Tendon Ginza Itsuki - Yummylicious and value for money

Tendon Ginza Itsuki is a collaboration of Ramen Keisuke and acclaimed Ginza Itsuki Sushi (mainly selling sushi) restaurant in Japan. It was 8th concept outlet under the Ramen Keisuke brand and was started in 2015.

I was quite doubtful if the name lives up to the hype. However, every time we walked past this place, there is always a long queue for it, so like all Kiasu Singaporeans we wanted to try for ourselves and see if its really that tasty. 

While you are in the queue, the usher will pass you the menu and also take down your order even before you step foot in the premises. 

There is only 2 options from the menu though: Special Tendon or Vegetable Tendon. 

Special tendon comprise of prawns 2 pieces, chicken 2 pieces, half boiled egg, vegetables 4 prices ($13.90). Vegetable tendon is served as pumpkin, shitake mushroom, lotus root, eggplant, 4 other vegetable ($12.90). The price indicated is really very attractive.

Once inside the restaurant, it totally reminds me of dining in japan. The light coloured cabinetry, long bar table and stools where you can see what the chef is doing. Space here is also very tight with a seating of 24 pax (explains the queue). 

We ordered the special tendon set and while waiting, helped ourselves to the pickled vegetables on the table.

At first glance, i thought that this pickled vegetable is going to be very spicy but after eating i realized its not spicy at all. In fact, it was very crunchy and refreshing.

First up is the steamed chawanmushi. I like the taste very much as it is glazed on top with pickled seaweed. There are also mushroom, gingko, naruto and chicken slice within the steamed egg.  I always have the pickled seaweed with porridge when i was young. So this dish brings back fond memories of the taste. Thumbs up for this!

I was literally wowing when the tendon is served. It was nicely topped up with various tempura and drizzled with a homemade sauce. For the vegetable tempura, we are given tempura mushroom, pumpkin, 2 long beans. The chicken breast is so tender and juicy after frying that i wonder if its really chicken. I wonder how they manage to get the chicken so soft and nice. All the tempura is well fried to thin crispiness. The flavours of the tempura mixed with the saurce is both salty and sweet and yet very delicious. The onsen egg with its runny yolk also brings additional flavour and texture to the dish.

This would one of the most satisfying meals i had for a while and what pleases me the most is the price is gentle on the pocket. I will rate this place a high 8/10 for all the positives i listed above.

Currently payment at the restaurant is only by cash so make sure your wallet is full of cash. Ka-ching$$$ As all the frying is done in the dining area, beware that the air is smoky, floors are a tad oily and you smell of the restaurant after leaving the restaurant. 

I tried another Ramen Keisuke restaurant at Orchard Cineleisure which serves Ramen Crab broth but it wasn't a very pleasant experience but that's a story for another day.  

Food tasted: 19 March 2016

Tendon Ginza Itsuki

101 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088522

Tel: 6221 6678
Opening Hours: 

Monday - Sundays: 11.30 am to 2.30 pm, 5.30 pm - 10.00 pm

JF Kanda Wadatsumi - authentic japanese dining in Singapore

What are the chances that 80% of the family members has birthday that falls within the same month? You may think the odds are low, but so happen that my husband, myself, sister and brother-in-law birthdays fall within a few days of each other. This year, as part of the birthday celebration, we are dining at Kanda Wadatsumi.

This shop is a member of Japan National Federation of Fishing Association. All its fishes are all freshly imported from Japan. Waygu beef is also come from Japanese Agricultural Cooperatives. They import different fish from all over Japan at the peak of the season. As the produce are seasonal, the menu will constantly be updated with the latest offerings.

Coincidentally, the ladies decide to have the sashimi course (S$80) while the gentleman orders the sushi course (S$88). The course comes with appetiser, salad, seasonal dish, sashimi or sushi, white rice, miso soup and dessert. 





Octopus with white cabbage

Rated: 6/10

The octopus is chewy and tender. I like the light flavours of this dish.
Sesame sauce tossed salad topped with seaweed

Rated: 6/10

Next up is fresh salad tossed in sesame sauce topped with crunchy seaweed. Its also light on the palate.
 
Fish skin with grated white carrot

Rated: 7/10

This dish is really special, its has a very unique texture like collagen/jelly. It is so tender that it literally melts in your mouth. If not for the waitress's introduction, i wouldn't be able to tell what it is.

Tempura bamboo shoot

Rated: 7/10

This is also another dish that is spot on. The layer of flour is so thin and fried to perfection. The shoot is fresh and crunchy with the crispy flour.  total bliss!

Teriyaki Sea bream with pickle.

Rated: 6.5/10

The seam bream is grilled to a tad dry. The teriyaki sauce spread is adequate for my light taste buds but my SO would prefer a more flavourful teriyaki sauce. The picked radish is sour but when paired with zest of lemon is very refreshing and fragrant. I was quite piqued by the red shoot. Upon eating, it tastes exactly like pickled ginger and subsequently discover on the internet that it is actually the flower of ginger.

Sashimi main course

Rated: 8.5/10

The sashimi served tonight are scallops, sea urchin, octopus, sea bream, agi, fatty tuna(otoro), salmon, tuna. The scallop is very sweet and succulent. The octopus is complemented with lightly spiced fish roe. Texture-wise is chewy but tender. Aki has a very distinctive taste. The most heavenly is the fatty tuna which simply melts in your mouth. And the sea urchin that is so so sweet and fresh. This sashimi platter is immensely satisfying. In truth, I never had this quality of sashimi outside of japan.That's how good this place is.
 
Sushi main course

I didn't eat taste the sushi so unable to comment much on it, except the favourites of SO are sea urchin sushi and the fatty tuna. My brother in law prefers the noduguro. According to him its a very high class fish in japan. Its rare and is only found in Japan, Southern Korea and East China Sea and its notably more difficult to catch this fish nowadays making it an even more must try!

Waygu

Rated: 7/10 for the quality but not for the way its cooked.
 
The waygu beef (S$48) is definitely of superb quality. The meat is well marbled and melts in your mouth. I would have preferred it to be cook as a steak instead of simmering it the sauce. For a meat so fine, its seems like a waste as it can simply stand out on its own without the marinate. 
 
Tempura

Rated: 6/10

The tempura (S$22 for vegetables +S$20 for tempura prawn) is well fried and ingredients are fresh but is typical tempura fare. 
 
Ocha Tiramisu

The cake has a thin sponge and topped with mousse. What makes this dessert stand out is the sprinkle of green tea which is extremely fragrant and complements with cake. 
 
While it feels like we are dining in a top-class restaurant, dress code is casual and the atmosphere of the place is very relaxed. 

I will definitely go for the sashimi again as its one of the rare places which serve really good quality sashimi at relatively fair prices.

Food tasted: 13 Feb 2016

Kanda Wadatsumi
50 Tras Street
Singapore 078989 

Opening Hours: 
Mon - Saturdays:11am to 3pm, 6 pm to 11pm
Tel: 6221 6264