We often crave for Japanese food, but some days, we do have a budget that limits our choices.

We’ve stumbled upon Yamaya – a hidden gem stowed away in Fortune Centre—serving up delicious and filling set meals at a fraction of the price of the average Japanese restaurant. Check out what we ordered and our thoughts on this hidden gem!

We first ordered a Ten-Don Set (S$12.80) and we were pleasantly surprised by the generous portion of tempura-fried toppings. The set also comes with a side of Oden, pickled radish and sour plums.

The fried ingredients consisted of two juicy ebi prawns, two long beans, slices of eggplant, sweet potato, perilla-wrapped fish and pumpkin. A sweet ten-don sauce was drizzled atop the fried items and fluffy Japanese rice, completing the dish.

Next up on the table was the Shabu Don Set (S$9.80). A bed of Japanese pearl rice was topped with thinly-sliced beef with a sweet-and-savoury sauce and onions.

The set came with a Sesame Salad, an onsen egg, Oden, pickled radish and sour plums.

The best part was the gooey yolk that when burst, coated the beef, onions and rice oh so deliciously!

Yamaya is located on the first floor of Fortune Centre, and lunch hour sees hungry executives flocking there for cheap lunch sets. It dons a traditional wooden interior, making it look like it came straight out of a street in Japan.

Yamaya
190 Middle Road
Fortune Centre, #01-33
Singapore 188979
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6pm – 11pm
(Closed on Sundays)

Nestled in the rows of busy shophouses at Pasir Panjang is 91PP, aptly named after the street it is on – 91 Pasir Panjang. It may seem unsuspecting but the many office-wear clad customers tell a different story.

91PP dishes out affordable lunch options for its hungry patrons such as their Meal Prep bowls and Pasta, and they are all under S$10! They also operate on a cashless system where you order your food on a mobile app, so there’s no need to bring along your wallets too.

At 91PP, they have an extensive selection of proteins, grains and other veggies and toppings for your Meal Prep bowl. Choose between two sizes—Small (S$6.80) or Medium (S$8.50)—before you add your toppings.

We chose to have their daily special, which was Baked Dory Fillet at the time. We also added a Hard Boiled Egg, Halved Avocado and their Mushroom Medley to a bed of Organic Red & Brown Rice.

The ingredients were all pretty fresh and paired well with one another. The Baked Dory Fillet was a tad salty on its own, but with the accompaniment of the rice, we didn’t have any qualms.

We also tried the Mentaiko Soft Shell Crab Pasta (S$8.90). Despite being relatively affordable, we definitely preferred this over our meal prep bowl. In Singapore’s cafe scene, a plate of good pasta below S$10 is a rare find.

We loved the generous amounts of garlic. It was slightly spiced, but not overwhelmingly so such that milder spice junkies wouldn’t be able to enjoy it.

The star of the show was the big portion of soft shell crab that was generously drizzled with a creamy mentaiko sauce. It was crispy and had a slightly sweet taste, not overpowered by the sauce it was coated in.

91PP serves up other popular items such as Mentaiko or Truffle Fries (S$6.90) and affordable wraps such as their Tenderloin & Cheese Wrap (S$4.50). Did we mention they have warm lava cakes too?

91PP
91 Pasir Panjang Road
Singapore 118512
Tel: +65 9295 0512
Daily: 11am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Pasir Panjang