Megumi Japanese Restaurant: Hokubee Sukiyaki!
With SCS Butter and the ieatFamily
Matsu Sashimi: $40
My kids love Japanese Food. It's always a fight between Japanese Food and MacDonald's every time we ask them what they want to eat. And between Jap Food and MacDonald's, my choice is quite straightforward.
I guess the thing with Japanese food is that the flavours are quite simple and the kids can use their hands to eat stuff like sushi. Then there is the Tempura dishes which always appeals to the kids. When it comes to Sashimi, I am always amazed at how my five year old daughter loves it so much and yet my son would not touch it. Guess she's more like mom.
This being the case, the family is always in search of affordable, family style, casual Japanese restaurants to eat at. I am happy to report that Megumi is yet another of such restaurants to add to the list.
Beef Sukiyaki $17.80
Let me just highlight a few of their more distinctive dishes. The first one that I would say is pretty special is their Sukiyaki/Shabu Shabu which costs $17.80. It is served with a good portion of Hokubee Beef.
For the uninitiated, Hokubee Beef is beef that is "manufactured" to resemble Kobe Beef. The product itself is called "Meltique" beef and what happens is that they inject a mixture of Canola oil and starch into the normal, otherwise lean beef in order to give it more marbling. When your first look at the picture, you'd be amazed at how the marbling actually looks!
Tastewise, the Hokubee cannot match that of Wagyu. But the texture of the beef is very good and it has that tender "melt in your mouth" quality about it. Healthwise, I guess I can only postulate since there are no research papers that I know of that says that Hokubee Beef is better for you than normal beef. We know that Canola oil is one of those monounsaturated oils that actually lowers your bad cholesterol levels. So, theoretically, it should be better for you than well marbled USDA beef. But don't quote me on that yeah?
Anyway, the sukiyaki soup stock here is pretty good and we really enjoyed the tender beef slices. Of course you cannot compare with having A5 black hair Beef, but it is probably one of the best value Shabu Shabu deals I have come across. 4/5
Hokubee Teppanyaki $16.80
Actually, I feel that for the price, Hokubee Beef is actually not bad. It is beefy enough, but it is the tenderness of the beef that is really enjoyable. If you don't tell me that it is artificially injected beef, I could have easily mistaken it for grain fed New Zealand or Australian Beef. Given that I have been to some Japanese Restaurant Chains that serve simply atrocious "Chewing Gum" type beef, I'd go for Hokubee any day (except for days when I get to eat USDA Prime). So when Hokubee is used to prepare any beef dish like this Hokubee Teppanyaki, you do get nice and tender beef without having to pay a bomb for it. 4.25/5
Hiyashi Sumi Udon $9.80
I am sure you all have taken Charcoal Pills for diarrhoea before right? So eating charcoal is not a problem. But what do you think about Fine Charcoal Udon? This is the first time I have come across this particular flavour of Udon, which is served cold. Tastewise, I really cannot say it is really that distinctive. But hey, its a wonderful way to prevent yourself from getting diarrhoea just in case the Sashimi is bad. Just joking lah, the Sashimi here is pretty fresh. I rate it 3/5, but then I am not a cold noodle person. Those that enjoy cold noodles might be in a better position to give it a fair rating.
Conclusion
Another restaurant to add to the list of possible restaurants from family dinners. This restaurant is located in the area of Sunset way which is being touted as the new "Holland V". The restaurant itself is tiny, but there is a large Al Fresco dining area. Good place for a casual Shabu Shabu and to get your usual Japanese fix.
Megumi Japanese Restaurant
Block 106 Clementi Street 12
#01-38
67791411
11.30am to 2.30pm
6.00pm to 10.30pm
Opens Daily
Disclosure:
This review was done by invitation from Megumi and arranged by SCS Butter
27 comments:
And between Jap Food and MacDonald's, my choice is quite straightforward.
I applaud you. Given those two options no child should ever end up at McD's. I wish I'd eaten more sushi and fewer fries growing up!
Leslie,
There is a Megumi japanese restaurant on East Coast/Siglap Road, it's between the Big Fish restaurant and Pasta Fresca.
I wonder if the 2 are related. I don't think I have ever tried sumi udon at the East Coast place.
Actually, I have never tried Hokubee either!
There's a unagi tofu also not bad.
thanks for interesting review...a question...when you say injected with canola oil...do you mean to the living cow, or after it is slaughtered? Do you have more details on how this is done?
They inject it into the culled meat. The details are found on the hokubee website. The link is provided in the blog on the fifth paragraph. The words "Hokubee Beef" are brown in colour indicating that it is linked to the article. For your convenience it is here:
http://www.meltiquebeef.com.au/
Had the sukiyaki beef at the Megumi at East Coast. The beef melts in your mouth n I give a 4.5/5. We had sashimi salmon n we insisted on the belly part, yummy.
I thought their Grilled Cod with Miso was excellent too.
Service could do with some improvement though.
Also, the Al Fresco dining area is only good with daylight. Once night falls, it is so "romantic" that it is not functional. (read: dark)
And not to mention that it is really cramped at the Al Fresco area.
there's this western cafe near megumi at the sunset way area that is really good...
horribly good i mean!!
go try it :D
denise
Ooh I've been to Megumi @ Upper East Coast~
At first I thought it would be quite pricy, but it's actually quite reasonable.
Pretty good quality.
Tried the one at Siglap. Quote nice food. Pricing is reasonable too.
If I am not mistaken, the one at Siglap (Upp East Coast) is called Megume, not Megumi.
Is the western cafe called Peaberry & Pretzel?
So jealous my parents are now so near a good Japanese restaurant >_<
I wish they had spruced up Sunset Way years ago but thanks for the review - another place to eat at when we return :)
Jean
try Nara at Goldhill Centre. Its along the row of shophouse facing United Square.
Mid ranged prices... about $40 per head for a reasonably good meal.
Try their california maki, and spider maki, which are one of the best i hv tried even compared to higher end restaurants...
also good are some of their cooked dishes, like their special lamb chops, cooked in a spicy sauce.
if willing to spend a little more, then ask for their specials. now in season, monk fish liver in ponzu sauce, very fresh, v nice.
The Megumi/Megume at Siglap has closed for some time now (they weren't very good). A HK cafe has taken over.
Not too sure if this is the place to do this... but you guy should review this curry udon place @ central. It's beside the ramen shop that's always having a long queue. I don't take much curry outside of my mom's curry... but this is good stuff!
lastest at 1.45pm today. Megumi is still operating at Upp.East Coast.It is Megumi as stated by the sign board.
The curry udon restaurant is called Wakashachiya Curry Udon.
The Kare Udon is good but after leaving the place, you will smell like curry the whole day.
the megumi at east coast road is pretty bad though, even if its open don't bother going.
megumi at east coast is crap. the rice they serve is the chines rice. not the japanese rice.
and the only thing worse than their food is their service..
My all time favourite is japanese food.. :) i wonder if my brat would love it too.. had we stayed in asia.. instead of canada.. haha!
Our family (2 adults and 2 kids 5 and 7) had dinner there this evening. We found the fare relatively good for a Japanese restaurant tucked away in a corner of Sunset Way. We had:
cold soba (kids shared and slurped up every it) - went without the raw quail's egg for fear of salmonellosis;
the sirloin steak - a little overdone (asked for medium well but seemed closer to well) but still juicy and flavorful; didn't have that cow-ey smell that pervades some steaks;
the foie gras teriyaki - nice for me as it came in thin steaks (unlike that in fancy french places) and was well done. the wife found it too well done though.
the bento set - this was SUBSTANTIAL and came with salmon, tuna and swordfish sashimi, grilled mackarel, tempura prawns and vegetables, rice and miso. Sashimi was cut thicker and chunkier than I'm used to, but still nice and fresh (i.e., no fishy smell). Saba was nicely done too - the lemon brought out the simple flavors. Tempura was generic.
Wifey had a unagi/tofu/udon/egg stewy thing which I didn't get to sample - she whacked it all, so I guess it was good...
The service crew was ok overall. Had coloring kit for the kids (but only gave it out AFTER we paid!).
Went there recently with my hubby and I must say this place is a horrible disappointment! The service was so bad and the waiting time was way too long - a good 25mins before we even got our seats. The indoor area was too cramped and the so called 'Al Fresco' area? It's no fun eating in the dark...we all want to see exactly what we are eating don't we?
I give this place a 1 out of 5..for that price, there's easily a dozen other jap resturant out there that beats this place - hands down!
Avoid at all cost!
uncle smart,
u like salmon belly too?? Oooo... me too!! i luv it!!! ;)
everytime i go to a jap restaurant to eat salmon sashimi, i'll always ask if they have salmon belly!!
it's soooo yummy!! =p
i went to try yesterday! Yummy!! :D
Love your passion for food doctor!
Never try to eat Japanese food at Megumi. The worst I ever tasted. Nothing is fresh. It seem it had been in the freezer for century. The staff was not wearing any grove while preparing the sushi and raw fish. yah.
went there todae for a V-day dinner with the bf. Food was as good as what leslie says it is, but the setback was the lousy service rendered. The beef was tender, tempura maki was superb, sukiyaki was the star product :)
taking long to top up tea, taking long to order, taking long for food to be served & worst of all, making me remind them 4 times about my chawanmushi and had to wait 45min for it.
Grossed out! Luckily the manager offered to waive the svc charge... But i rather go back to my fav haunt of ichiban boshi @ wisma, beats megumi flat :)
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