Inexpensive restuarant-quality donburis by ex-hotel chef

It actually isn’t tough to seek out reasonably priced Japanese meals in Singapore. You would throw a stone in any course and also you’ll hit a coffeeshop or hawker centre that homes such a stall or two.

Inexpensive Japanese meals that punches approach above its value level, although? Fairly uncommon, I’d say. Nonetheless, I’ll let you know proper now that Oh My Don is a gem of a coffeeshop stall that provides precisely that.

Oh My Don is a humble Japanese stall located in an under-the-radar coffeeshop in Yishun. And it’s nestled deep within the neighbourhood. Okay, it’s a brief bus trip away from Yishun Interchange, however I needed to take 3 buses in whole to get there. Oh, the woes of dwelling within the West.

However I digress. On the helm of the stall is Mr Lester Lai, who holds 14 years of culinary expertise underneath his belt, together with a noteworthy stint as sous chef at Parkroyal Assortment Marina Bay. He opened Oh My Don in Jan 2022 and has been priding himself on a refined collection of atas donburis ever since.

I imply it after I say atas — assume donburis meticulously plated in elegant Japanese-style stoneware bowls. The mere sight of it will make your mouth water prefer it did mine. Mr Lai even goes above and past by serving prospects at their desk when he isn’t too busy. It’s no marvel in any respect how the stall’s distant location hasn’t hindered it from garnering a following.

What I attempted at Oh My Don

The menu consists of simply 7 donburi choices and a Salad Bowl (S$3.50) possibility. It’s streamlined and simple, or so that you’d assume. Saying that I used to be torn for alternative can be a extreme understatement; each single merchandise regarded completely attractive. I’d by no means wished for my abdomen and pockets to be bottomless so badly earlier than.

Regardless, I used to be already set on ordering the Beef Steak Don with Truffle Ponzu (S$10.90). The mattress of rice was topped with edamame, an onsen egg and a literal heap of beef steak cubes garnished with seaweed strips. Neglect scenic landscapes and mountaintop views; this dish is the definition of picturesque.

Like every Instagram addict, I couldn’t tuck in with out first breaking into the onsen egg. To my delight, wonderful lava-esque yolk flowed out as I pulled it aside with my chopsticks. Adorned with vibrant orange tobiko, the luscious yellow yolk made what was already a gorgeous bowl extra vibrant.

Alright, it was time to style. I went straight for the star factor: the meat cubes. Every sizable dice sported streaks of deep brown caramelisation and tiny flecks of black pepper. 

Having had my justifiable share of comparable beef cubes, I didn’t have the best of expectations as I’ve all the time identified the road snack to be simply overcooked. Nonetheless, I used to be totally stunned by how simply I tore into this with my enamel; the meat was extremely tender!

Lo and behold, it was colored a blush pink that’s attribute of an ideal medium steak. Reaching this degree of doneness in such small cuts of steak will need to have taken a lot finesse; clearly, Mr Lai’s shone via.

The meat was moist and juicy, complemented by the sunshine, citrusy sweetness of the ponzu and the earthy aroma of truffle. Tying all of it collectively properly had been the smokiness of the sear and the sharpness of the black pepper. I savoured each piece as a result of I by no means wished to expire.

The Japanese rice was well-cooked and fluffy, save for components of it that had been a tad grainy. It paired properly with the gentle, crunchy edamame beans, which lent every spoonful a satisfying textural distinction. In addition they imparted a slight nutty sweetness that complemented the umami sprinkle of furikake.

As we labored our approach via the bowl, my eating associate and I observed that the rice itself possessed a discernible savouriness that reminded us of, properly, flavoured rice. Regardless of its plain ol’ white look, it’s really seasoned with Mr Lai’s selfmade shoyu!

With each chew, Oh My Don solely continued to impress.

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I opted to finish my meal with Set A, which included a bowl of miso soup and a pair of yaki cheese balls.

I’ll be trustworthy: I’ve by no means favored miso soup. Its fermented undertones by no means fail to throw me off and I’ve all the time discovered its total flavour profile a bit too salty. Nonetheless, because the oh-so-classic accident would have it, I beloved Oh My Don’s rendition.

The soup was comforting, gentle and fragrant. The savoury dashi inventory supplied it with a lot depth, complemented by the tanginess of the fermented soybeans and nice hints of sweetness probably from shoyu and the daikon radish inside.

Within the bowl had been additionally the usual fixings of miso soup, together with silken tofu cubes, shiitake mushroom slices and paper-thin items of kelp, all of which made the soup way more healthful.

Shifting on, I dug into the yaki cheese ball. Topped with bonito flakes and a drizzle of mayonnaise, its resemblance to takoyaki was frankly uncanny. Biting into it made all of the distinction, although. Its agency meaty exterior gave solution to a burst of wealthy, savoury golden cheese inside. 

They had been so tasty, I truthfully felt a pang of remorse for not getting the bigger à la carte portion for S$4.90). Oh properly, catch me doing precisely that subsequent time!

Now, my subsequent alternative was a toughie. After mulling it over for some time, I made a decision on the Japanese Curry Meatball Don (S$8.90). I already had half a thoughts to return anyway, so I wasn’t actually lacking out on the tempting Salmon Don with Mentaiko Sauce (S$8.90) and Korean Glazed Pork Stomach Don (S$6.90). 

This isn’t your standard Japanese curry rice. Right here, the rice is blanketed by a thick layer of curry and beneficiant quantities of mozzarella cheese. It’s studded with grilled meatballs and garnished with artfully organized potatoes, carrots and cherry tomatoes. It someway jogged my memory of a backyard plot in meals kind!

Earlier than I get to writing in regards to the meals, let’s take a second to admire Oh My Don’s attractive utensils. Top quality fare apart, consuming from these elegant stoneware bowls with elongated wood spoons and chopsticks actually made it really feel as if I used to be eating in an atas Japanese restaurant.

First issues first, the meatballs. Every grilled morsel was hefty and agency, with flippantly crisped, charred bits on its exterior from the caramelisation of its glaze and marinade. Judging by how irregularly formed they had been, they had been clearly handmade.

The meat inside was extremely juicy and completely seasoned, bursting with a sweet-savoury mix of garlic, pepper and soy. Refined hints of smokiness added a pleasant complexity that made every chew simply so addictive. I had to withstand the urge to devour the entire meatballs in a single shot, as an alternative savouring every chew and letting the flavours linger on my tongue. 

Oh, they really embodied the saying, “good issues are available small packages”.

The curry had a wealthy and velvety consistency. It was strong and fragrant, with a light-weight spice and mellow sweetness that complemented the umami notes of its base. It clung splendidly to the rice and paired properly with it, too.

As a cheese lover, I completely adored the addition of mozzarella cheese. It imparted a savoury creaminess that served as a pleasant distinction to the sweetness of the curry, and added a layer of depth and indulgence to the dish as a complete. 

The stretchy texture of the cheese introduced a enjoyable contact as properly; I couldn’t cease lifting spoonfuls of it simply to see how excessive my cheese pulls might go!

In all, Oh My Don’s rendition of this Japanese staple and the tacky spin they placed on it was downright scrumptious. Nicely-rounded and comforting, there couldn’t have been a greater solution to conclude my meal.

Ultimate Ideas

I by no means thought there’d come a day the place I’d envy Yishun residents, however right here we’re.

I made my go to to Oh My Don with fairly lofty expectations and boy, not solely did it exceed all of them but in addition set the bar for reasonably priced Japanese fare at an all time excessive. With restaurant-quality fare at wallet-friendly costs, impeccable presentation and wonderful service in addition, it actually is in a league of its personal and all the pieces you would presumably need in a Japanese stall.

In case it wasn’t clear sufficient, I’ll positively be returning to strive the remainder of the menu and have what I had once more. And sure, I’ll willingly courageous the 2-hour commute.

Anticipated injury: S$3.50 – S$10.90 per pax

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