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If you have friends around you who are travelling to Japan to catch cherry blossoms in spring, while you’re stuck in Singapore with work or family commitments, don’t sigh and feel left out. Instead, swing by NEX Atrium at level 1, and experience the sights, smells, and atmosphere of Isetan Singapore’s Sakura Matsuri Japanese food fair.
Taking place till 23 Mar 2025, the lively mini food festival features over 25 stalls, boasting a plethora of scrumptious seasonal Japanese delicacies, beloved classics and special items that will charm your inner gourmand.
With empty bellies and eager appetites, we set out to hunt for unique and interesting foods at the Sakura Matsuri fair that called out to us.
Our first stop was at Ijima Shoten, specialising in deep-fried and braised seafood. We skipped the usual fried crab sticks and other common fare, and went straight for the Scallop Glutinous Rice (S$9.50).
With at least 5 plump pieces of scallops. the rice carried a subtle dashi-like flavour and was studded with long beans, crunchy radish bits, and mini braised daikon bits — hearty and delicious!
We were tempted by the golden-brown fried goodies from Nikusho Tanaka that hails from Shizuoka. We were torn between the Mt. Fuji Wagyu Croquette (S$11 for 3) and the Mt. Fuji Wagyu Menchi Katsu (S$16 for 3).
In the end, we settled for the latter and decided to settle for just a single piece at S$6. Filled with minced Wagyu beef and onions, it was bursting with moist, flavourful meat and juicy onions — no regrets at all, soooooo good!
We were intrigued by the fine vermicelli-like strings coming from Stone River, and gave the Chestnut Mont Blanc Cake (S$10) a try.
Garnished with a slice of strawberry, the cake invited us to dig through the fine chestnut purée strands, revealing a soft, marshmallow-like mochi layer beneath. Just as we thought we had uncovered all its surprises, we were hit by the unexpected sponge cake base!
Next, we headed to Tomioka where a range of yaki dango like Seaweed Dango (S$3.50) were beautifully displayed.
Curious about the Zunda Dango (S$3.50), we asked the staff and were surprised to learn that it’s made from sweet edamame — whaaaat?! So, how did it taste? The edamame paste had a delicate balance of sweetness and saltiness, and when paired with the chewy rice dumpling, it made for a unique and delightful bite.
Of course, we had to order some cherry blossom-themed munchies like the Sakura Mochi (S$4) and the Sakura Ohagi (S$4). Both these chewy and sweet works of art are filled with red bean, with the former wrapped in a fragrant Sakura leaf, while the latter was garnished with the flower.
Sotong fans can check out Inaho, known for its Rice-Filled Squid (S$17) — that is, if you don’t mind the slightly steep price.
We also tried some Instagram-worthy sweet treats like the exclusive Matcha and Cherry Blossom Affogato (S$9.50) at Matcha An, that’s limited to 20 per day, and the Strawberry and Matcha Mochi Ice Cream (S$12) at Tokio. Frankly, they only looked pretty and didn’t impress me much.
As for the rest of the offerings, I’ll leave it to you to head down to NEX and discover the Isetan Sakura Matsuri fair for yourself!
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