Food Picks: Restaurant-quality Japanese donburi at Orchard Road food court stall
SINGAPORE – Though Ten Ten Otoko's latest outlet at Lucky Plaza offers a new menu, diners can expect the same hefty portions and restaurant-quality cooking that made its Lavender outlet such a draw.
Opened on July 7, the Japanese food stall is located at a foodcourt on the sixth storey and has a new offering – tonjiru. It is not for sale, but instead the pork and vegetable miso soup is served free with any donburi order.
Prepared fresh each morning, the tonjiru features premium ingredients such burdock, tender chunks of carrot and plenty of pork belly. The robust soup is made from a clear but flavoursome stock of dried anchovies, shiitake mushroom, kombu (sea kelp) and plenty of bonito.
Tonjiru at Ten Ten Otoko's newest outlet at Lucky Plaza.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
The Salmon Mentai Don ($11.90) is its most popular bowl. You get eight luscious slices of salmon, generously slathered in housemade mentaiko mayo and then torched for a smoky finish. Filled to the brim, the bowl is topped with nori strips, tobiko, chuka wakame (seasoned seaweed) and freshly prepared potato salad. The rice beneath is seasoned with sushi vinegar that takes two days to prepare – a blend of sugar, salt and kombu steeped in Japanese vinegar to achieve just the right tang.
Salmon Mentai Don at Ten Ten Otoko's newest outlet at Lucky Plaza.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
Another standout is the Kimchi Karaage Don ($9.90), which comes with six to seven big, juicy chunks of boneless chicken thigh. The meat is marinated in ginger juice, garlic, soya sauce and sake, then deep-fried and drizzled with Kewpie mayo. The in-house kimchi – made with Korean chilli powder, garlic, saeujeot (fermented shrimp) and fish sauce – offers a bright, spicy profile that balances the richness of the fried chicken without the overpowering tang found in more traditional versions.
Kimchi Karaage Don at Ten Ten Otoko's newest outlet at Lucky Plaza.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
For fried chicken with tang, go for the Tori Nanban Don ($9.90). The meat is tossed in a housemade nanban sauce of vinegar, soya sauce and sugar, and topped with a creamy mix of hard-boiled egg, mayonnaise and lemon juice.
Tori Nanban Don at Ten Ten Otoko's newest outlet at Lucky Plaza.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
With generous portions, thoughtful details such as complimentary tonjiru, and housemade sauces, Ten Ten Otoko's Lucky Plaza outlet is certainly worth a visit.
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Where: Stall 7, Kimly Coffeeshop, 06-48A Lucky Plaza, 304 Orchard Road
MRT: Orchard
Open: 11am to 8.30pm daily
Tel: 9862-7740
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