10 Restaurants and eateries in Singapore to curb your mentaiko cravings

huibing 05 Jul 2017

1/10
Kabe No Ana Pasta
Japanese and Italian cuisine are both, individually, incredibly popular picks for many, and combining them has led to an incredible fusion that has never failed to deliver. At Kabe No Ana Pasta, get the best of both worlds with their wide array of pasta dishes that are infused with a Japanese twist. The mentaiko carbonara is an absolute delight, with a poached egg on top to give an Instagrammable effect, but their mentaiko toast is an addictive addition as well!

23 Serangoon Central, #B1-80 NEX, Singaproe 556083

Photo: @karinevilla
2/10
The Sushi Bar
The Sushi Bar is a place that has garnered attention for its cosiness that has hit the spot for many customers. While Japanese food has been known for being a little more expensive here in Singapore, this down-to-earth eatery ensures that you have a good time with delicious food, without emptying your wallet out. The scallop mentaiyaki starts your meal right, with the creaminess of the sauce and the slight grill on the scallop giving a charred deliciousness, but go for the mentaiko pasta or don to fill your stomach up!

391B Orchard Road, #05-34/35, Ngee Ann City, Singapore 238874

Photo: The Sushi Bar Instagram
3/10
Koh Grill & Sushi Bar
Everyone has already been here, but not including this would be an absolute sin. After all, everyone pretty much refers to this place by its signature dish, Shiok Maki, and this dish is exactly what we are looking for. The rice rolls with avocado and unagi are drenched with the secret sauce, which is good enough that makes our mouth water. Though we aren’t exactly sure what is in the sauce, it tastes like a combination of mayonnaise and mentaiko that works oh-so-well on these made-to-order makis.

435 Orchard Road, #04-21 Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, Singapore 238877

Photo: @mightyfoodie
4/10
GRUB
When talking about mentaiko, GRUB definitely does not disappoint. Sure, mentaiko is usually paired with pasta and rice, but they have taken this wonderful sauce and added it to one of the world’s favourite appetisers: french fries. So, move over truffle fries and cheese fries — mentaiko fries are here to revolutionise the game. To get the full GRUB experience, try the sakura ebi pasta alongside the fries, a heavenly combination that will leave you wanting more.

510 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, Bishan Park 1, Singapore 569983

Photo: GRUB Facebook
5/10
ShuKuu Izakaya & Sake Bar
This Japanese gastropub serves up amazing drinks that will kickstart your night right, but the food is incredibly delectable as well. It is a hard combination of tradition and modernity, but ShuKuu pulls it off incredibly well. The dishes here are not the classic Japanese fare, seen by its mentaiko rosti and crab gratin (of course, with the mouth-watering mentaiko), but the food here is authentically delicious. Finish your meal with Japanese shochu and sake, and you’ll be having the true-blue izakaya experience right here in Singapore.

8 Stanley St, Singapore 068727

Photo: ShuKuu Izakaya & Sake Bar Facebook
6/10
Hyde and Co.
Finding halal food isn’t hard here, but finding halal restaurants for specific dishes in mind can get tricky. Introducing Hyde and Co., a halal cafe that serves up an intriguing selection of dishes that will satisfy your zaniest craving. Grab the hime-sama, a Norwegian crayfish pasta dish that is adorned with mentaiko sauce, or the geisha pizza for Norwegian salmon and, of course, mentaiko mayo. Interesting fusion food with delightful ambience, what’s not to like?

785 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 198753

Photo: @sharmeee
7/10
Kajiken Singapore
Singapore is not short of ramen shops, serving up slurp-worthy bowls of broth, but Kajiken is bringing something a little new to the table. Bringing dry ramen to our little island, Kajiken essentially specialises in mix soba, where (you guessed it) you have to mix the soba up with the ingredients. Try the Nagoya style mazesoba for their signature dish, or the all toppings mazesoba if you’re keen to get it all. Inversely, get onto the road less travelled with the cod roe and mayonnaise mazesoba that will bring a mentaiko twist to this delicious dish.

101 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088522

Photo: Kajiken Singapore Instagram
8/10
Mojo Singapore
The day starts out with Mojo serving up delectable protein bowls for lunch and as the sun sets, the place turns into a yakitori bar. This eatery is a must-visit if you’re in the area for a good and filling lunch, but drop by after work for the real party to begin. With signature yakitoris like pork belly and scallop, as well as typical bar bites like chicken wings, you can’t go wrong with Mojo at any time of the day. So start your day with the mentaiko bowl and then end it with the mentaiko salmon to share (or eat it all yourself, we wouldn’t judge!).

204 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068640

Photo: Mojo Singapore Instagram
9/10
Wheeler’s Yard
Wheeler’s Yard’s iconic blue door has made this a popular hangout for people looking for Instagrammable food, but did you know that their mentaiko pasta is super good as well? The sauce here is homemade, which means you’re getting a fresh take on it, and the shredded seaweed and spring onions give it that familiar kick you know and love, the next time you’re in the area, drop by for some quick pictures and then relish in the salty dish that never fails.

28 Lor Ampas, Singapore 328781

Photo: Wheeler’s Yard Facebook
10/10
Gyoza-Ya
Drop by Gyoza-Ya if you’re looking for Japanese dumplings that always delight. The pan-fried dumplings with pork never ceases to be an explosion of flavour with each mouthful, but go for the dumplings with mentaiko miso for a little extra kick. End the meal with yaki-hotate mentai (grilled scallop with mentaiko sauce) or indulge in their dumplings with red king crab. Honestly, whichever way you choose to indulge here, you’ll be in for a treat.

2 Orchard Turn #B4-56 ION Orchard, 238801

Photo: @salsera_love

Savoury, spicy, sweet — mentaiko is an amalgamation of different flavours that never ceases to satisfy.

To a person who has never tried mentaiko before, the pink sauce may actually seem like an absolute mystery. It is, after all, drizzled over any a plethora of different types of food, from pizza to French fries to sushi to gyoza dumplings. To anyone who has ever tried mentaiko (and loved it), the pink sauce could still be an absolute mystery, but one thing is clear — mentaiko is really good and super addictive.

For the curious, mentaiko is basically seasoned or brined cod roe or pollock egg, giving it that signature colour between coral and millennial pink. This savoury addition to any dish creates an explosion of flavour that’s difficult to describe. As it is often marinated in yuzu citrus, chilli, sake, and kombu (kelp), the result is an undeniably delicious taste that can be paired brilliantly with pretty much anything.

The best thing is: curbing your cravings in Singapore isn’t as hard as you imagine. We’ve rounded up 10 best restaurants and eateries where you can get your fix of mentaiko goodness. Here in Singapore, it’s easy to find yourself enjoying the intriguing saltiness that comes with this delightful flavour.

Lee Hui Bing

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