Beef udon + tempura + chicken cutlet ($16.60)!
Tuesday Japanese lunch — beef udon + tempura + chicken cutlet set $16.60. The substantial multi-component Japanese chain set lunch.
Tuesday Japanese chain lunch with BB — beef udon + tempura + chicken cutlet at $16.60. The substantial multi-component Japanese set lunch.
We ordered:
- Beef udon + tempura + chicken cutlet set — $16.60
The three-component Japanese chain lunch is the upgrade tier on the basic noodle bowl. Standard udon bowl runs $9-11; the set with multiple add-ons brings it to the $15-18 range. The format gives you the noodle main, the tempura side, and a secondary protein piece for the substantial lunch experience.
The beef udon was the headline. Thick alkaline wheat noodles in a clear dashi broth, with the proper sanuki or standard udon chew, topped with thin slices of beef in a sweet-soy glaze (gyudon-style). The beef releases its sauce into the dashi as you mix, with the broth thickening slightly from the beef-fat and the glaze.
The tempura side was probably a piece of prawn tempura or a small vegetable tempura assortment. Properly battered in airy panko-tempura batter, deep-fried to the golden translucent crisp. The tempura sauce (tentsuyu — soy-mirin-dashi mix with grated daikon) came in a small bowl on the side for dipping.
The chicken cutlet was the second protein component. Panko-breaded chicken thigh, deep-fried until the crust crackled and the meat stayed juicy. Sliced into strips for the proper eating format.
The combination eats as multiple textures and flavours layered together. Hot soup udon, crispy tempura, crispy chicken cutlet — each component a different texture and temperature contrast against the soft soup noodles.
At $16.60 for the set this is fair Japanese chain pricing. The set format provides the variety that a single bowl wouldn’t, and the chain pricing keeps the format accessible for the weekday lunch slot.
The Tuesday Japanese chain lunch slot is part of the rotation. Home cooking baseline + occasional hawker stops + Japanese chain sets for the variety break. The pattern works for the energy budget and the food variety.
Japanese chain restaurant scene in Singapore has expanded over the years. The mid-tier chains (Yayoi, Marutama, Tampopo, Tonkatsu by Ma Maison) run reliable set menus at the $15-25 lunch tier, with the udon/ramen format being the regular default.
Overall: 4.4 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Solid Japanese chain set — would re-order.
