Ebisboshi Shotengai

Sometime last week, I had a free meal because I did a favour for a friend who wanted to give me a treat in return. Haha...

We decided on Bugis Iluma because it would be less crowded than say, ION Orchard. We went to this Japanese restaurant, Ebisboshi Shotengai. At first the entrance was confusing. Upon asking, we were told that it was actually a Japanese Food Amusement Street.  The setting was like an old Japan street, with paper lanterns, bamboo fences, samurai swords. Looked like a street in Kyoto, just that in Kyoto, you would not be dining OUTSIDE on the street, I guess.

Ebisboshi Shotengai features 7 dining brands -  Tsubohachi, Tora Shabu, Katsumiya, Sanshigo, Teppan No Hoshi, and Menya Manpei and Sweet Brothers.  Each brand originates from the prefectures of Hokkaido, Nagano, Tokyo, Osaka and Hiroshima. You can get shabu shabu, teppanyanki, sushi, tonkatsu, okonomiyaki, Sapporo ramen, oden and Japanese desserts all under one roof. What a great concept.

And an even better concept would be their wireless self ordering system - a technology from Japan - which allows diners to order without human touch. The thick menu had all the items each with a magnetic pin. At the bottom of a menu was the ordering board. You were given something that looked like a big fat pen. You use the pen to click which item you wanted, then click Quantity, then click Enter, then after ordering all the items, just click Send. That's it, simple as ABC, quite idiot-proof and such convenience. It was better than Sakae Sushi's ordering system which you had to use a mouse to click on a window screen to order.  Most times, the mouse was not working or the system hanged. So you still needed human interaction in Sakae Sushi (mostly to complain....), which defeated the purpose in the first place. I like this wireless "pen" system better.  What I liked even more was the variety of food available.

I ordered a mini Unagi Don as well as lime juice. The Unagi Don was not well taken as it was quite dim in the restaurant ( I like! ). I do not like to use flash if possible. I had to brighten up this photo alot. I always like all Japanese whatever-Don, because the rice and ingredients tasted juicy and sweet with the egg, onions, seaweed and sauce.   I love the big glass  of lime juice, sour with enough punch.

I also ordered the Scallops Teppanyaki! I love scallops and they were pretty generous, 6-7 pieces of big scallops with beansprouts and cucumber and cabbage. I like this dish alot, and it complemented the mini Unagi Don.  

It was only when I was leaving that I noticed the exterior of the restaurant. There were 2 funny-looking human-size mannequins on the walls. Is the lunar 7th month here already? Hehe.