Punggol and Sengkang residents craving Japanese food can now experience Isetan’s Hanabi Matsuri Japanese food fair, making its debut at Waterway Point.
From 25 Jun to 7 Jul 2024, dive into a smorgasbord of flavours at the fair featuring over 30 stalls consisting of new and existing vendors. They offer everything from street eats and hearty mains to desserts.
We checked out Itadakimasu, one of the new additions. The Shirasu Baby Sardine Rice Bowl (S$12) was simplicity at its best. It featured soft baby sardines (or white bait) resting atop a fluffy bed of steamed rice. Each bite offered delicate, savoury goodness, perfectly complemented by finely-sliced shiso leaves, which added a touch of aromatic floral notes.
For ice-cold enjoyment, swing by Coco Gelato which offers 16 flavours of bona fide Japanese Gelato (S$6 for single, S$9 for double, S$11 for triple), with Premium flavours costing S$1 more.
You can even take home mini 90ml gelato cups, complete with a cooler bag and ice, priced from S$6 a cup to S$40 for 8 cups.
Sorry to say, but flavours like yuzu are so passé to me. When I spotted Amanatsu Orange, I was instantly captivated. Its fragrance combined with the bitterness of grapefruit made it a sophisticated treat, perfect for grown-ups but likely too much for kids to appreciate.
Coffee lovers will swoon over the robustness of the Cafe Au Lait while the Green Tea was perfectly earthy and fragrant.
Head over to Rubicon for a delightful Roast Beef Sandwich (S$8.50) treat. The beef is sourced from Hokkaido and it boasts a remarkable flavour and luscious texture.
The sandwich was fragrant and buttery, and I really enjoyed the simplicity of the ingredients which allowed the beef to steal the spotlight.
One of my favourite stalls has got to be Nakayama Shokuhin. It sells a range of takoyaki (S$9 for 6 pieces) in flavours like Cheese, Spring Onion, Original and Mentaiko Mayo.
The Spring Onion blew my mind with its soft, fluffy texture, tender octopus, and the refreshing kick of spring onions and mayo on top— it’s been a while since I had such phenomenal takopachi.
Frankly, I didn’t have high expectations for the Omusoba (S$10), as the ones I usually eat from Don Don Donki are alright, but don’t leave an impression.
Much to my surprise, the noodles had a decent flavour, and when paired with the creamy egg and umami-rich bonito flakes— voila! A truly tasty meal.
To get the Hanabi Matsuri Japanese food fair, simply head towards the Village Square at West Wing on level 1. And if you happen to spot me over the weekend, don’t be shy— come say hi!
Here are the operational hours:
- Sun to Thu: 10.30am – 9pm
- Fri & Sat: 10.30am – 9.30pm
- Last day: 10.30am – 7pm
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