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WINE&DINE
198
January14
Shabu Shabu
What it is:
Also referred to as steamboat,
shabu
shabu
is a dish of thinly sliced meat boiled in
water. Beef is traditional, but many restaurants now
also offer a selection of pork and chicken slices.
Interestingly, the name is derived from the sound
the meat makes when stirred in the cooking pot.
Where to get it:
Shabu Sai at Orchard Central
6884 6760
What to order:
To begin, you’ll be asked to choose
two soup bases such as the popular
sukiyaki
, a
sweet soy-based soup that really brings out the
flavours of themeat, or the peppery
tonkatsu shoyu
.
Once your hotpot has been filled and switched
on for you, proceed to the buffet to choose your
fresh vegetables, noodles and tofu to accompany
your meat. Then mix your own dipping sauce – a
winning combination is peanut sauce with ginger,
garlic and a spring onion garnish.
All that’s left to do is to cook your meat and
vegetables in your chosen soups, which by this
time will be boiling. Though the lean meat takes
only a moment to cook, you can order ready-made
sushi as an appetiser if you’re too hungry to wait.
Also try:
Shabu Shabu Gen Restaurant at Shaw Centre | 6836 5155
Shabuya at VivoCity | 6377 0070
Yakitori
What it is:
Although traditionally used to describe
Japanese skewered chicken, the word
yakitori
can also refer to skewered food in general.
Kushiyaki
means the same thing, and the terms
are interchangeable, so whichever is used, skewers
will be on the menu.
Where to get it:
Rakuichi inDempseyHill |64742143
What to order:
Rakuichi opened its Dempsey
restaurant following the successful launch of its
flagship outlet in Far East Shopping Centre in
2005, and the chain now has four restaurants.
The Dempsey offering has varied indoor seating,
from bar counter and casual dining to private
rooms, as well as a few tables outside. Its
yakitori
is reasonably priced and popular. Recommended
skewers include the
buta kakuni
(pork belly with
teriyaki
sauce) ($4), foie gras ($8),
negima
, fish
and leek ($6), the slightly spicy
shishito
, green chilli
peppers ($3) and the
enoki
bacon (bacon wrapped
with enoki mushroom) ($4).
The
sumiyakimoiwase
($28) consistsof six skewers
chosen by the chef. These generally include a mix of
squid, pork belly, fish, chicken and vegetables, but the
exact ingredients are determined by what is freshest
and in season. Wash it all down with a cold draft Asahi
beer ($9) or house-pour sake ($10).
Also try:
Aburiyatei in Robertson Quay | 6836 5370
Yakitori Emmau in ION | 6636 7282