Recently, it was a case of double happiness for Chewy Charles and I. Even better than striking 4D. Haha! We were so ecstatic, we just wanted to spend money so that we can eat and eat and eat! Sad also eat, happy also eat. Hungry also eat, not hungry also eat. Haha just kidding! 😛

As we have not had Japanese food in ages, the boyfriend suggested that we go to Chiharu! In Mandarin, it is called 千春 and over here, it actually means “Taste of A Thousand Springs”. I got very excited when he told me that we would be going there for the Weekend Chef Treat Omakase ($48++). It sure sounded like there was gonna be alot of food involved! *Drools*

Oh boy I can’t believe I made such a smart guess. The Weekend Chef Treat Omakase is an ala carte buffet on weekends and public holidays during lunch time. Choose from an amazing variety of 7 cold dishes, 8 grilled dishes, 8 deep fried dishes, 8 warm dishes, 6 main dishes, 3 salad dishes and remember to ask for your dessert of the day! On top of that, you are entitled to one serving of Sashimi. The Ama Ebi, Salmon and Hamachi (Yellowtail) proved to be a good start for our feasting session ahead!

Apart from the sashimi, you also get one serving of the Sushi. One by one, we popped the pieces of half-cooked tuna, salmon and yellowtail sushi into our mouths. Only one serving each, remember that.

Cold Dish

We started off with 4 cold dishes which included the Hiyashi Tomato. Although a little sour, the chilled tomato was also refreshingly sweet.

Cold Dish

Sesame dressing is commonly used in Japan when preparing vegetables. The toasted sesame seeds give the dish an extra flavor. The consistency of the sesame paste in the Horenso Goma-Ae (Poached Spinach with Sesame Dressing) had a rich and creamy texture. It complemented well with the spinach.

Cold Dish

The Wakame Kyuri-Su (Vinegared Seaweed & Cucumber) had a very strong acidic taste and it took us quite a while to get used to it. Each time we nibbled a bit of the seaweed or cucumber, our faces would cringe. Apart from that, we really liked the texture of the wakame seaweed.

Cold Dish

Thin slices of juicy and tender duck breast meat drizzled in homemade sauce, the Kamo Roast Yaki left us wanting more. If you think that you can get the same thing from buying duck rice, you are so wrong. The roasted duck meat was really fragrant.

Grilled Dish

This is actually my second or third time eating Shishamo. I felt a little squeamish when I first ate it about a year ago after my friend told me that this saltwater fish is grilled whole and it’s full of tiny little eggs. In other words, I am eating a pregnant fish. The grilled smelt was dry and crisp, containing many delicate egg sacs within.

Grilled Dish

The Tori Tsukune was really mouthwatering and I happily helped myself to two of the three grilled chicken meat balls. The balls of minced chicken paste were wonderfully grilled; so juicy that they were oozing flavor. I really wish that I could have some of that right now.

Grilled Dish

A humble piece of fishcake that would not normally warrant a second look for some, Chiharu does a modest Satsuma-Age Yaki . It would probably go well with some rice or soba.

Grilled Dish

Grilled and sprinkled with a bit of salt, the Shitake Kushiyaki was tender and juicy. Very flavorful but we would have preferred it to be grilled a little longer for it lacked a bit of that firmness.

Grilled Dish

I have to say that the Tebazaki Shio Yaki was extremely well-executed! The chicken wing was grilled to perfection, with its skin glistening with a bit of oil on the surface. The strips of smooth, tender chicken meat came off easily. We really appreciate that the chefs went easy on the salt, same goes for the grilled mushroom.

Deep Fried Dish

Moving on to the deep fried dishes, how could anyone miss out on the Tenpura Moriawase ? Prawns were succulent and we could taste how sweet they were underneath that light and crunchy batter. Same goes for the vegetables; the carrot strips and renkon (lotus root) were deliciously juicy.

Deep Fried Dish

Well-seasoned and marinated, the Ika Tatsuta Age had a slightly sharp and tangy taste. Although it was deep fried, we were still able to ascertain the squishy texture of the squid.

Deep Fried Dish

The Chiharu Cream Korrokke was another delightful yummy little thing. Drizzled in sweet sauce, the croquette was piping hot and mashy while its outer layer was crusty. I can guarantee you that one is never enough.

Deep Fried Dish

This is my first time eating Japanese deep fried spring rolls but honestly, I cannot really tell the difference between a Chinese one. Bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms were used for the Harumaki filling.

Warm Dish

Pork meat pan fried with ginger sauce, the Buta Shogayaki was another well-executed warm dish. The thin slices of pork were bursting with flavor. Nice to smell and nice to eat.

Warm Dish

My all-time favorite, Chawanmushi! Chiharu’s rendition of the steamed egg custard was smooth but a little on the wobbly side, such that it disintegrated fairly easily when I tried to savor it in my mouth.

Warm Dish

Not something I would usually order but since it was a buffet… Nikujaga translates to ‘chicken and potato’. We liked this very simple dish of simmered chicken with potato, carrot and onion. Everything was soft to the bite.

Warm Dish

The sauteed chicken had been pan-fried carefully such that its skin was not only intact but it was also not overly dry and hard. It’s gonna sound childish but I think we were close to fighting over the last few pieces of Tori Teriyaki.

Main Dish

I often find that soba is easily overcooked or undercooked. Chiharu’s Zaru Soba was just awesome. The soba was cooked al dente, resulting in a firm and chewy texture. Chewy Charles shared with me his secret (ok maybe not) of mixing some wasabi into the dipping sauce. I love it!

Main Dish

Sad to say, I have tried really marvelous udon during my previous trip to Hokkaido but I cannot seem to get that anywhere here! However, I’m not trying to discredit Chiharu’s Zara Udon. Springy with that extra bounce, we slurped up the noodles with ease. All of it.

Main Dish

It was our first time eating chazuke. There was one with apricot and another with seaweed, we chose the latter. Chazuke is a simple Japanese dish made by pouring green tea, dashi, or hot water over cooked rice, usually with savory toppings. I believe that the Nori Chazuke was prepared with dashi for it tasted like a very light version of miso soup. Very yummy!

Main Dish

My impression of Japanese curry is that it is not spicy but the Yasai Curry Rice was not only very strong in flavor but rather spicy too. The diced potatoes and carrots were cooked till they were soft. Curry gravy was thick but quite salty.

Dessert

Our last order at 2pm was the dessert of the day! The Rum & Raisin Ice Cream was really awesome. We both agreed that the taste of rum was undeniably strong and sweet. Chewy Charles doesn’t eat raisins so I had to dig them out and eat them.

Dessert

While I ate most of the rum & raisin, he had most of the Red Bean Ice Cream. As long as it is sweet, anything goes for me. Hehe. We left Chiharu at 2.30pm sharp; our stomachs full and our wallets empty. If we could, we would definitely have eaten more. Chiharu is highly recommended to those who want to try a great variety of Japanese dishes. Just remember that the Weekend Chef Treat Omakase is available on weekends and public holidays, during lunch time!

Chiharu Japanese Restaurant
779 Bukit Timah Road
Tel: 6769 1929

Opening Hours:
Tues to Sun
12pm – 2.30pm
6.30pm – 10.30pm
(Closed on Mondays)