NEW Japanese restaurant openings in Singapore

PRONTO

The popular Japanese chain of Italian bar-style cafés has opened its first outlet in Singapore. The café serves pasta, Italian coffee and afternoon tea, and is popular among office workers in Japan, where it has nearly 260 stores.

JIMOTO DINING

This omakase restaurant in a Joo Chiat Road shophouse is led by Tokyo-born chef Takahiro Sato, who once worked at Hashida Sushi. The homely restaurant offers four value-for-money omakase options, from $55+ a person, as well as a la carte dishes like A4 Miyazaki wagyu ribeye steak. The bar also offers sake and whiskies from Japan.

BINCHO AT MIN JIANG

The lush Dempsey area is now home to this second outlet of the popular Japanese yakitori restaurant Bincho at Hua Bee in Tiong Bahru. The 52-seat restaurant sits in a colonial building that also houses Cantonese restaurant Min Jiang — hence its name. The menu is created by Executive Chef Asai Masashi and features the signature Yakitori Platter grilled over binchotan charcoal as well as new dishes like the Uni Shabu Shabu.

GRAM CAFÉ & PANCAKES

With outlets already open in Bangkok, San Francisco and Hong Kong, the Osaka chain of jiggly, Instagram- ready souffle pancakes has finally opened in Singapore at VivoCity. These fluffy, wobbly, 4cm-thick pancakes include flavours like Tiramisu and Azuki Matcha but are typically served with maple syrup, whipped cream and butter.

NOKA

The Spa Esprit Group in Singapore is opening its first Japanese restaurant in Singapore in the new Funan mall. Noka, which means “farmhouse” in Japanese, will be a 75-seater, glass-walled restaurant and will feature a 5,000 sq ft urban garden in partnership with Edible Garden City. Similar to the group’s popular Open Farm Community restaurant in Dempsey, Noka will extend the farm-to-table concept to Japanese cuisine.

AFURI RAMEN + DUMPLING

Also opening at the revamped Funan mall is this Japanese ramen chain, famous for its signature yuzu-scented ramen. Launched by F&B group Japan Foods Holding, which is also known for its Ajisen Ramen chain and other ramen restaurants, the restaurant in Singapore will be known as Afuri Ramen + Dumpling and will also feature gyoza and small plates, along with its famous yuzu ramen.