Located in Oxley Bizhub—just a short walk from Tai Seng MRT Station—Yamato Izakaya is a melting pot of three Japanese dining concepts under one roof! Featuring the likes of famous unagi restaurant, Man Man, Ramen Hitoyoshi and Tora Tora, this restaurant is on its way to becoming a stalwart for local Japanese dining in Singapore.

Beloved for their fresh and modern renditions (and generous portions) of grilled Japanese eel, Man Man’s unagi dishes is a definite must-try. But be sure to save room for Ramen Hitoyoshi’s signature ramen as well as the vast array of sushi and donburi options courtesy of Tora Tora.

Yamato Izakaya is no doubt one spot to visit should you find yourself hankering for authentic, rock-solid Japanese food. On Saturdays, parking on site is free so that’s another plus point if you’re thinking of paying this restaurant a visit for a hearty family lunch.

It’s pretty difficult to miss this restaurant because whether you are driving past, in or around Oxley Bizhub, chances are you’ll catch a glimpse of their massive signboard out front.

The restaurant itself can easily accommodate more than a hundred patrons given its huge space and the 3 kitchens all take on an open concept, meaning that you get to see the chefs at work while you wait for your food.

Man Man offers its famous unagi in three portions—Unatama (S$20.50++), medium (S$28.40++) and large (S$36.10++)

The Unatama (S$20.50++) is substantial enough to allow one to savour their prized dish without getting sick of it as well as to leave room to try the other offerings from Ramen Hitoyoshi and Tora Tora.

Tastewise, it was probably one of the best unagi dishes we have ever had in Singapore. Sweet, oily with a deeply charred flavour and texturally one of the most delicate pieces of fish around, take our word for it and order a bigger portion of this.

The rice bowl comes with 2 thick slices of tamago which do well to bolster the richness of the unagi as well.

Hitoyoshi Ramen delights diners with their wide array of ramen dishes that are all customisable depending on how distinct your palate is. We opted for the most basic, Tonkotsu Ramen (S$10.90) which came with a generous portion of ramen noodles, slices of pork and a beautifully seasoned egg.

The Tonkotsu broth was rich in flavour and brimming with porky goodness. The infusion of the black fungus really does give it a heightened umami taste and we particularly loved just how thick and concentrated the broth was.

If you’re ever unsure of what to order, especially given Tora Tora’s extensive range donburi offerings, consider their Futago Don which essentially is a pair of dons in one!

We got the Kaisen Don (S$7) along with the Ikura Don (S$7) which comprised a generous serving of diced up salmon, tuna, scallops, geoduck and a huge dollop of ikura over top. Salty, fresh and jam-packed with umami goodness, this is definitely something to opt for if you’re a sashimi fanatic.

Yamato Izakaya
65 Ubi Road 1, #01-92 Oxley Bizhub,
Singapore 408729
Tel: +65 6385 5273
(Closed on Sundays)
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Tai Seng

Hachifukumaru Ramen – an offshoot of award-winning Nantsuttei Group – is tucked at the end of OG Orchard Point’s first floor.

The 31-seater ramen shop is renowned for its unique addition of aromatic black garlic oil into the rich ramen broth.

Open daily from 11am till 10.30pm, Hachifukumaru Ramen’s location along prime retail district Orchard Road makes it convenient to pop by when you have a ramen craving to fix. Choose your ramen soup base from Chicken, Miso or Tonkotsu, and complete your meal with their delectable variety of Japanese delicacies such as Mentai Atsuyaki Tamago, Yude Won-Ton and Fried Pork Karaage.

This is surely one underrated ramen shop in Singapore.

For those who are not in the know, Hachifukumaru Ramen is a restaurant concept by the successful Nantsuttei Group. Chef Ichiro Furuya is a popular chef who has made special appearances in many Japanese TV shows and reputable presses. His ramen creations have won numerous accolades – which is unsurprising, given how his dishes are original and one-of-a-kind.

What are the chances where you would actually walk into a Japanese restaurant that is situated at an obscure corner of OG Orchard Point? Discovering Hachifukumaru Ramen by chance is almost impossible and everyone who shows up here for a bowl of piping hot ramen has either heard of its glorious brand name from the media or relied on word-of-mouth recommendations.

Yet, Hachifukumaru Ramen receives patrons daily who are eager to savour their tasty ramen.

And affordability is also one key factor that keeps its patrons loyal. The most basic Nantsuttei Tonkotsu Ramen Rich Creamy Pork Soup is priced affordably at S$10.80++ and S$12++ for a regular size and Japan size respectively.

The robust tonkotsu broth is topped with fragrant black ma-yu. Mind you, the garlic has actually been painstakingly fried over seven phases alongside several condiments – which remains a secret – to achieve that harmonious blend.

The signature Hachifukumaru Ramen (regular size – S$11.80++, Japan size – S$13++) is a nutritious chicken-base soup prepared with chicken bones and chicken feet that have been cooked for approximately 12 hours. The slightly creamy broth contains a myriad of healthy ingredients – bean sprouts, carrots, chives, corn, garlic, ginger and spring onions.

Tori Kaarage Hachifukumaru Rameni (regular size – S$13.80++, Japan size – S$15++) is the bestselling Hachifukumaru Ramen topped with succulent fried chicken chunks. You can select either red or black roasted garlic oil to be added to your chicken soup. We had the former and the bowl of goodness is characterised by a tolerable level of pepperiness.

The Hachifukumaru Ramen’s Spicy Siro Miso Chasumen (regular size – S$17.30++, Japan size – S$18.50++) has a customisable spice level – from level zero to level four. Chicken soup and miso soup have been blended together with dried fruits and fried onions to attain the exquisite taste.

It is worth mentioning that each bowl of ramen noodles are incredibly springy. The chashu used here are created with premium pork loin. You can also top up your bowl with bean sprouts (S$1.50++), eggs (S$1.50++), seaweed (S$1++) and unlimited garlic (free of charge).

Delicious ramen aside, Hachifukumaru Ramen’s menu has a splendid selection of à la carte items. Fried food lovers must not miss out on the Fried Chicken “Karaage” (S$6++). A sweet soy sauce base – merged with Japanese soup – has been smeared over these ultra juicy fried chicken slices and topped with wasabi mayonnaise and egg tartar sauce.

Fuufu Enman Gyoza – also known as Happy Couple Gyozas (S$6++) – are skilfully made from scratch with Nantsuttei’s original gyoza recipe. Each piping hot pan-fried dumpling is filled with garlic and meat stuffings.

Last but not least, a highly recommended sharing dish is the Mentai Atsuya Tamago (S$6++). We were pleasantly surprised by this simple-looking and unassuming omelette. The fluffy atsuyaki egg omelette wraps a rich mentaiko filling and is drizzled with mayonnaise sauce. The pickled cod roe is mildly spiced.

Hachifukumaru Ramen is a non-pretentious Japanese eatery and we certainly will return for their wholesome bowls whenever our ramen craving strikes.

Hachifukumaru Ramen
#01-13, OG Orchard Point
160 Orchard Road
Singapore 238842
Tel: +65 6737 9713
Daily: 11am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

This post is brought to you by Hachifukumara Ramen.