Curry tori katsudon + chawanmushi + mushroom tempura + honey lemon ($14.90+)!
Japanese set lunch — curry tori katsudon (chicken cutlet over curry rice), chawanmushi, mushroom tempura, honey lemon, miso soup. $14.90+ at Bugis.
Dinner — Japanese set meal at a Bugis casual diner. Curry tori katsudon set with all the accompaniments at $14.90+. Full set. 😋
What was on the table ($14.90+):
- Curry tori katsudon (front, main plate) — golden panko chicken cutlet (tori katsu) sliced into strips over white rice, the rice half-covered in Japanese-style brown curry sauce with chunks of soft potato + carrot. Garnished with chopped scrambled egg bits + pink Japanese pickled ginger (beni shoga).
- Chawanmushi (right, cup) — silky savoury steamed Japanese egg custard with dashi base + soya drizzle on top.
- Mushroom tempura (left plate) — two pieces of deep-fried mushroom with a small dish of tentsuyu dipping sauce + grated daikon on the side.
- Miso soup (back, black bowl) — clear miso broth with soft tofu cubes + wakame seaweed.
- Honey lemon drink in a tall glass — chilled honey + lemon water.
Japanese set meals at the casual diner price point ($12-18) are the SG everyday Japanese choice — not premium izakaya, not chain (Ootoya), but the small Japanese-owned diner that does proper set meals at hawker-adjacent pricing. The set covers: 1 carb main + 1 protein side + 1 egg dish + 1 soup + 1 drink. Complete in one plate.
Tori katsudon with curry is the Japanese comfort double — panko chicken cutlet + Japanese curry rice, two beloved dishes combined. The katsu provides the crunchy protein, the curry provides the rich gravy base, the rice anchors both.
Japanese curry is the gentler-sweeter cousin of SG/Indian curry — uses curry roux blocks (S&B golden curry style), browned with onions + apple + soya, served over rice with chunky potato + carrot. Lower spice, more umami-sweet depth.
Chawanmushi is the underrated set side — savoury steamed egg custard with dashi base, often hiding small surprises (gingko nut, shimeji mushroom, prawn) at the bottom. The proper Japanese set dish — silky-smooth, savoury, palate-cleansing.
Mushroom tempura is the second fried side — usually shiitake or eringi, dipped in light tempura batter, fried at oil temperature high enough for crispy-not-greasy texture.
Miso soup is the standard set closer — light, salty-umami, with tofu cubes + wakame.
Honey lemon is the chilled accompaniment — lemon’s acidity + honey’s sweetness cuts through the heavy fried + curry mains.
Total: $14.90+ = roughly $17 after GST. Good value Japanese set.
Overall: 4.3 / 5. Katsu was crispy under the curry, chawanmushi was silky-smooth, mushroom tempura held its crunch, honey lemon refreshed. Complete Japanese set at the right price. 😍👍🏼
