Helmed by Chef Teppei Yamashita, the mastermind behind the renowned Teppei brand, Fu-Men Japanese Udon & Donburi is a relatively new halal-certified Japanese restaurant nestled in the basement of Hong Leong Building.

He has been constantly expanding his empire of Japanese restaurants be it in Singapore or overseas and this time, his venture aims to cater to those working in the CBD looking for affordable halal food.

Specialising in authentic Hakata-style udon and donburi bowls—the first of its kind in Singapore, guests can expect Fu-Men Japanese Udon & Donburi Restaurant to deliver in terms of quality and authenticity.

Possibly the most popular item on the menu, their Gobo Udon (S$12+) is a rather unique item you’d rarely find in typical Japanese restaurants and eateries. For the uninitiated, gobo is essentially the root of a burdock plant that has a crunchy texture and natural sweetness.

Topped with a generous helping of Japanese burdock tempura, the Gobo Udon is one that is set to impress. Deep-fried in a light and thin tempura batter, we appreciate how the gobo provides an extra crunchy texture to the dish despite being soaked in the broth.

While the tempura was impressive on its own, what truly sealed the deal for us was the thinner-than-usual, silky smooth udon that is satisfyingly chewy, giving a pleasant bite.

Besides udon, Fu-Men also serves a variety of donburi bowls. We opted for the Ebi Ten Don (S$17+) which sees two pieces of huge prawn tempura nestled on a bed of egg and Japanese rice.

Aptly crisp, the tempura batter that coats the prawn beneath is light and remains crispy even after having been left out for a while. Biting in, you’d find huge prawns that are plump and fresh.

While there really isn’t much to nitpick about this dish, we thought that it was quite pricey considering its portion. Other donburi items on the menu include Oyako (S$13+) and Beef Egg (S$15+).

Fu-Men Japanese Udon & Donburi Restaurant
16 Raffles Quay
Hong Leong Building #B1-17/18
Singapore 048581
Tel: +65 6224 1134
Mon to Fri: 10am – 8pm
Sat: 10am – 2.30pm
(Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays)
Nearest Station: Raffles Place

There have been more and more halal eateries popping up all around Singapore in recent months, which is great because that means more places to eat out with our Muslim friends!

A relatively new addition to that list, a must-try if you’re a fan of beef and Japanese food, is Gyunion. This humble hole-in-the-wall Japanese eatery sells authentic, Halal-Certified Japanese cuisine with ingredients that are directly sourced from Japan. So, if you’re looking for somewhere new to feast on some hearty Japanese food, this is definitely a place to consider.

Gyunion is the brainchild of 3 good friends who wanted to provide Halal Japanese food for the Muslim community.

This tiny restaurant was almost impossible to spot given its small size and there are literally only a few seats available, making it not the most ideal for big groups.

The first thing that we tried was their Gyu-men (S$8.90), which featured thinly sliced beef and onions with thin noodles soaked in a warm beef broth. We absolutely love the beef here! The beef slices were nice and thin, which helped it to soak up all the sauce as well as made it easier to chew. 

We were also advised to dress up the noodles with condiments such as shoyu sauce and Japanese chilli flakes according to our taste preference. Upon first taste, we understood why we were asked to do so because the noodles were a tad bit bland. 

We also tried their Gyu-don (S$7.90), which is a beef rice bowl. The portions were generous and we loved how the onsen egg gave the don a much creamier consistency.

For lunch, you can also pay $9.90 for a meal that comes with a drink as well as an onsen egg.

Gyunion is definitely a must-try recommendation from us if you’re looking for a no-frills, minimalistic place that serves up solid, authentic Japanese food. They are however only available on weekdays, so don’t go down on a weekend to avoid disappointment!

Gyunion
91 Bencoolen Street, #01-23
Bencoolen Plaza
Singapore 189652
(Closed on Saturdays & Sundays)
Mon – Fri: 12pm – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Bencoolen