September 1, 2012 11:02 PM
Find out the key to success with Eat-all-you-can Japanese buffet.
[Singapore]
By Masaaki Yasuda Reported on August 25, 2012
Keywords : All You Can Eat Chisouzanmai KISEKIShabushabu Matsuya Sukiyaki Thai Express
Eat-all-you-can Japanese buffet is a must-have for any shopping center in Singapore. Most of their tables are filled by local customers and tourists. On the other hand, some says this style of Japanese restaurant is affecting Japanese food quality sustainability. Foodrink has visited 3 buffet style restaurant of Chisou Zanmai, KISEKI and Matsuya and find out the key reason of success and tasted its potential.
KISEKI Entrance. Huge Sumo wrestler is welcoming you.
Beside local food, Japanese food comes first of popularity in Singapore followed by Italian cuisine. Today, one of the successful business models to sell Japanese food is eat-all-you-can Japanese buffet style.
First we have visited Chisou zanmai located in Clark Quay Central shopping center owned by Japanese firm, Create Restaurants Pte., Ltd. Chisou Zanmai have started off as seafood and multi-cuisine buffet "Fishermen's market" in July 2011 however they have renewed their business focus only on Japanese food since March 2012. Cover charge is S$14.90 for weekdays lunch, S$24.90 for dinner excluding 10% service charge and 7% GST. They provide over 100 kinds of dishes and non-alcoholic drinks are free flow.
Chiso Zenmai signboard
Price list for buffet
Pay the cover charge first when you enter. Interior is well organized in clean white. About half of the seating are taken at 1pm weekday lunch time. Customers are at their various age groups. The staff brings us to the table and receipt is stick on the table to show to proof that payment has been made. Staff places a cardboard on the table which mentions that there is extra fine if any food is wasted and to remove the card from the holder once you are done with your lunch.
Receipt is stick on the table with fine notice for wastage of food.
White interior makes the restaurant clean and neat.
Move on to the buffet corner, ladies are taking pictures of lines of all-time favorites including Sushi, Sashimi, Tempura, Soba, Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki and Ramen dishes. The promotion on Oyster Sakuramiso hot pot was one of the popular dishes. There were Japanese traditional sweets for desserts.
Buffet area
Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki is also on the buffet
Must-have Sushi. Salmon and sushi rolls seem like the most popular ones.
Oyster Sakuramiso Hot pot. Indulge by Caucasian too.
Even Sake Chazuke is provided with how to make.
The foods are mainly cooked in light taste to match Singaporean's tongue. Busy and rough service of un-well pronounces "Irashaimase" (Welcome in Japanese) and quick clearing of plates after eating.
Next, we have visited KISEKI in Orchard central. It is managed by ThaiExpress group which is highly profiled for modern Thai food of 35 outlets in over 10 countries in Asia. Weekday lunch is at S$19.80 and S$31.80 for dinner excluding service charge and GST. KISEKI pricings are abohut 30% more compare to Chiso Zenmai with wider choice of 200 dishes.
Price List
The restaurant design is done by popular Japanese design firm, Super Potato Co., square kitchen is located in the center and dishes are surrounding the kitchen. There is no serving of Ramen but DIY pasta which you can choose your own ingredients.
Interior
Fine of S$5 per 100g for wastage of food
Aji sushi is also one of the favorite choices
Freshly deep-fried Kushikatsu
Japanese sweets including Manjyu
Tempura is freshly deep-fried, Sashimi placed on ice cubes, Chawanmushi is freshly made in Chawanmushi machine. They will cook the hot pot when there is order and result makes 30 minutes of waiting worth a while. It was amazing than what we were expected. Even we, Japanese could be entertained by wide choices of over 200 kinds of Japanese food. Semi-private window seating was reserved for groups of approximately 10 at our visit of lunchtime in weekend. 80% of seating was filled. There were not only locals but we saw several Caucasian families as well. We saw ladies taking picture of the dishes again at this place.
Lastly, we have visited Sukiya which is Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu buffet at Marina Square. The management is Creative Eateries Pte., Ltd who owns around 20 restaurants and conduct wedding catering services. The cover charge was S$15.90 for weekday lunch, S$19.90 dinner. For this store, there is time allowance which is 80 minutes for lunch and 100minutes for dinner. Extra S$2 will be charged for weekends and public holidays. Dinner and weekend pricings are cheaper compare to the other two.
Sukiya
Interior
You can choose 2 soups from choice of Sukiyaki, Shabu Shabu, Kimuchi. We have chosen Shabu Shabu and Kimuchi for our trial. Meats of beef, pork. Chickens are free flow ordering method and staff brings over to our table. Vegetables and other ingredients are placed on buffet style.
Shabu Shabu and Kimchi soup
Slice of beef fat, the color turned dull yellow
Good looking pork slice
Wide choice of vegetables and ingredient including cheese meat ball.
Ponzu, Miso, Fresh garlic and chili for the sauce
Additional 20% fine will be charged for food wastage.
Beer promotion conducted only by Sukiya
There were only about 5 groups in the store at 1pm on weekday mainly male customers. The beef fats turned into dull yellow and taste was horrible. We added some garlic and chili to make it better. Other customers seem like they do not mind much about quality of the meat, they keep ordering beef.
As we have seen 3 restaurants of Chiso Zanmai, KISEKI and Sukiya. All of them are definitely making a huge contribution to penetrate Japanese food in Singapore. The trend for Japanese food is caused by existence of these economical All-you-can-eat Japanese buffet business which let any Singaporeans to answer yes to a Japanese food experience no matter of quality.
There are many high quality real Japanese restaurants by spending S$500 but it remains only for chosen group of people. Since Singaporeans income is increasing, there is definitely a way to make Japanese food experience even more exciting in near future.
