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Another food spot has landed at VivoCity, hooray! This time, it’s Hikiniku To Come, which translates to ‘minced meat with rice’.
Hikiniku To Come takes pride in its freshly grilled hamburger steaks and round-the-counter seating arrangement. With diners seated around a central grill station, they can witness the chefs at work and have their steaks delivered as soon as they are cooked.
The restaurant originated in Japan in 2020 and has since expanded worldwide. Today, it has 4 stores in Japan and 15 additional outlets spread across other Asian countries, including China, South Korea, and Taiwan. The opening at VivoCity marks its 16th overseas outlet and debut in Singapore.
What to order at Hikiniku To Come
At Hikiniku To Come, there is only 1 main dish: The Hikiniku To Come Set (S$27.90++). It comes with up to 3 freshly grilled hamburger steaks, 1 miso soup, 1 raw egg and rice with free refills.
The chefs encourage us to eat the hamburger steak in 3 different ways, so I decided to try it out!
I had my first patty without any toppings to savour the authentic flavours of the meat. Grilled to a beautiful brown colour with a layer of oil, the thick patty looked appetising!
I lifted the steak from the metal, and a trail of smoke emerged with it. When I cut the meat, juice burst out from within, and the meat was warm and comforting. Despite the juiciness of the meat, the patty wasn’t too oily.
While minced meat with rice sounds like a simple dish, the charred aroma of the patty made the dish taste more special than the typical hamburger steak. The soft, tender beef was also fresh and won my heart over.
After I had devoured the first patty, it was time for the second one. The meat came with a plate of grated radish and a bottle of ponzu sauce. I inspected the seemingly plain toppings, wondering whether they would go well together.
The combination of radish, ponzu sauce and steak exceeded my expectations. With a drizzle of ponzu sauce, the charred and meaty flavour of the patty inherited a citrusy, fermented edge.
I enjoy vinegar, and the taste was magical to me. I took my time savouring the patty and rice while pouring more and more ponzu sauce. By the time I finished the patty, ⅓ of the ponzu sauce bottle was empty!
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Finally, it was time for the third patty. We were asked to add a raw egg and challenged to make it stay on top of the patty.
For this, we were given 2 tips. First, cut the beef steak to create an opening for the egg to rest on. Next, separate the egg white and egg yolk before carefully pouring the egg yolk onto the meat, so that it doesn’t slide onto the rice.
Although the challenge didn’t go well for us, we enjoyed the resulting texture of the patty and egg. The egg adds a slick, gelatinous coating to the patty, giving it a silky mouthfeel. The rice also became more sticky and velvety.
Nevertheless, I still preferred the second version for its fermented flavour. Everyone has different preferences, so you could try out all 3 and decide which is your favourite.
Besides the main, we also tried 2 side dishes, the first being Raw Kimchi (S$7.90++). While it sounds like your typical Korean fare, it isn’t! Here, the crunchy vegetables are served fresh instead of fermented, so they don’t come with that characteristic sour, acidic taste.
Meanwhile, the Potato Salad with Minced Meat (S$7.90++) comes with cucumber and onion that bring a satisfying crunch to your mouth. The ingredients are also mixed evenly, and their coldness leaves you feeling refreshed.
If you’re looking for a beverage to go with your drink, consider the Hikiniku Craft Ginger Soda (S$4.90++). Personally, I’m not a fan of soda or ginger, so the drink wasn’t for me. However, if you enjoy soda, you’ll enjoy its strong fizziness.
Paired with the distinct ginger taste, the drink wakes you up the moment you sip it. But don’t gulp down too much of it at one go or it’ll leave your throat burning for some time.
Who Hikiniku To Come is best for
Hikiniku To Come is best if you’re seeking a taste of fresh meat delivered straight from the grill. With the meat cooked in front of you, you’ll get to see fresh Japanese beef grilled to perfection.
How to get to Hikiniku To Come
The nearest MRT station to Hikiniku To Come is HarbourFront (NE1/CC29). Head for Exit C or Exit E, and walk about 4 minutes to #01-102/103.
Do we recommend Hikiniku To Come?
Definitely! Even if you’re not a huge fan of meat, the patties are so good that you will keep coming back for more. It’s no wonder that the brand is so popular in Japan!
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