1 SHABURI & KINTAN BUFFET
Two popular Japanese dining concepts come under one roof at Shaburi & Kintan, which opens on Thursday.
At Shaburi, diners get a personal shabu shabu hotpot (photo 1) and can order an a la carte meat plate set menu(from $12.80, only weekday lunch) or go for buffet options (from $19.80 for lunch, from $24.80 for dinner).
Soup base choices include konbu; sukiyaki; paitan collagen soup, which is brewed with chicken bones, leeks and other herbs for more than six hours; paitan karamiso (spicy miso chicken soup) and tonyu miso (soya milk miso soup).
Over at the Kintan yakiniku buffet, prices start at $22.80 for lunch and $27.80 for dinner.
Side dishes and vegetables are also available.
After grilling the meats, which are from Australia or the United States, dip them into the selection of sauces, which includes a special cheese curry dip.
Shaburi & Kintan Buffet is run by restaurant group Dining Innovation Asia-Pacific, which also manages Sumire Yakitori House at Bugis Junction.
Where: Jem, 50 Jurong Gateway Road, 03-11/12
Open: 11.30am to 10pm daily
Info: Call 6262-4329 or go to www.facebook.com/shaburiandkintan
2 CAFE&MEAL MUJI AT RAFFLES CITY
The second Cafe&Meal Muji has opened at Raffles City, together with the Japanese lifestyle store's 10th outlet here.
The 70-seat cafe's menu features new dishes, such as the exclusive chicken nanban donburi ($14.90, photo 2), with 10-grain rice and chicken nanban in tartar sauce, topped with avocado, mesclun salad, fresh cherry tomatoes and daikon sprouts.
New items from the hot deli ($4.80 a dish, a la carte) include baked salmon with miso sauce and roasted sakura chicken with sesame crust, while the cold deli items ($2.80 a dish, a la carte) include baked sweet potato cake and salad with sakura chicken and mixed beans.
The "Japanese style" set ($7.80) consists of minced chicken, one cold deli item, white rice, onsen egg and miso soup.
The "Western style" set ($7.80) comprises minced chicken, one cold deli item, bread, hijiki (a Japanese seaweed) and cream of pumpkin and carrot soup.
Available too is the signature dish -Muji butter chicken curry with sakura chicken and vegetables ($14.90 with white or 10-grain rice).
New desserts include yuzu Swiss roll ($6.90).
Where: 252 North Bridge Road, Raffles City Shopping Centre, 02-020/20A/22
Open: 10am to 10pm daily
Info: Call 6264-4189
3 DOODLES
With customisable salad and rice bowls the rage for a convenient and quick meal, cold noodles could be the next big do-it-yourself concept.
At Doodles, in the revamped Tiong Bahru Plaza, pick from three types of noodles- angel hair pasta (photo 3), Korean naengmyeon noodles or fusili pasta.
Then, choose from 40 toppings such as quail egg, smoked duck breast, Thai basil pork, crystal shrimp, smoked salmon, spicy Thai pacific clam and jellyfish.
Finally, select a sauce. Options include truffle XO, garlic and spicy.
All the ingredients are placed in a resealable bag, which makes it easy to mix everything up with the dressing, while keeping everything fresh.
A basic noodle set starts at $4, with additional top-up options available, along with cold-pressed juices ($4).
Where: Tiong Bahru Plaza, 302 Tiong Bahru Road, B1-111
Open: 11am to 9.30pm daily
Info: Call 6702-4311 or go to www.facebook.com/doodles.sg
4 AJOOMMA KOREAN DESSERT CAFE
The craze for bingsu-Korean shaved ice dessert- is still going strong.
The newest kid on the block is Ajoomma Korean Dessert Cafe in Holland Village, which serves bingsu, toast and waffles.
Menu highlights include patbingsu ($12.90), cheesecake bingsu ($14.90), black sesame bingsu ($18.90), choco banana bingsu ($14.90, photo 4), honey butter toast ($8.90) and banana Nutella toast ($9.90).
Waffle options include honey green tea on buttermilk waffle ($9.90) and vanilla strawberry on bamboo charcoal waffle ($13.90).
Add $3 for a scoop of ice cream. The cafe also sells coffee and tea as well as soju ($22) and makgeolli ($22).
Where: 36 Lorong Mambong, Holland Village
Open: 2 to 11pm (Monday to Thursday), 2pm to 1am (Friday and eve of public holiday), noon to 1am (Saturday) and noon to 11pm (Sunday and public holiday)
Info: Call 6816-2996 or go to www.facebook.com/Ajoomma.KDC
5 HENRI CHARPENTIER AT ORCHARD CENTRAL
If Japanese dessert restaurant Henri Charpentier in Dempsey Road is out of the way for those who do not drive, head to its new branch, which is located in Orchard Central.
It is smaller, with seating for 12.
While there are no plated desserts or its signature Crepes Suzette, you can still get a small selection of cakes, and its financiers ($2.90) and madeleines ($2.90).
The Hanjuku fromage with Itoen matcha ($3) and Hanjuku fromage ($2.50)-souffle-style baked cheesecakes-are sold exclusively at Orchard Central.
Other treats include The Short ($10.20, photo 5), a strawberry shortcake; nonoji roll (from $30), a strawberry roll cake stuffed with fresh strawberries; double cheesecake (from $22), baked cheesecake layered with mascarpone and fresh milk creme, and topped with crushed sable; and mille crepe ($72).
Where: Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road, 01-18
Open: 11am to10pmdaily
Info: Call 6634-4608
Eunice Quek
• Opening a new restaurant? Send the details to stlife@sph.com.sg
