Are sashimi, chirashi dons, and sushi maki rolls some of your favourite Japanese treats to indulge in? You probably would need to make a trip down to the nearest heartland mall or town to get them. What if I told you that a kopitiam at Punggol offers those dishes? Yes, you heard me right! Residents of Punggol can head down to Otoko Ten Ten, which is located at Edgedale Plains.
Edgedale Plains is a relatively quiet part of Punggol, located close to Oasis Terraces, which is a small mall located at Oasis LRT station. I’ve visited this coffeeshop a few times before discovering Otoko Ten Ten. With its striking red and white signboard mimicking the colours of the Japanese flag, this humble little stall was opened on 15 January 2022 by 37-year-old David Wong.
I found out from David that he wanted to try selling sashimi and sushi at a coffeeshop and see the response from customers, as some of them may not accept the fact that it’s served in a non air-conditioned environment.
What I tried at Otoko Ten Ten
“Itadakimasu”!, as said by the Japanese before they humbly begin their meals. I kicked off my Japanese journey by trying their Kani Mayo (S$3 for 2) and Salmon & Avocado (S$4 for 2), which are under the Gunkan Sushi section of Otoko Ten Ten’s menu. Upon picking up my order from the stall, I couldn’t help but notice that the ingredients were piling on top— the sushi rice wasn’t visible at all!
I’ve been a fan of kani (imitation crab) sticks since young— popping the Kani Mayo in my mouth was right up my alley. I had to open my mouth wider to consume it in one mouthful shamelessly, and I hope no one noticed! The kani crumbled upon eating it, but I would’ve preferred more mayonnaise as it wasn’t creamy enough for my liking.
The Salmon & Avocado had mini cubes of raw salmon sashimi and three slices of creamy avocado which melted the moment it entered my mouth. I added some soya sauce mixed with wasabi for that shiok feeling to hit me towards the end.
David makes all of his sushi on the spot and nothing is prepared beforehand. I have to give him props for rolling the sushi so well— none of the grains actually fell out while consuming them!
The next item which I was excited about was the crème de la crème of my visit— Chirashi 6 kinds (S$12). The lovely sashimi rice bowl contained two slices of salmon, two slices of tuna, two slices of hamachi (yellow tail), two slices of mekajiki (swordfish), two slices of tako (octopus), one cooked prawn, a bunch of tobiko roe, pickled ginger and wasabi atop a bed of sushi rice at the bottom, which was laden with seaweed strips.
Otoko Ten Ten’s sashimi is served in relatively thick slices. David recommends that you eat them as soon as you receive the order, which ensures the freshness of the raw seafood. The salmon and tuna sashimi were fresh and had a satisfying mouthfeel due to the thick slices. They were enhanced by the mini tobiko roe which provided bursts of umami.
I’ve always experienced a minor allergy whenever I consume a prawn that isn’t fresh, which results in my tongue getting itchy. Otoko Ten Ten’s prawn thankfully didn’t trigger that, and it was naturally sweet and firm to the bite.
The sushi rice, which accompanied the generous sashimi slices provided the perfect base to the fresh seafood slices. It had the perfect ratio of mirin, sugar and vinegar, which resulted in a well-balanced flavour.
As my tummy had additional space, I tried their Unagi Maki (S$12),which came in six pieces. It had a pile of pork floss as garnish with a drizzle of tobiko mayonnaise. The maki roll consists of a piece of unagi, a couple of Japanese cucumber cubes and a piece of tamago (egg) rolled up with seaweed that’s placed within the rice instead of the usual outer layer.
The unagi was flavourful and paired really well with the crunchy cucumbers and pork floss, which gave the maki roll a textural bite. The creamy tobiko mayo was the perfect accompaniment to the Unagi Maki— it really hit the spot for me!
Final thoughts
Otoko Ten Ten at Edgedale Plains isn’t the most accessible place to get to in Punggol. It’s tucked right at the corner facing a big open field and the nearest LRT station is at least an 8 to 10-minute walk away.
This is one of the few kopitiams in Singapore where you can actually enjoy quality sashimi, chirashi bowls, and sushi all under one roof. Though consuming raw food at an open-air place isn’t the most ideal, I’m sure it’s absolutely fine if you spend less time feeding your phone instead of actually enjoying the food— something I’m guilty of myself!
Come make the trip down to Punggol to get quality Japanese food and taste the freshness that Otoko Ten Ten has to offer!
Expected damage: S$8 – S$20 per pax
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Price: $ $
Our Rating: 3.5 / 5
Otoko Ten Ten
660a Edgedale Plains, Food Village 饮食村, Singapore 821660
Otoko Ten Ten
660a Edgedale Plains, Food Village 饮食村, Singapore 821660
