If you’re a fan of unagi, you’ll be happy to know there’s a new unagi speciality store in Orchard – Unagi Yondaime Kikuawa! The restaurant originates from Nagoya and brings a charcoal-grilled eel recipe with 90 years of ancestry.
There are 35 stores across Asia, including Japan, Korea and Hong Kong; making this its first outlet in Singapore!
Binchotan-Grilled Live Eel
The restaurant is at Shaw Centre, flush against the side entrance. It’s a small but cosy space with familiar Japanese decoration.
There are two private rooms that each accommodate four guests, or be combined into a room for eight.
There’s an open kitchen where you can watch chefs prepare the eel. The eels are live and handled with every order for the best quality meat.
It’s then slowly grilled over a hot binchotan fire till caramelised, before being dunked into their house tare sauce to be served. The grilling process whetted our appetites!
Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa Menu
The classic set menu is Kabayaki Ippon Jyu Set ($48), featuring an uncut piece of 300g eel served over rice with a side of pickles and eel liver broth. It’s served in custom-made tableware that retains heat, so every bite is warm.
The eel was fall-apart tender, with enough fattiness to make it indulgent but not cloying! We liked that their tare wasn’t too sweet, with a rich, caramelised umami from being on the grill.
If you enjoy a saucy unagi, it might not have enough sauce. We found the amount just right to coat the eel but not overshadow it! The binchotan added a smokiness that permeated the meat, pairing perfectly with the rice.
There is also a Kabayaki Ippon Unagi Set ($48) that serves the eel with rice on the side instead.
They have a Shirayaki Ippon Unagi Set ($48) without sauce, simply seasoning the eel with salt. This was a unique take and highlighted the clean taste of the eel!
An elevated version is the Ippon Hitsumabushi Set ($50). This Nagoya speciality features sliced unagi over rice, plus three condiments: seaweed, wasabi and green onions.
You can enjoy different flavours with different permutations, though we recommend adding a bit of everything!
The wasabi added a refreshing spicy kick to cut through the fattiness, while the seaweed elevated the umami notes.
It includes a dashi to finish the meal as ochazuke. The eel is sizable and could honestly comfortably feed two people!
The Hitsumabushi Set ($37) offers the same experience but with selected cuts in an ornate wooden bowl.
Other eel-based dishes include Umaki Eel Rolled in Egg ($12), Grilled Eel Liver ($9), and Eel Bone Cracker ($6) which showcase the best of the eel. It’s a slim but focused menu, showcasing their expertedly prepared eel in a few ways!
Grilled Unagi In Singapore
Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa provided a premium quality charcoal-grilled unagi experience! The price point is steep, but we felt their eel was well-prepared and worth a visit for special occasions.
Check out more Japanese eats in Singapore:
- Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu: Popular Japanese Gyukatsu with Singapore-Exclusive Half and Half Gyukatsu Zen
- Torori Tenshi No Warabi Mochi: Popular Japanese Warabimochi Brand With Warabimochi Parfait In VivoCity
- Royal Host: Japanese-Western Comfort Food In Jewel Changi Airport With Hotplate Hamburg Steak
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Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa
Shaw Centre #01-12, 1 Scotts Road, Singapore 228208
Open daily. 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm
Reservations online.
*This article is based on a media-tasting event, but all opinions expressed about the food are entirely our own.
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