CURRY IS DRINK
At this Japanese restaurant, when you order a curry combo meal, you get your curry served in a cup.
Hence the name "Curry Is Drink", because you can actually slurp the curry down as a soup instead of using it as gravy over rice or udon.
Besides getting curry served in cups, this is a fairly straightforward Japanese curry joint where one can get all kinds of deep fried meat, seafood and vegetables.
There is a fair degree of customisation. For example, you can choose between two types of curry sauce (original Japanese curry or black curry) and the level of heat (five levels from original to fiery).
The combo sets are good value (lunch: $13.90++; dinner: $14.90++), coming with a side of shredded cabbage, crispy fried onions and a variety of toppings including raisins .
Mains are panko-crusted deep-fried pork, chicken, prawn or fish .
Besides the combo rice sets, the concept also features curry udon sets and kids' meals ($8.90++) that come with a non-spicy curry sauce served in a cup.
Curry Is Drink is opened by Japan Foods, one of the leading F&B groups in Singapore specialising in Japanese cuisine, that also runs Fruit Paradise, which sells fruit tarts, and Ginza Kushi-Katsu, which specialises in deep-fried meat and vegetable skewers.
Where: B1-32 Changi City Point, 5 Changi Business Park Central 1
Open: 11.30am to 10pm daily
Info: Call 6444-0911, e-mail feedback@ajisen.com.sg or go to facebook.com/curryisdrinksg
LOCAL RESTAURANT & BAR
The casual all-day dining menu at this new resto-bar matches its venue: the contemporary mid-range hotel 30 Bencoolen.
Helmed by award-winning executive chef Elvin Chew, it presents a menu that goes back to basics but uses unconventional ingredients and creative dips.
One of its signature dishes is Local Nasi Lemak ($16.90++). Coconut rice is served with free-range chicken rendang, housemade sambal egg, pickled achar, crackers, peanuts and ikan bilis.
The Eight-Hour Braised Beef Cheek Bowl ($22.90++) consists of braised Angus beef cheek on steamed Japanese rice with pickled daikon, bacon, sous vide egg, wild mushrooms and beef jus.
The Crispy Fish & Chips with Thai Chili Mayo Dip ($16.90++) comprises golden brown battered white fish fillet served with French fries, Asian coleslaw, lemon and Thai chilli mayonnaise dip.
Other signature dishes include Asian Vongole ($19.90++), Imperial Chicken Sandwich ($16.90++), Salted Egg Tempura Don ($18.90++), the 30 Ben Beef Burger ($19.90++) and the Local Celebration Platter ($26.90++) comprising truffle fries, spring roll, spam fries, har cheong chicken wings and calamari rings.
Guests can also enjoy gourmet coffees or chilled wines in the lounge bar, or try out Local Freeze, its signature mocktail.
Where: First level, 30 Bencoolen Street
Open: Noon to 2.30pm and 6.30 to 9.30pm daily
Info: Call 6550-9516, e-mail reservations@30bencoolen.com.sg or go to facebook.com/30bencoolen
TENDON KOHAKU
Popular tendon restaurant Tendon Kohaku is opening a new outlet at Chinatown Point on Tuesday, adding to its other locations at Suntec City, Boat Quay and Changi Airport Terminal 2. It seats 44 people and has a private cosy corner that can host 12 to 14 diners.
It is well-known for serving edomae tendon, which refers to tempura on rice served since the Edo (the old name of Tokyo) period.
The menu offers different tempura options, from vegetables to shrimp and seafood. Each piece of tempura boasts a crispy exterior, as it is fried in a blend of high-grade sesame oil and cooking oil.
Drenching the tempura is Tendon Kohaku's secret housemade sauce, which is available in three flavours now.
Besides the Original Special Sauce, there is Black Sugar and, to cater to Singaporeans' love for spicy food, a spicy rendition: Kohaku Tendon Spicy Flavour. In future, the Chinatown outlet will serve a Special Wasabi Sauce.
The price for each bowl of tendon is between $14 and $23.
The restaurant uses anatsuboshi rice imported from Hokkaido. It also uses a special Japaneseimported "water deep fryer" - all of the oil in the fryer is actually swirling directly atop a layer of water - to ensure that the oil is kept clean and fresh even after repeated frying.
Tendon Kohaku is brought in by Kings Know Inc, which manages more than 20 F&B brands in Japan.
Where: 02-34 Chinatown Point, 133 New Bridge Road
Open: 11.30am to 4pm, 5 to 10pm daily
Info: Call 6443-4355, go to facebook.com/tendonkohaku.ctp
• Opening a restaurant? Send the details to stlife@sph.com.sg
