent across the restaurants, and consistent over the years. You can read a couple of previous reviews here and here.

Recently they had a promotion where different outlets served a different specialty menu; and I love the Buckwheat Soba one at Suntec City. One dish in particular had me returning time and again - the cold Natto Buckwheat Soba dish.

Now natto means fermented soy beans so there's a saltish taste that you either love or hate. The rest of the ingredients include cut ladies' fingers, shredded seaweed, poached egg, canned enoki mushrooms and spring onions. Toss everything together and enjoy the flavoursome dish with different textures of crunchy ladies' fingers, smooth buckwheat, texturized natto, etc - very addictive to eat; and healthy to enjoy.

Other enjoyable dishes for me here are also their Sashimi Platter (one may choose the types of fish or seafood you like), the Chawanmushi aka steamed egg custard, and conveyor belt sushi.

I look forward to dining at their restaurants soon again.

Lunch at Sun with Moon Japanese Dining & Cafe at Orchard

501 Orchard Road, #03-15, Wheelock Place, Singapore 238880

Tel: 6733 6636

Website: https://www.sunwithmoon.com.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunwithmoondining

Sun with Moon Japanese Dining and Cafe is another favorite restaurant of mine, whenever I have craving for contemporary Japanese cuisine. I am glad they are still around after so many years, so I can still enjoy the delectable food as well as excellent thoughtful service here.

Combining the natural elements of sun and the moon, this cafe restaurant is the epitome of Japanese savoir faire, and its concept hails straight from Tokyo. You can read my past review here.

Being heavily pregnant then, the staff were very concerned when I tried to order items containing raw stuff (i.e. sashimi, or even torched items); in fact they managed to talk me out of it. So I started with Agadeshi Tofu (SGD$6.80) - four silken pieces of crisp-skinned beancurd in tasty Dashi (Japanese soya) sauce, topped with bonito flakes, grated radish and spring onions.

Next, some nutritious Kaisen Chawan Mushi (SGD$12.80) - came with prawn, gingko nut and mushrooms hidden in big bowl of palatable steamed egg custard,  and served with sweet crab ankake sauce.

Following that, Foie Gras Millefeuille (SGD$15.80) - incredibly melty grilled Foie Gras with sweet soy sauce served on flaky millefeuille pastry and a bed of lettuce. Love the texturized dish that was ever so addictive.

Finally, Avocado Soft Shell Crab Roll (SGD$9.90 for 4 pieces / SGD$18.80 for 8 pieces) with crunchy cucumber, crispy soft shell Crab, buttery avocado slices and topped with flying fish roe for that explosive deliciousness. Needless to say, a dish that came highly recommended.

Love Sun with Moon Japanese Dining and Cafe; and will be back soon again for more meals.

Dinner at Peach Garden Restaurant (桃苑) @ Thomson Plaza

301 Upper Thomson Road #01-88 Thomson Plaza, Singapore 574408

Tel: 6451 3233

Website: https://www.peachgarden.com.sg/thomson-plaza

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peachgarden

We celebrated Mother's Day at Peach Gardens at Novena Ville (review here) a few years back. That outlet has since closed and moved to Thomson Plaza, spacious enough to house 220 guests, and some private dining rooms.  Service was pretty decent and efficient, and ambience was a simple cushy type of elegance.

The appetizers served were Braised Peanuts (SGD$2.00) and Deep-fried Prawn Crackers (better known as "Keropok"), also at SGD$2.00 per serving.

We started with 5 pieces of Longevity Buns (SGD$1.20 per piece) shaped like pink peaches, the centre filled lusciously with lotus paste. That was in celebration of The Mom's birthday, who had insisted on "no cakes, please". The Longevity Buns were quite good; tasty, but not cloyingly sweet.

We had the Peking Duck (SGD$68.00) - one of their signature dishes - roasted duck glazed for that glossy sheen on its skin. The crispy skin would be served wrapped in thin egg sheets, together with cucumber and leek pieces, as well as a dark sauce that I usually do without.

For the rest of the duck meat, one could request for it to be served on its own as a side dish, or to be cooked with vegetables or a staple. We had wanted to order a Seafood Hor Fun dish initially, but decided to have them use the duck meat for the Hor Fun instead, so we had a tasty plate of Duck Hor Fun (top up SGD$15.00) complete with eggs, vegetables and strong "wok hei" (smokey hints of "wok's breath").

Next up, Stir-fried Kai Lan Vegetables (SGD$33.00 for medium), leafy and crunchy. Interesting, on the side was a small portion of preserved vegetables ("giam chye") chopped up, serving to complement the flavour of the bland vegetables.

Finally, Coffee Spare Ribs (SGD$28.00) topped with generous, huge pieces of almond flakes. While the sweet coffee aroma was distinctive and utterly palatable, the meat was kind of tough, making it kind of hard to bite.

We were hoping to try some desserts but there was totally no stomach space, so we concluded the meal at a mere SGD$148.00. Overall dining experience was still very pleasant, enjoying quality food brought about by polite service crew right here at Peach Gardens.

Dinner at Buffet Town Restaurant @ City Hall

252 North Bridge Road #B1-44E Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore 179103

Tel: 6837 3793

Website: https://buffettown.com.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuffetTownSG

Buffet Town is an international seafood buffet restaurant located conveniently at the basement of Raffles City Shopping Centre, a wallet-friendly restaurant with seating capacity for up to 500 persons. It is also child-friendly, with a colorful playground in one corner so that the adults could dine without disturbance while the kids entertain themselves joyfully.

They have many different food stations offering a good variety of cuisine, from Japanese Station (think sashimi, grilled items and sushi) to Peranakan counters serving Curry Chicken, Chicken Pongteh, and more.

At a mere SGD$26.80 (per adult) for weekday lunch onwards, Buffet Town is definitely an affordable all-you-can-indulge food haven for food lovers, especially those who enjoy buffet for its variety.

I rather enjoyed the Laksa which was served at the Chicken Rice Stall, right next to the Brewed Soup Station. The Laksa was not too spicy, but the soup was rich with shrimp paste, which added to the aroma.

The Japanese Station was another area I frequented during my dining session there - Sashimi that was pretty decent. I also enjoyed the Seafood counter where one could get Crayfish, Oysters, Prawns, Conch, Mussels, etc.

Other stations included the Italian station with Roast Beef, Pizzas, local station with Satay and Chilli Crab, as well as a Pin Le stall serving coffee and tea.

Desserts counter comprised a variety of cakes such as Corn Cake, New York Cheese Cake, Brownie Cubes, fondue items, jars of mousse and panna cotta, as well as fruits. What was more impressive was the array of 6 home-style, hot Chinese dessert soup like Tau Suan (yellow beans soup), Cheng Teng (clear sweet soup with ingredients like dried longan), etc.

All in all, I found Buffet Town to  be a family-friendly buffet restaurant offering a well-assorted, multi-cuisine dining experience, blending tradition with modern culinary techniques. It is a good place for gatherings or a simple buffet meal but do not compare it to hotel buffets for sure.

Lunch at Aburi Sushi Heishirou Restaurant @ Westgate (Revisit)

3 Gateway Drive #03-05 Westgate Mall, Singapore 608532

Tel: 6369 9489

Website: http://heishirou.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AburiSushiHeishirou

Having visited Aburi Sushi Heishirou Japanese Restaurant twice (review here) and enjoying their food variety and quality immensely, I decided to revisit a third time, this time with *Pris for her birthday catch-up.

Service was still personable, though restaurant space was reduced because the alfresco dining area was undergoing renovation. We both simultaneously decided to order the same item because it looked tempting, and would let us have the best of (more than) both worlds all in a set.  We both ordered the Beef and Sushi Set (SGD$35.00) that was a promotion for July / August 2018.

The set was served in a gigantic bowl / wok -like tray with cover. We were both delightfully shocked when the first tray was set on the table, followed by the second one. Opening up, we were greeted with clouds of steam, and then we saw that all our items were sitting inside beautifully.

The Beef was pretty succulent and moistened, grilled nicely to keep it tender. We also enjoyed the delectable Chawanmushi aka Japanese steamed egg custard. There was also a small bowl of green tea noodles (cha soba) dipped in sweet black sauce.

Nestled in the middle was the bowl of Shrimp & Omelet Rice (ebi & tamago don), sweet and delicious. Fresh Sashimi Slices enhanced the meal tremendously, completed by an expertly cut orange that rested on its skin as though it was halfway peeled.

We also shared a starter of Ebi Tempura (SGD$12.00) aka deep-fried battered shrimp fritters - the battering was light and crispy, melting gingerly in the mouth.

Dining experience here at Aburi Sushi Heishirou was good, as usual, a simple but quality Japanese meal at affordable pricing - a restaurant not overly crowded, so we could make conversations easily during our lunch.

Dinner at Nude Seafood Restaurant @ Marina Bay Financial Centre

12 Marina Boulevard, #01-02, Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3, Singapore 018982

Tel: 8726 1576

Website: http://www.nudeseafood.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NUDE-Seafood-519592191476427

Nude Seafood Restaurant had been on my bucket list for a while, so was glad we finally cleared it. An Asian contemporary seafood restaurant servicing delicious fine-dining seafood dishes at affordable prices.

Despite being situated in the CBD financial hub, Nude Seafood Restaurant sports a simple but elegant decor that makes dining here comfortable. Service was warm and friendly as well.

An interesting starter of Tofu Skin Salad (SGD$5.80) with chewy texture, paired with zesty tinge of sourplum vinaigrette, cloud ear fungus and spinach.

Then we had the Crab White Chawanmushi (SGD$8.00), a premier Japanese steamed egg custard luscious with crab meat.

Next, Stir-Fried Broccoli with Almonds (SGD$5.80), a crunchy and sweet dish that is a very enjoyable appetiser.

Then we had the Black Pepper King Prawns (SGD$8.90) - an interesting fusion of black pepper and tangy assam flavours, riding on springy texture of the fresh king prawns. There is a minimum 2 pieces order requirement for this dish; and it comes with crispy fried buns ("mantou").

A Korean delight was served next - Gochujang Cauliflower (SGD$6.80). Expect the red pepper paste to tease your tongue, and soft crunch of cauliflower, almond flake and daikon radish to support the interesting taste medley.

Next up, Hickory Smoked Salmon (SGD$12.80) in Bamboo Leaf, wrapped a la "otah" style; tasty and succulent, highly recommended.

Then we had the Squirrel Grouper (SGD$18.80), deep fried exterior with flakey interior. The foam of oat milk espuma atop, as well as lychee slices at the base, added elements of sweetness to the appetite-whetting sweet sour sauce.

Following that, the Steamed Pomfret (SGD$13.80) on banana leaf. The layer of preserved molded vegetables "mei cai" and spring onion atop the single side of pomfret lends a nice satisfying flavour.

Another fish dish was the Miso Halibut (SGD$20.80) , accompanied by shitake mushrooms and spinach. Robust mushroom broth floored the dish, turning up the flavours by a few notches.

After that, we enjoyed the Grilled Japanese Squid (SGD$16.80), bathed in tantalising Thai spices sauce, sporting a lovely chewy texture that gives great "mouth-feel". By its side lay the purple shredded cabbage slathered in Thai chilli vinaigrette.

Last but not least, Oatmilk Spinach Tofu (SGD$12.80) - velvety fingers of beancurd and sliced mushrooms luxuriating in the flavourful dark gravy, tasting fantastic and texturized with crispy kale topping.

We also tried their special Nigata Japanese steamed rice in bamboo - Salted Fish Blue Pea Flower Rice with Jinhua Ham (SGD$4.80), too bad the sweetness of the corn overpowered the ham; but the salted fish's umami flavour still broke through nicely.

The Blue Pea Mushroom Rice (SGD$4.80) was more outstanding in taste; redolent of straw mushrooms, and topped with shredded seaweed.

Moving on to desserts, the Nude Honeydew Sago (SGD$6.80) was both refreshing and delicious- honeydew melon balls, sticky peach gum and chewy tapioca sago spheres dressed by rich, chilled, milky coconut gravy.

Next, Brownie with Ice-Cream (SGD$6.80) - moistened chocolately rectangle served with vanilla ice-cream. Nothing mind-blowing, but good comfort dessert that keeps to its quaint normalcy.

Finally, the Tiramisu (SGD$6.80) is a homemade delight served in a glass - a rich medley of espresso soaked sponge fingers, mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, cocoa powder and hints of rum.

Overall verdict of our experience here was definitely worth many shots, enjoyable, and a place worth revisiting time and again.