Spider maki ($12); Kitsune udon ($7); Wakame udon ($6)!

Saturday Japanese lunch with BB — spider maki $12 + kitsune udon $7 + wakame udon $6. Japanese restaurant spread.

We ordered:

• Spider maki — $12
• Kitsune udon — $7
• Wakame udon — $6

Total: $25 for the full spread.

The spider maki is the modern fusion Japanese sushi roll. Standard preparation:

• Inside-out sushi roll (rice outside, nori inside)
• Soft shell crab tempura as main filling
• Avocado + cucumber
• Sometimes spicy mayo + tobiko (flying fish roe)
• Sometimes additional eel sauce drizzle
• The proper “Japanese-American fusion” creation

The spider name reference:

• Soft shell crab legs protrude from rolled sushi
• The legs appear “spider-like” in presentation
• Modern fusion creation (not traditional Japanese)
• The proper “Westernised sushi” innovation

At $12, proper Japanese restaurant fusion roll pricing.

The kitsune udon is the proper traditional Japanese udon variant:

• Thick udon noodles
• Clear dashi-based broth
• Sweet tofu pouch (abura age — fried thin tofu boiled in dashi + soy + mirin + sugar)
• Sometimes scallion garnish
• The proper “fox-themed” udon (kitsune = fox, fox supposedly loves abura age in Japanese folklore)

The kitsune name origin:

• Japanese folklore: fox spirits (kitsune) favor abura age (sweet tofu pouches)
• The traditional Japanese folk belief
• The proper “vegetarian-suitable” traditional udon
• Iconic Japanese soul food category

The wakame udon is another traditional Japanese udon variant:

• Same thick udon noodles + clear dashi broth
• Wakame seaweed as primary topping
• Sometimes additional scallion or sesame
• The proper “seaweed-heavy” healthy variant

The wakame component:

• Edible seaweed common in Japanese cuisine
• Soft texture when rehydrated
• Mineral-rich + iodine source
• The proper “umami enhancement” element

The three-item Japanese spread provides proper variety:

• Sushi roll (proper rolled sushi format)
• Two distinct udon variants (kitsune sweet tofu + wakame seaweed)
• Cross-category Japanese sampling
• Different proteins / vegetables coverage

At $25 total for the proper Japanese restaurant spread, this represents proper mid-range casual Japanese dining tier.

Singapore casual Japanese restaurants with proper sushi + udon offerings:

• Various sit-down Japanese restaurants
• Japanese restaurant chains (Sushi Tei, Itacho Sushi, etc.)
• Mall Japanese restaurant outlets
• Independent Japanese restaurant operators

Overall: 4.7 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Solid Japanese spider maki + kitsune udon + wakame udon spread. Would re-visit.

Original IG post