LEKEI RAMEN FROM MACHIDA SHOTEN (#04-40)

Lekei ramen translates to mean “house-style”, but the noodles are actually cooked according 
to diners’ preferences, like how mum would prepare a comforting bowl at home. The slightly thick and flat Yokohama-style yellow noodles can be had in either a tonkotsu or shoyu stock, with spicy miso and shio options. And if that doesn’t fill you up, a bowl of rice is served to mop up the remaining soup. It is recommended you start with the ton-kotsu shoyu ramen (S$13).

GRILLED MEGA TORO-SABA FROM SABAR (#04-50)

What better way to savour this restaurant’s speciality than to have a whole mackerel (S$38, or S$20 for half). You might even want to have it with some assorted toro-saba sushi (S$22), comprising two pieces each of marinated toro-saba sushi, toro-saba sushi with konbu and grilled mackerel sushi. The brand started in 2014 in Osaka and has 12 outlets in Japan. And if you are wondering about the number 38 (which sounds like saba in Japanese) in the branding, it is also reflected in the number of seats and dishes available, as well as the length (38cm) of the saba served.

SUSHI SET FROM SUSHI TAKEWAKA (#04-43)

Takewaka’s first shop started about 28 years ago in Tsukiji market. It is safe to say the chef knows quite a bit about ensuring only the freshest and best quality seafood is used to prepare its Edo-style sushi. The sushi set (from S$13) comprises an eight-piece mix of nigiri and maki, miso soup, chawanmushi and a dessert, which is pretty good value.

KAISENDON FROM TEMPURA TSUKIJI TENKA (#04-42)

This outlet is run by graduates of the Tokyo Sushi Academy, Japan’s top traditional culinary institution, and is the first restaurant the academy is opening in Singapore. It specialises in tempura and donburi. Recommended one-bowl meals include the kaisendon (S$24.80) and the tendon (S$19.80) for obvious reasons. There is also a sea eel tendon (S$26.80) and assorted tempura (S$26.80), as well as the seasonal vegetable tendon (S$19.80) if you’re looking for something lighter.

SOYA MILK CHICKEN SOBA FROM YOMODA SOBA (#04-53)

This casual soba restaurant draws long queues at its Tokyo outlet. It’s where locals and celebrities alike come for freshly-made quality soba, which is surprisingly affordable too. Aside from the recommended soy chicken soba (S$22), alternatives worth considering are the Kate Soba (S$10.80) and the Hote Pork Nanban Soba (S$16).

DASSAI 23 SAKE FROM DASSAI BAR (#04-52)

The brewery is known for its premium sake, made with rice that has 50 per cent of more of its outer portion milled away for a cleaner and more elegant flavour profile. And if you are looking to have some of the sake that Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gifted US President Barack Obama, the brewery flagship Dassai 23 Jyunmai Daigin Jyo can be had by the glass (S$25 for 90ml) or by the bottle (S$194 for 720ml). A Dassai 23 Centrifuge (which boasts an even purer taste) is also available (S$38 for 90ml and S$298 for 720ml)