Sunday, May 22, 2005

Yoshinoya Singapore

Ah...Yoshinoya (or half-affectionately, half-derogatorily known as simply "beef bowl" back home). It doesn't exactly sound appetizing (especially if your only experience with Yoshinoya is the suspiciously bright-colored gooey vegetables that come with the chicken bowl), but it is quite tasty and addictive if you stick to the original beef bowl. It's a tastily brewed quick snack (I inhaled this in less than five minutes).

The Singapore stores get the "outside-of-Japan" menu (just like in the US), which means no natto, nama tamago, or yaki sakana. Nor is it open 24 hours. Instead they have some unappealing Anglicized chicken and ebi fry combos. (For a while, I would just take the beef bowl home just so that I could put natto and egg on it). Well, stick to the beef like the purist in you wants, and you will be OK.

BTW, I think the Singapore stores are using Australian beef now in light of the ban on US beef (mad cow scare). It's interesting that they arent as rigid as their Japan counterparts in adamantly sticking to the praises of US beef. Although I cant really taste the difference, I hope the ban (in both Singapore and Japan) is lifted soon.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope they lift the ban soon too. The Australian beef is too dry and not tender enough. It's the same with the Yakiniku rice burger at Moss Burger. I use to love it for the tender strips of beef. Now the beef are dry and tasteless! Bleah!

Anonymous said...

Yoshinoya in Singapore is HORRIBLE! Oh my. I hope no one develops a bad impression of the original Yoshinoya back in Japan because of its lackluster, absolutely degrading counterpart here. Thumbs up for Yoshinoya is Japan. It is definitely the best and most value for money.Think melt-in-your-mouth beef slices!

Anonymous said...

Am a native Japanese living in Singapore, but honestly, I never go to Yoshinoya in Japan nor Singapore. They are simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH. I am not speaking for everyone in Japan, but honestly, most of us think that Yoshinoya is only for either businessmen having quick meal or students who have little money.

As for US Beef, as we are speaking, Japan is lifting its ban on US beef. However, most of the consumers and even retailers in Japan are already more than skeptical about US beef after the incident. We are not buying them, even if they become available. The general atmosphere there is "only dumbs will buy US beef".

Anonymous said...

To each his/her own. I prefer Yoshinoya outside Japan. Maybe it's just the atmosphere - no drunken salaryman sitting next to me....

Anonymous said...

I was looking for information on Yoshinoya and found you. We went there last week and too bad we didn't try their recommended beef bowl though.