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In the heart of Tanjong Pagar lies this cosy Japanese restaurant—Bimi Kaiho Restaurant. Located on the second level of International Plaza, this Japanese restaurant is not hard to find.
The shop had a comfortable and heartwarming vibe, creating a conducive environment to hang out after work, especially for CBD folks after a long day of toiling away at their desks.
I sat at the bar counter and was greeted with a row of Japanese spirits. Iichiko shochu is a popular distilled spirit found in Japan, and often goes well with noodles.
Like any other typical Japanese restaurant, hot tea was served. I loved the fact that hojicha was served in substitute of the conventional ocha, which is green tea. The bitterness of the roasted tea helped to cleanse the palate and had a refreshing aftertaste that I truly enjoyed.
I ordered an Udon Dinner Set (S$17), which came with a side of either tempura (shrimp), tonkatsu (pork), yakiniku (beef), tori karaage (fried chicken), or korokke (croquette).
The udon noodles had a springy texture, while the soup had a hint of saltiness. I felt like there was too much dashi in the broth, but that was just my personal preference. Nonetheless, I was not discounting the fact that it was a delicious bowl of udon. For the price point and portion, I would definitely agree it was worth it!
Tempura and udon is a classic pairing in Japanese cuisine. I enjoyed how crisp the tempura batter was, with an even coat around the shrimp. It was neither too salty nor too oily. Definitely get this for your side dish if you are going for the udon set!
To complement the set, the side dish was chanwanmushi. This egg custard dish was more impressive than many other Japanese restaurants as a matter of fact. It had an abundance of mushrooms, pieces of meat, and topped off with kamaboko (japanese fish cake). I loved the hint of umami throughout the egg custard; this was most certainly palatable and satisfactory.
Do note that chanwanmushi is only served while stocks last!
Another set that I had was the Dinner Set (S$23). Every set comes with rice, miso soup, fruits and chanwanmushi. Apart from the customary dishes, there was the choice of selecting two side dishes. Choose amongst the plethora of sides ranging from tonkatsu (pork), saba (mackeral), sashimi (raw fish), yakiniku (beef), tempura (shrimp), and tori karaage (chicken). I love tonkatsu and saba, so I did not have much difficulty choosing.
Tonkatsu, a Japanese-style fried pork cutlet, is often paired with mustard and a Japanese Worcestershire sauce. This tonkatsu had a good layer of breading on the outside. It was a tad dry for my liking, but I did enjoy the evenly cut slices.
The crown jewel of the dish was definitely the saba (mackeral). Saba has a rich and oily mouthfeel, and may be a little fishy for those who are not a fan of strong taste. Add a touch of lemon and pickled grated radish to balance out the fishy aftertaste.
I had many saba in my life, but this dish was definitely mind-blowing. The chef was able to perfect the cook on the fish. Every bite melted in my mouth like butter—satisfying and impressive!
Last but not least, the miso soup. An essential side in Japanese cuisine, the soup had a burst of umami with every slurp.
There were some hits and misses, but without a doubt, a satisfactory meal.
As a die-hard fan of Japanese cuisine, I would recommend you to get the udon set. U-don want to miss out on this value set! For this price point and location, I would definitely return for another meal.
Expected Damage: S$17 – S$23 per pax
