Hideki: Hidden gem Woodlands hawker with incredible flame-seared Japanese fusion bowls

When I first saw pictures of Hideki’s gorgeous donburi dishes, I was surprised to learn that this eatery was not a restaurant, but instead a humble hawker stall. With the beautiful visuals of each dish and premium ingredients, I was immediately drawn to try out their offerings.

hidek- storefront

Hideki was previously located in Yishun Park Hawker Centre, but moved out to their new location in 785E Woodlands Rise. They also have an outlet at 63 Kallang Bahru, for Easties to enjoy their dishes.

You’ll spot Hideki when you look out for its bright white-coloured sign showcasing its fusion Japanese bowls. Their proteins are marinated for up to 48 hours and cooked sous vide for up to 12 hours, allowing them to be both tender and flavourful.

hideki - aburi bowls

Hideki stands out from other Japanese hawkers for multiple reasons. For starters, diners are spoilt for choice as they can customise their own bowls, choosing their preferred proteins, sides and bases. Plus, each protein is cooked aburi-style by being flame-seared with a blowtorch. After the whole bowl has been assembled, the sauce atop the bowl is also blowtorched for an extra charred aroma.

After witnessing the intricate process of crafting a donburi, I was excited to dig into the delicious bowls.

What I tried at Hideki

hideki - dishes

The process of ordering a Hideki bowl goes like this: Diners select their choice of protein, which  includes selections such as Wagyu steak, unagi, ni hotate kushiyaki (skewered scallops) and pork belly. Then, they choose from 4 bases: Japanese Rice, Soba Noodles, Linguine Aglio Olio and Garden Salad. Finally, they get to pick 2 sides from a vast array of options. 

Those who order the Hideki Aburi Bowls also get to add a sauce, such as Truffle Shoyu and Mentaiko Mayo!

hideki - Tori Kushiyaki Don

I first tried the Tori Kushiyaki Don (S$6.80), which came with 3 sticks of skewered chicken and the sides of Lok Lok Broccoli and Salted Mushrooms. The skewered chicken had been beautifully marinated and drizzled in a sweet teriyaki sauce, giving it a tantalising golden brown hue.

hideki - Tori Kushiyaki Don

I loved how tender and juicy the chicken meat was, and its sweetness was perfectly balanced by the fluffy Japanese rice and salted mushrooms. 

The Lok Lok Broccoli was a huge surprise. Instead of being boiled or stir-fried, the broccoli was deep-fried, giving it a delightfully crispy texture. The liberal amount of seasoning amped up the intense flavours of the side, and I was incredibly impressed at how Hideki turned such a simple vegetable into something so addictive and delicious.

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hideki - Aburi Pork Belly Don

The Aburi Pork Belly Don (S$7.80) was my favourite dish of the day. The bowl of rice was topped with slices of aburi pork belly drizzled with Umami Mayo and had been paired with Fluffy Tamago and an Onsen Egg as its sides.

hideki - Aburi Pork Belly Don

The aburi pork belly was absolutely outstanding. The meat slices were juicy and tender with the perfect ratio of meat to fat. Each piece of pork melted in my mouth, and I was obsessed with the fragrant charred aroma it gave off. Plus, the addition of the savoury Umami Mayo made this dish all the more flavourful.

hideki - onsen egg

The Onsen Egg had been cooked perfectly with a jiggly and runny texture, making the underlying rice creamier and richer. The Fluffy Tamago, on the other hand, was soft and sweet, wonderfully juxtaposing the salty, umami flavours of the other elements.

hideki - ebi mentai don

Hideki’s Ebi Mentai Don (S$8.80) is a dish for the shellfish lovers. This bowl came topped with 3 prawns, and we had this paired with the sides of Kani Salad and Potato Salad

Unlike the other bowls, which had been served with Japanese rice, we tried the Linguine Aglio Olio base for this don.

hideki - ebi mentai don

Like all the other proteins, the prawns had been blowtorched, and were topped with a generous amount of seared Mentaiko Mayo.

hideki - ebi mentai don

The prawns were tender and fresh, with the Mentaiko Mayo enhancing the subtle seafood aroma of the dish. 

As for the sides, the Kani Salad was refreshing and had a light sweet and savoury taste. The Potato Salad, on the other hand, was chunky and fresh. Compared to other potato salads, it was less creamy and rich, making it less heavy on the palate.

hideki - linguine aglio olio

I must say that I really enjoyed the Linguine Aglio Olio. The linguine, which had been stir-fried in an aromatic garlic and oil combination, had a nice firm and al dente texture. I could taste the fragrance of the garlic in every bite, and loved how well it paired with the prawns.

I would recommend picking the Linguine Aglio Olio as your base if you’re as big of a pasta fan as me!

hideki - Aburi Salmon Belly Mentai Don
Finally, we closed off our meal with Hideki’s Aburi Salmon Belly Mentai Don (S$10.80), featuring cubes of salmon and paired with Chuka Wakame and Sweet Corn as its sides.

hideki - aburi salmon belly

The fresh cubes of salmon had been flame-seared and topped with Mentaiko Mayo, and just like the Ebi Mentai Don, the creamy mayo was blowtorched for a few seconds. 

hideki - salmon belly

The results revealed tender and juicy salmon cubes which were slightly pink and glistened in the light. The richness of the Mentaiko Mayo was the perfect pairing for the salmon, while the Chuka Wakame was lightly savoury with a hint of saltiness that made it both refreshing and tasty to consume. The Sweet Corn was juicy and paired well with the more intense flavours of the salmon.

Final thoughts

hideki - dishes

Hideki blew me away and surpassed all my expectations with their incredible donburi. Every single element that I savoured was incredible, and I was utterly impressed at how each protein and side had its own unique qualities and flavours to cater to different taste buds. 

With such creative items on their menu and relatively affordable prices, these dishes are good enough to be presented in a restaurant. Believe me when I say that Hideki is a spot that I would most certainly return to in the future! 

Expected damage: S$6.80 – S$16.80 per pax

* This post was brought to you in partnership with Hideki.

Suk’s Thai Kitchen: Authentic Thai with modern decor & standout dishes in the heartlands of Singapore

Price: $

Our Rating: 5 / 5

Hideki

785E Woodlands Rise, #01-16, Singapore 735785

Price
Our Rating 5/5

Hideki

785E Woodlands Rise, #01-16, Singapore 735785

Telephone: +65 8946 6785
Operating Hours: 11am - 9pm (Daily)
Telephone: +65 8946 6785

Operating Hours: 11am - 9pm (Daily)
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