hana park
I received a free fan from this Japanese restaurant on my way to work and it had a picture of their Japanese bento set printed on, which caught my eye. I decided to visit the restaurant during my lunch break with my Japanese colleagues.
It was easy to find the restaurant as it was located at 21 Duxton road, right in front of the open carpark.
Upon entering the restaurant, I was very impressed with the design of the restaurant as I felt comfortable upon arrival. The lighting and walls of the restaurant are warm with wood framings around the interior of the restaurant which made the ambience very relaxed and japanese-like.
The staffs who were wearing yutakas also welcomed me and my colleagues in Japanese when we went up to the second floor of the restaurant. The menu was available in English, Japanese and Korean which made things convenient for my Japanese colleagues. They were also very attentive to our questions about the menu and recommended me to get the Matsu bento set which was the most popular among the customers.
Before I received my bento, the staff distributed warm towels to us.
When the food arrived on a trolley, the staff displayed our food on the table carefully which looks exactly like the photograph on the fan that I have received.
The bento's Okowa (glutinous rice) changes everyday and on that day, we ate san-sai. It was very delicious as it was soft and moist with wild vegetables mixed in the rice.
I had a very positive experience dining at Yokowa with my fellow Japanese colleagues. I even recommended this Japanese restaurant to my relatives.
I went back to Yokowa with my family and they still did not disappoint me.
Thank you once again Yokowa for giving me, my family and friends a great time.
N T
This is NOT an authentic Japanese restaurant. I wouldn't recommend this place for those who have ever been to real ones in Japan. The main chef may be Japanese but that's all.
If it was 5 years ago in Singapore, this place could still have been considered good Japanese restaurant outside Japan. Nowadays there are many good Japanese restaurants that are better than this place in terms of both quality and price.
Cold beef - This was great.
Sashimi - The chef's recommendation (sea bream) was unfortunately not available. The others like tuna and spot prawns were OK but not really meeting the high-end Japanese quality.
Okowa - Although this steamed glutinous rice is supposed to be their signature dish, I was told an advanced booking is required. So I couldn't try.
Nabe pot and Seiro (steamed veg. and meat) - Typically these two are served before cooked. At casual restaurants, customers have to boil Nabe and steam Seiro and cook it by themselves. At high end restaurants, waiters cook it for you on your table. This restaurant follows the high-end style. Unfortunately this restaurant doesn't have any waiters familiar with Japanese style of cooking/serving. My Nabe boiled over and Seiro was simply overcooked too.
Sake - This was great although the waiter mis-delivered something I didn't order. The waiter is not familiar with their sake selections. She didn't know were two different labels similar to each other.
The menu is on iPad Mini and one page only shows one dish. You have to flip screen soooo many times before you can decide what to order. They don't have paper version of the menu. Apparently the original language of the menu is either English or Korean. Some of the Japanese translations were poor. I saw some scary explanation of sake saying "this acid is toxic" in Japanese.
Waiters are all nice and hospitality is great. Unfortunately they are not trained on how to serve Japanese foods, especially on how long to cook Nabe and Seiro at what heat level.
I guess that those cooked by the chef and Sake selections are good here. I wouldn't recommend trying Sashimi, Nabe and Seiro.
JzuN Lee
After travelling to Tokyo Japan, I have went to YOKOWA restaurant at 21 duxton road.
I wanted to try course menu, but it require booking at least a day in advance.
I had full detailed explanation of the menu from a waitress and that I had ala carte menu almost similar to course menu.
I started with Chawanmushi, was nothing really really special but, was based on every step of traditional Japanese styled steam egg. The temperature was really good too.
Second menu was Hamaguri Sakamushi, using clams and sake together to boil. The smell of the sake and texture of clams were mixed nicely.
Third one was Gindara Saikyoyaki, grilled silver cod fish based on the miso paste sauce. The taste, and smell were well defined to me and I ordered one more because it was too good.
After that, Tempura Moriwase came. The ingredient inside were nothing really special, but it was served right after frying with good temperature. I think this restaurant is controlling the fryer oil really well so that every tempura had crispy texture but full of moist inner side at the same time.
Before my last meal , I am a gourmand to be honest, a waitress gave me a recommendation of Chanko Nabe to have with Okowa together.
Inside the Chanko Nabe, served with clay pot, there were nicely cutted pork belly, hand made meat ball, vegetables, mixed super well with the soup stock.
When I was having this menu, I thought "Am I in Japan again?" without any exaggeration.
I think this is the most original Japanese restaurant which you can meet in. Singapore.
After having meal here, this made me to come back for the course menu later on.
I highly recommend this restaurant for those who want to experience original taste of Japan.
Yalloong Yal
I went here to have the lunch set but i saw the Yokowa Set on the menu which has the Bento box. So i had Matsu full set and my friend had Lunch set and we shared. It was sooo nice! I really liked the steamed rice and fried tofu(agedasi? Tofu). I will definitely visit here again to try other ala carte.
최광연
Last week I visited the singapore with my family.
I travelled Singapore with my family, I found japanesse restaurant called Yokowa which became my favorite.
The waiter welcomed us and explain the menu.
Inside the restaurant had very high Japanese quality design.
We ordered bento menu 2 Take the and 2 Matsu.
Inside take bento, Salmon fry was both tender and crispy,
Nikujyaga was sweet and very delicious.
Inside Matsu bento, torimononiku sichimiyaki ( chicken ) and grilled black cod fish were surprising.
Their signature menu, Okowa rice made with many vegetables was a well being food which was good for all the generations.
All the decorations were same from the ipad menu.
If I come to Singapore next time, coming to Yokowa should be the first plan.
켠준
I came to this restaurant with a brochure I got from tanjong pagar mrt station.
At the first floor entrance the mood was very clean and a staff served me to 2nd floor kindly.
Their Ipad menu was very simple but impressive at the same time.
I ordered Bento Matsu & Take with Chanko Nabe. It was my first time having Okowa, their signature rice menu, and the taste surprised me from the first scoop.
The Bento set composed nicely with meat, fish, and vegetables. The Chanko Nabe was really amazing, unfortunately couldn't finish it because we were too full.
It will be really awesome if we come with friends for Sake next time.
Nadiah Alias
I had dinner at Yokowa with my group of friends on a weekend. The ambience of the restaurant was great and It allowed for us to have private conversation with each other. This is one of the best Japanese restaurant that I have been to in Singapore. I wish to come back here to enjoy more Japanese food and would recommend this restaurants to other friends.
RYAN kim
A close friend and I visited on my trip to Singapore last week from Australia .I found YOKOWA when i walked Duxton RD accidentally. There had great wall outside.the light was so good. we could take a photo well. we ate awabi butter shoyu yaki and changko nabe . I usually eat changko nabe whi.ch made by soybean paste. I've never eaten it something else without miso base...It was great and healthy taste.and so awesome. I made clean dish. I never make clean soup before. Abalone also was cooked well and Balance was very nice. I Can feel it was not huge size, But it was really nice quality. I thank Actually size is not impotant. The price was not little bit acceptable. but I like it, coz I always want meet like this type of japanese restaurant in Australia. I fed up normal price foods. Im staying in seoul for vacation. I think I can will visit “YOKOWA” again when I visit singapore.
Kang Jennifer
The Matsu set and Vegetarian bento were v nice. Certainly good for those who appreciate cold little little morsels. Reminds me of those days travelling on the trains in Japan where we buy little bento boxes of surprises. Decent quality.
Only complaint is the wine list. Cheapest sake is $90 a bottle. Nothing for the casual drinker to just have a small bottle of house sake. The green tea is ridiculously priced at $6. Coke and sprite $3.
Zi Ling Chen
Went with a friend and we ordered 2 Take bento set, Tempura Moriawase and sashimi. The food is certainly overpriced and overrated.
Take set - Everything was stone cold and doesn't taste good. Fried salmon was extremely dry and tough.
Temupura Moriawase - Nothing special. Quite soggy and cold.
Sashimi - Uneven cuts and not very fresh.
The service and food presentation were good. Air-con temperature was TOO low which could be the reason food turns cold fast. That's all.
Leon Lee
Service at reception was great, all staff are Korean except the Chef is Japanese. Expensive set meals but food is tasty. Will be back again. Love it more as they play classical music.
Loh Sien Chi
Fantastic service and attentive staff and GM and great food and nice private rooms
Faizal Haziq
Good food. Good people. Good vibes. Daebak! Will go there again.
Crystal Chan
My colleagues and I had Kaiseki sets for lunch. Food was good and service was great and attentive!
Desmond Chua
Food was great. Service was excellent. Will be back again.
Chia Joyce
Very nice and affordable lunch sets - sashimi is very fresh and I love the batter of the tempura - very light. Highly recommended - good service.
Hui Ting Phoebe T
I had my birthday dinner there recently. Food was pleasant to the palate & pretty to the eyes. I will definitely bring my friend(s) to Yokowa when I have the time.
Although my friend arranged for a birthday surprise, it was forgotten till my friend reminded the crew. It was alright for me to forgo the surprise but the crew insisted to make up with dessert. I thought the gesture was nice.
Improvement: Review of food serving trolley as it was quite noisy while pushing. Cable managements at the L2 service crew counter. Additional power points so as to minimise use of extension cable.
Jason Lee
Great and authentic Kaiseki restaurant in Sigapore!
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