WATAMI JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Call me biased and what not but I’ve got to tell you, it’s not that I’ve run out of places to advertise! It’s just that this was a request made by a close friend I couldn’t deny. There you have it, my reason for dedicating yet another post on Japanese eateries in Singapore. Doesn’t the food look delicious? (Forgive me if it doesn’t, I got my very first complaint on my pictures being a little on the blur side. Working on it!) Without further ado, let’s begin with our look into this other Japanese diner.

I’ll be honest, this was a family meal which I remembered distinctly was my choice of a Saturday night dinner. Watami at Ion was only slightly crowded when we arrived but got really packed as we took our seats. (NOTE: They didn’t allow a phone reservation for me. Explained it as not allowing reservations for that particular time. Weird huh?) Anyways, it wasn’t my first time there… Having already been there once in the past year. So it was time for some Japanese style munchin’ !! AMBIANCE: Watami Japanese restaurant boasts a very delicate design catered very much to suit the Japanese stylings with a modern touch. Wood pieces placed in a similar way like those of spa houses in Japan. 

Our Orders: Starting from the top, we ordered the Mentai Tamago Yaki, Saba Shioyaki, Ebi Tempura with Sushi, Unagi Steamed Mountain Rice and finally the Mountain Rice Una Donburi.  

The Mentai Tamago Yaki is actually Salmon Roe wrapped in a grill-styled egg. Basically a combination of 2 different types of eggs in one bite-size package. With every bite the succulent juices of the egg mix well with the salmon roe to entice your taste buds as they tingle from the perfect unison. Be sure to also have this with a spot of chopped radish served together with it to bring out an additional flavour. Like bread to butter, rice to meats(sauces).. the radish is the dish’s stand-alone carbohydrate counterpart although it is not a carb. This dish is a must try, it cannot be missed!

The next dish is the Saba Shioyaki. Like the Mentai Tamago Yaki, they share the words “yaki” behind the dish’s name. Did you ever notice this word popping up very often? Well the word “yaki” actually means “grilled” like on the grill, “grilled”. If you ever see the word “yaki” it means “grilled”… REMEMBER THAT! So let’s break the name “Saba Shio-yaki” down to… Saba fish grilled the salt style. “Saba” being the name of the fish and “shio” representing salt (you will see this word in ramen stores as well alongside, miso and shoyu as the description of soup base). 

Now, the Saba Shioyaki here didn’t really fit the awesome bill for me as it was quite dry and missed out on the juicy factor it should have. It lacked the WOW factor and passed off as an average fish dish in my honest opinion. I wouldn’t recommend it but I wouldn’t not recommend it either. It’s just a normal passable dish to me on the dinner table, nothing to be very taken aback by. My taste buds did not really want more from this dish, that was for sure. A sad loss nonetheless but I’d give a thumbs up to their fresh chopped radish to the side.FYI: I don’t usually eat radish, I only eat it as its chopped form as a garnish to other foods so I’m saying something here. *hint hint* that Watami’s radish supply is fresh and delicious.

Now, here we have the Ebi Tempura which is popular amongst Singaporeans and coming together with my sushi platter even. I won’t be elaborating much on their sushi-s here because they’re pretty average on a scale as compared to the other Japanese restaurants I’ve been to. The Ebi Tempura is also not very fantastic but of course on a passable scale much higher than the Saba shioyaki. This is a dish you would want to try for the crunchiness of the prawn.

Yes people, Ebi Tempura must come with a crunchy prawn very nicely separated from the deep-fried flour overcoat (which is the meaning behind Tempura. Ebi means prawn while Tempura is the description for the cooking style of deep-fried flour overcoating). Watami would not be the best place to get your tempura but it passes on my scale for the clean separation of the prawns from the flour. The review seems like it’s going down for Watami isn’t it? I’m sorry I’ve tasted better… then. 

Well if you think you’ve just dropped all your interest for Watami as your next family meal or whatever meal destination… You should really hear this out. Now Watami at Ion does not actually boast a wide array of “Don-buri”s as compared to other Japanese restaurants like Sushi Tei and all. Most of their menu comes independent of rice in a sizable proportion to its main dishes. However, I did spot this wild mountain rice unagi claypot set. This one… was how do I put it… Alright let’s give it to the gamers’ community, GOD-LIKE. 

The set, comes with the mountain rice in the age-old claypot style cooking. Heated slowly under a supposed “charcoal” flame, the claypot wild mountain rice contains mushrooms and other vegetables grown on the mountains. Like the mountain folk of Japan, the dish is brought before you in this comfy air-conditioned restaurant. The unagi comes separate, already grilled lightly before hand and need only be placed within the confines of the claypot atop the wild mountain rice. It brought me into character, like them mountain folk cooking his meal over the small charcoal stove. 

The Unagi(eel) is heated within the confines of the “pot” and melds well with the rice, giving rise to a blend which brings warmth to the heart! Please blow over it if it’s too hot and don’t gulp it down!! Anyways, every mouth brings you closer to the beautiful old town Japan like a little essence of it seeps right into every grain of it. Simply magical. Definitely a big thumbs up for me!! MUST NOT MISS!!

Who can have a meal without completing it with a dessert? Thus here it is, a mix of matcha(green tea) waffles with a nice chocolate coated vanilla ice cream balls akin to Pino(refer to picture below). Tasting exquisitely delicious with its perfect crunch of  the crust, the waffled matcha ice cream is a good way to end the otherwise heavily grilled/fried meal before. Exceptionally brilliant. :)

This, people is Pino. A very tasty Japanese vanilla inside with a chocolate coating. Tastes awesome! Make sure to Get it! :)

Overall Review: Here comes … *drumrolls* my verdict! Well, I wouldn’t place it as excellent on the high side since I’m the extremely picky and particular. Watami earns a nice and average 6.5/10 for me. They have a nice array of different dishes but I would definitely want to see more rice sets.. blame it on me being asian. So much for it being a Japanese restaurant as well. I did remember my mum ordering an extra portion of rice for the food being just weird absent of rice. The rice quality is passable as a California rice brand but it needs to pay more attention to its roots. Get Japanese rice please! Anyhow, don’t be disheartened readers .. if you’ve made your mind up to try this place please do so. They offer loads of attractive set meals for lunches and sorts so it’s an ease on the wallet in the middle of money-demanding town!

Neither did I criticize on the food being bad now did I? Well, with that set in the back of my pocket. It’s time to get up off your seats and head on down there right? It’s easily accessible and of course should not be missed even amongst many other restaurant choices as its neighbours. Service is good and I might say their tea is delicious with the accompaniment of its sushi platter. So knock yourselves out at this place if you’re not so much into rice and just love its set meals of affordable and of course passable Japanese food standards. Please be advised, this has been reviewed by a Japanese who has tasted Japanese home cooking in and out of Japan and even restaurant standards from the country itself. If I say it’s passable, it’s definitely a place to patronize the food here because I wouldn’t even want to start on which Japanese restaurants are bad in our dear Singapore. More than my fingers and toes put together that’s for sure. Watami, Fight on! :)

Address: 

2 Orchard Turn, #B3-23 ION Orchard, Singapore

Tel: +65 6509 9366

F.Y.I: There are more than one Watami outlets in Singapore. This is merely a review on the outlet at Ion Orchard. Much like my other reviews(unless mentioned), they have been from their specific joints. Food standards may vary from place to place. Although, that’s really not good but forgive franchising and you don’t expect the chef to be mechanical + in 2 places at one time, do you? 

Till next time then everyone, 

"wash your hands before you eat!"