Unfortunately, good Japanese food does come at a price. While there are the myriad Japanese food chains around town that serve up cheap Japanese fare (but oftentimes at the expense of quality), sometimes when that really bad crave for Japanese pops up, all you need is some really solid, authentic Japanese food.
But cheap Japanese food seems somewhat like a dichotomy. Until you discover the Waraku chain of restaurants that is.
While it is not exactly cheap like the abovementioned Japanese food chains you find around town, the price you pay for is definitely reasonable for the quality and portion of food you get. The owner of the Waraku chain himself is a native of Japan, so he brings to his restaurants that extra authentic touch and ensures that the high Japanese service standards are practised in-house too.
The Waraku menu is mind-bogglingly comprehensive, and you won't be faulted for taking too long to make your choice because everything looks marvellously appetising.
One thing I frequently order at Waraku is the Ebiten Maki ($9.80). Served on an elegant long dish, this prawn tempura sushi looks as divine as it tastes. The tempura is fried to an appetising shade of gold and is served with a spot of creamy Japanese mayonnaise and savoury fish roe. The prawns are succulent and taste slightly sweet - testament of its freshness - and paired together with the nicely moist sushi rice, each mouthful is guaranteed to send you to culinary heaven. 4.5/5
Ebiten Maki
Japanese curry is something I have a big weakness for. Not that I dislike the Singaporean version of curry, but sometimes, you just want something less fiery and more subtle. The Katsu Curry ($12.80 for a large portion) at Waraku is perfect on all counts. I would be contented just having the rice - which has a nice chewy texture - together with the mild curry that is altogether sweet, spicy and savoury. However, the real star of the show is the tonkatsu, which remained succulent despite being fried to a tantalising brown. 4.2/5
Katsu Curry
Noodles are another favourite of mine. There is just something about slurping long strands of noodles that makes a meal very satisfying, which is why I ordered the Hiyashi Udon Tempuramori ($14). Before you dismiss this as just your usual udon with tempura, it is only right that you should know Waraku are so stringent about their food standards that even their udon is imported from Japan. The real deal? You bet.
These udon noodles were nothing like I tasted before - its texture was so wonderfully chewy and smooth compared to the flat-tasting udon you get in other restaurants. The dipping sauce was light and not too salty, which complemented the delicate udon well. I liked that the udon came topped with shredded seaweed and bonito flakes (dried smoked fish flakes), as it lent the noodles richness. The mixed tempura (consisting of prawns and vegetables) on the other hand were beautifully done. The batter was light and the ingredients, fresh. With these two essential elements in place, it was difficult for the tempura not to be mouth-wateringly delicious. 4.5/5
Hiyashi Udon Tempuramori
Ever since I discovered Waraku, I have been a frequent patron of the restaurant for the simple fact that it serves up no-nonsense Japanese food at very reasonable prices. The service is excellent as well (The manager of the Katong branch I frequent is Japanese herself), which makes the whole dining experience even more enjoyable. Judging by how the seven year-old Waraku chain runs on full houses on most nights, it seems that many agree with me that Waraku is the place to have authentic Japanese cuisine without having to burn your pocket.
Address:
Waraku (Katong branch): 86 East Coast Road BLK B #01-11/12/13 Katong Village
Open from 11.30am - 11pm (last order 10.30pm) daily
Tel: 6344 8280
Website: http://www.waraku.com.sg/
Other Waraku branches:
Central (Tel: 6327 8860)
Marina Square (Tel: 6883 1123)
East Coast (Tel: 6242 1123)
Orchard (Tel: 6721 1123)
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