Yuki Onna: Affordable & Customizable Japanese Bowls In The Heart Of The CBD
When I first Googled ‘Yuki Onna’ and left out ‘Singapore’ in my search, I got a Wikipedia page about a Japanese folklore spirit called the ‘Snow Woman’. So that was a bit confusing, but hey, Yuki Onna Singapore is nothing like that.
Located in Far East Square within the CBD, Yuki Onna is a quaint izakaya type restaurant that serves up Japanese fare at affordable prices. Grab a seat at one of the wooden tables out front during your lunch break.
Order from the lunch menu, which comes in the form of a leaflet where you can tick your orders, thus maximising efficiency. Everything is made-to-order so tick quickly to make sure you get your fresh meal as soon as possible!
We were really interested in the MYOB (Make Your Own Bowl) salads, which are like a cross between Hawaiian Poke Bowls and Japanese Donburis. The tuna and salmon sashimi are marinated in different sauces, including yuzu shoyu, yuzu miso and many more.
You first choose the size of the bowl, according to the amount of fish you want to dig into. Then you choose your toppings.
The toppings include a medley of vegetables and some Japanese-oriented ones like the chuka wakame, pickled daikon, tobiko, and nori.
Medium: Spicy Salmon + Original Shoyu Tuna + Cherry Tomatoes + Edamame + Olives + Mandarin Orange + Vegetables ($15.90)
The spicy salmon is marinated with an in-house special sauce and topped with chilli padi, giving an intense kick that’s pretty enjoyable. The original tuna carries a delicate fragrance, which helps to balance out the heavy flavour of the spicy salmon.
Bites filled with chunks of fish alternate with fruit bits and vegetables, creating layers of flavours and textures as you work your way through the bowl. If you’re looking for something healthier, you can pay an additional $1 to switch from white rice to quinoa.
Cold Truffle Somen with Hotate ($14.90)
The moment the somen is served, you’re hit with the truffle aroma which is so intense and fragrant. The Hokkaido scallops are exceedingly fresh and sweet, which contrast the saltier truffle somen, giving a well balanced flavour to the entire dish.
Pardon me as I continue ranting about the scallops – they were really so juicy and tender. Plus they’re served cold, which makes the dish extra refreshing to have in our persistent humid weather.
Truffle Beef Yakiniku ($16.90)
A pretty popular choice, the beef yakiniku cuts are rather generous and cooked to pink perfection. Not too fatty or tough, it might prove to be a little too salty when eaten on its own, but the white rice really helps to balance it out.
I loved the egg, which could have been more runny, but nonetheless tied all the elements of the dish together. Also, just check out the price – now, that’s pretty affordable for the amount of meat that you get.
Spicy Salmon Udon ($14.90)
I can’t stress just how much I love cold noodles, so this bowl of cold udon tossed with spicy salmon worked for me. Admittedly, I was perspiring from the chilli padi but that made it all the more exciting on the palate, mouthfuls of cold udon with a spicy zing.
The spicy salmon is done in the same way as the salad bowls, while the cold udon is seasoned well with an in-house sauce, which has an accentuated fragrance from the scallions and tobiko.
A bit of a disclaimer though: If you’re ordering the cold noodles, do try to finish them off as soon as possible. When left out for awhile, the noodles start to stick together a little, so unless you’re into the whole clumpy noodles thing, I’d recommend getting to it quickly.
Yuki Onna is looking to curate a dinner menu soon, but till then, why not head down and have a taste of the lunch options? I’d definitely recommend Yuki Onna to those looking for a healthier and wholesome Japanese option that won’t burn that big of a hole in your wallet.
The lunch crowd is a force to be reckoned with though, so get there early. You snooze, you (unfortunately) lose.
Expected damage: $7.90 – $16.90 per pax
*Pictures of cold noodle dishes shown are in tasting portions
Yuki Onna: 3/4 Amoy Street, Singapore 049947 | Website | Opening Hours: (Mon to Fri) 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 10:00pm, Closed Sat &Sun
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