If you think about it from a logical standpoint, Japanese food may be overpriced. Why exactly are Japanese chefs charging us so much when half the dish is served raw? As the amount of raw stuff on your plate goes up, the amount you have to fork up goes up too; I term this the Japanese Paradox.
This is why my wallet was pretty happy when I heard of Tanuki Raw Bar, a modern Japanese restaurant tucked away in Orchard Central. This restaurant bar serves a decent menu for their lunch hour every day from 11.30 am to 2 pm, offering classic delights at affordable prices like Salmon Don (S$12), Chirashi Don (S$17.80), Truffle Yakiniku Don (S$14.90) and so on. For just S$2, you can make your meal a complete set by adding on Green Tea, Miso Soup and Mixed Green Salad.
Salmon Don
Salmon Don
The Salmon Don is one of the smaller bowls available on the menu, but at S$12 it is a pretty decent size. Apart from the usual salmon sashimi pieces and the ikura, there are chunks of aburi (salmon seared lightly with a blowtorch) which are tossed in a special homemade sauce. The homemade sauce has light notes of wasabi and soy sauce, complementing the aburi rather well. One small complaint I had for the Salmon Don was that on certain days the rice is served lukewarm rather than steaming hot.
Bara Chirashi Don
Bara Chirashi Don
For the sashimi-lovers, the Chirashi Don is a good bet too. Tanuki Raw Bar serves it two ways, either cubed (Bara Chirashi Don) or sliced (Chirashi Don), but the fish selection is identical. As I like my food bite-sized, I usually go for the cubed bowl. Apart from salmon, the bowl also contains swordfish, tuna, sea bream, scallop, aburi, tamago and striped jack, depending on the season. The Chirashi Don at Tanuki Raw Bar is definitely worth the money, considering most chirashi don sets in Singapore cost upwards of S$25.
Truffle Yakiniku Don
Truffle Yakiniku Don
The Truffle Yakiniku Don set is my favourite don set from the Lunch menu. Pan-seared black angus short ribs that ooze blood when you prod them with your chopsticks, an onsen tamago which is just set and wobbling in your bowl, earthy mushrooms that are lightly pan-fried – these three simple ingredients meld for a big flavour and texture burst in your mouth. If you like your beef medium-raw, this is a rice bowl that you have to try.
Salmon Skin
Salmon Skin
Fried salmon skin is pretty common in many Japanese restaurants, but the chili sauce used at Tanuki is decidedly unorthodox by normal Japanese standards. It goes brilliantly with the fried salmon skin though.
Overall, the portions at Tanuki Raw Bar are pretty small, but if you’re not feeling particularly peckish they should be just right for you. Service is fast and queues are rare. Although the sashimi cannot compare against the likes of Yoyogi or Shiraishi, this is the fast food version of donburi sets, and for the price, the quality is decent.
Tanuki Raw Bar
181 Orchard Road
#02-03 Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 6636 5949
