Izakaya places are a dime a dozen but there’s only one Uoharu, the kaizen izakaya from Tokyo that has steadfastly carved a name for itself for delicious izakaya fare cooked up from quality produce with cosmetic imperfections, all in the effort to reduce food wastage.
Come July, Uoharu is set to open the doors to only its second overseas outpost in the heart of Singapore, following its first that set anchor in Hong Kong.
Serving up good food with good intentions, Uoharu burst onto the scene as among the first to pioneer the food movement of utilizing less-than-perfect produce from Toyosu Market. Undersized fish, scratched scallops, crabs with miscounted legs nonetheless become tantalising izakaya offerings by the flame and fire of Uoharu so nothing goes to waste. Uoharu Singapore will continue seeing its products and produce purchased directly from Toyosu Market, selected with the same acceptance to visually-flawed but high quality ingredients.
While the palate is tantalized with seafood, meats and produce galore perfected by the grill, the eyes are in for a treat with the nightly Katsuo Warayaki Show. Miss not this fiery showcase of traditional straw-roasting and grilling that sizzles up dishes in many a delicious way.
On The Menu
Begin with the Bagna Cauda ($3.00/pax), a traditional izakaya small dish starter of fresh salads and crunchy pickles served before every meal. Whet the appetite both texturally and visually with the robatayaki. Different from the Warayaki, the robatayaki presentsa traditional countryside cooking method where the ingredients are placed around a hot charcoal source to slowly smoke it to preferred doneness.
Other appetisers sure to induce further cravings include the likes of Baguette Toast with Cream Cheese and Maple Syrup ($7.80), a delightful combination of crispy baguette toast accompanied with rich cream cheese and a drizzle of sweet maple syrup. The Potato Salad with Smoked Mackerel and Egg ($7.80) is a savoury blend of creamy potato salad, complemented by the smoky flavour of mackerel and the richness of a perfectly cooked egg. As well as Spicy Salmon Avocado Tartar ($13.80), fresh and flavourful tartar made with spicy salmon and creamy avocado, offering a perfect balance of heat and coolness.
Hearty selections satisfy and satiate with servings of taste and texture like the Beef Short Rib with Bone ($32.80) as well as Grilled Pork Loin with Miso and Hoba ($16.80) and Crab Croquette Rice ($29.80). Perfect bites to go with drinks are the Seared Miso-Based Sashimi Tartare ($14.80) and Smoked Radish with Cream Cheese ($10.80) that brings the perfect balance of hot and cold, sweet, and savoury.
Set lunches are also available on weekdays for those tight on time, starting at $15.80 and curated as convenient sets. Bestsellers include the Premium Sashimi Boat Sets as well as Uoharu Executive Set while rice bowls are not amiss like the Beef Tenderloin Set, Kurobuta Shogayaki Set and Chicken Nanban Set. All set lunches come with complimentary hot or cold green tea.
From the drinks menu, pair your meal with more than 100 kinds of Japanese sake, beer, highball, lemon sour, cocktails, shochu, wines and other beverages, all directly imported from Japan. Sake serves up award-winning labels like Dassai Junmai 23 Daiginjo as well as Seiryu Junmai Daiginjo. Gin Cocktails are blended from Roku Gin as well as Umenoyado Craft Gin, just to mention a few. Liquor options do not disappoint with offerings of Japanese whisky, plum liqueur and shochu aplenty. A plethora of cocktails and wines will cater to tastes of all profiles, including non-alcoholic ones with mocktails and sodas.
