$3.90 yakitori and viral cheesecakes: Five new Japanese food brands in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Much has been made of the influx of Chinese brands into the local market, but this show of force has yet to dislodge the grip of another foreign power on Singaporean consumers. Singapore’s love affair with all things Japanese shows no signs of flagging. Ubiquities like sushi chain Sushiro and Don Don Donki supermarkets dominate the culinary landscape, with yet more reinforcements expected. In May, five new concepts made landfall in Singapore: yakitori restaurant Torikizoku, hamburg specialist Hikiniku To Come, meal delivery service Tsuklio, viral dessert brand Cheese Wonder and snack sensation Ramen Club. Most cite widespread appreciation for Japanese food culture as their reason for coming here. Mr Shintaro Konno, director of business development at Hokkaido Confect Group, which runs Ramen Club, calls its Singapore pop-up the “natural next step”. “Ramen is popular among locals, with many brands in the local market. The group has also seen growing interest among Singapore consumers in Japanese convenience snacks, limited-edition imports and experiential food concepts,” he says. Ramen Club is running a pop-up at Orchard Central until June 7. PHOTO: RAMEN CLUB Hokkaido Confect Group has also partnered local F&B firm Caravel to bring Cheese Wonder to eager crowds in Singapore. Caravel general manager Shaun Tan says early reception of its cheesecakes here has significantly exceeded expectations and ranks among the brand’s most enthusiastic welcomes outside Japan. “The response has been overwhelming,” he adds. “Since launch, the team has seen very strong daily demand and consistent daily sell-outs.” While Cheese Wonder and Ramen Club are testing the waters with pop-ups, Torikizoku and Hikiniku To Come have found permanent homes at VivoCity. “One of our main challenges is building long-term loyalty in a fast-moving, trend-driven market,” says Mr Shohei Yamamoto, chief executive of Hikiniku To Come. “It is natural for new restaurant concepts to generate initial buzz in Singapore, but our goal is to move beyond being a trend. We want to become a deeply loved, permanent fixture in the local dining community.” Here is what to expect from these new arrivals from the Land of the Rising Sun. Food at Torikizoku in VivoCity is priced at $3.90. PHOTO: TORIKIZOKU Where: 01-104/105 VivoCity, 1 HarbourFront Walk Open: 11am to 10pm daily Info: instagram.com/torikizoku.singapore Yakitori chain Torikizoku’s VivoCity outlet is the largest of its 700-odd restaurants globally, seating up to 174 customers. It includes an indoor space and an al fresco deck overlooking the Promenade. All food and non-alcoholic drinks are priced at $3.90++. Kids’ meals and alcoholic drinks retail at $9.90++. Its founder Tadashi Okura says the menu reflects the brand’s wide appeal. “Torikizoku is targeting a broad and mainstream audience in Singapore, including families, young adults, working professionals and casual diners looking for affordable Japanese food in a lively setting.” Torikizoku’s Kizokuyaki Chicken Thigh & Leek. PHOTO: TORIKIZOKU Menu highlights include the chicken thigh and leek skewer that is part of the restaurant’s Kizokuyaki range. These jumbo skewers are seasoned with spices, salts or sauces like tare, and are twice the size of an average skewer, the restaurant says. Beyond yakitori, Torikizoku also offers dishes like Chicken Kamameshi, a type of Japanese claypot rice served in a traditional pot and cooked at the table. The restaurant is receiving guests as part of its soft opening and will launch officially on June 15. Hikiniku To Come offers one set meal that consists of three hamburg steaks eaten in different ways. PHOTO: HIKINIKU TO COME Where: 01-102/103 VivoCity, 1 HarbourFront Walk Open: 11am to 10pm daily Info: instagram.com/hikiniku.to.come_singapore In contrast to the sprawling reach of its neighbour, the 174-seat Torikizoku, hamburg restaurant Hikiniku To Come prides itself on intimacy and immediacy. Besides a 10-person private dining room, the restaurant can accommodate 28 diners at two counters arranged around central grills. The idea is to give each guest a front-row view of the chefs at work, and to ensure the meat arrives on his or her plate the moment it comes off the grill. Its chief executive Shohei Yamamoto stresses the brand’s commitment to transparency – each step of the process, from the grinding of meat to steaming of rice, is visible to guests. “By letting guests witness the honest, handcrafted dedication of our artisans, we believe they will truly appreciate the high quality we offer,” he says. At Hikiniku To Come, hamburg steaks are grilled in front of guests. PHOTO: HIKINIKU TO COME There is only one main on its menu: a set meal ($27.90++) that consists of three hamburg steaks made from 100 per cent Japanese beef. They are delivered one at a time, to be eaten in different ways: the first on its own to savour its natural flavour and charcoal aroma; the second with grated radish and ponzu vinegar; and the third dipped in egg yolk. A selection of condiments and sauces – such as oil-marinated green chilli, Japanese pepper sauce, and soya sauce flakes – is available. The restaurant also offers unlimited refills of rice, cooked in traditional hagama pots. During its opening phase, the outlet will accommodate only walk-ins, with guests seated on a first-come, first-served basis. A digital queue system will be activated once the restaurant reaches full capacity. Cheese Wonder is running a pop-up at Ion Orchard until June 30. PHOTO: CHEESE WONDER Where: Ion Station, B4 Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn Open: Until June 30, 10am to 10pm (or until sold out) daily Info: cheesewonder-sg.com Cheese Wonder’s transience is part of its draw. Even in Japan, it does not have a permanent store, opting instead for limited-time pop-ups and curated activations. “This is largely due to the brand’s production philosophy and operational model,” says Mr Shaun Tan, general manager of local F&B firm Caravel, which helped bring Cheese Wonder to Singapore. “Much of the production process is closely tied to the brand’s farm and small-batch handcrafted production in Hokkaido, which naturally limits the scale at which products can be produced while maintaining the quality the brand is known for.” Given the overwhelming response, it hopes to return to Singapore in the future. For now, its famous two-layer cheesecakes can be found at Ion Orchard until June 30. Made with Hokkaido milk and butter, these desserts feature a crunchy, almond-flavoured cookie base, onto which is piped an airy cheese souffle. A dollop of unbaked cheese mousse crowns this Instagrammable sensation. It can be enjoyed frozen for a more refreshing bite, or lightly softened or fully thawed if you prefer something creamier. Cheese Wonder Red, a strawberry-flavoured version with a whole strawberry ($42.90 for four pieces). PHOTO: CHEESE WONDER Three options are on sale here: the original cheesecake ($35.90 for four pieces in a thermal bag or $53.90 for six pieces in a gift box); Cheese Wonder Red, a strawberry-flavoured version with a whole strawberry ($42.90 for four pieces); and Wonder Sand – a cheese sandwich cookie filled with fresh buttercream and fresh cheese cream ($35.90 for eight pieces). All products are made in Hokkaido and flown to Singapore shortly after production in multiple small-batch deliveries each week. “This ensures consumers here are able to experience the same taste, texture and quality associated with the brand in Japan,” Mr Tan says. Japanese snack brand Ramen Club made its Singapore debut in May. PHOTO: RAMEN CLUB Where: Level 1 atrium, Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road Open: Until June 7, 11am to 10pm daily Info: instagram.com/ramenclub_sg Imagine this: an entire bowl of ramen, condensed into a packet of crunchy noodles you can munch on the go. That is the elevator pitch of Ramen Club, a Japanese snack brand running a pop-up in Singapore until June 7. To achieve this effect, it uses a proprietary production technique that coats noodles with a soup layer that is supposed to melt in the mouth. Each packet contains toppings like bamboo shoots, seaweed, corn or green onions, many of which are vacuum-fried. The noodles come in two flavours: Tokyo Shoyu and Sapporo Miso. Ramen Club coats noodles with a soup layer that is supposed to melt in the mouth. PHOTO: RAMEN CLUB With over 3,000 boxes sold at Boutiques Singapore, Mr Shintaro Konno, director of business development at parent company Hokkaido Confect Group, says Singaporeans have responded well to the snack’s novelty factor and gifting appeal. “Many customers are also drawn to the visually appealing packaging and Tokyo street-culture aesthetic,” he adds. But some customers are wary about its price ($4.20 for a pack and $19 for a box of five), comparing it with local snacks like muruku and Mamee. “We have highlighted to them that Ramen Club is different, in that ramen ingredients are used and the taste profile is similar to that of a bowl of ramen,” Mr Konno says. He adds that the brand does not have plans to open a permanent base in Singapore. Rather, the priority now is to understand local consumer preferences. “Since the brand is considerably new outside Japan, this limited-time activation gives us an opportunity to test demand, gather direct customer feedback and refine operations before making a longer-term commitment in Singapore.” Tsuklio’s weekly set contains three mains and five sides. PHOTO: TSUKLIO SINGAPORE Info: sg.tsuklio.com Too busy to cook? Have dinner delivered straight to your doorstep with Tsuklio, a Japanese meal subscription service that has just started venturing abroad. Its first port of call is Singapore, a country that shares Japan’s critical mass of urban, dual-income households searching for a way to outsource dinner. Mr Kei Maejima, founder and chief executive of Antway Inc, the Tokyo-based food-tech company behind Tsuklio, says this decision was driven by data and consumer testing, which showed high retention and weekly order rates. The food is prepared in a central kitchen in Tai Seng and draws on a roster of over 100 home-cooked-style Japanese recipes. It is served chilled, so some dishes need to be microwaved before serving. Tsuklio’s food is prepared in a central kitchen in Tai Seng. PHOTO: TSUKLIO SINGAPORE Priced at $211, each weekly set contains three mains and five sides. Tsuklio estimates that this is enough to feed a family of four over three meals. Users can choose to pause or cancel deliveries whenever they want. “Looking ahead, we plan to implement weekly customer feedback surveys and use these insights to continuously refine flavour profiles and menu combinations. This will allow us to better cater to local preferences while preserving the authenticity of Japanese home cooking,” says Mr Maejima.