Gyoza-Ya
260 Orchard Road
#B1-02A Robinsons The Heeren
2 Orchard Turn
#B4-56 ION Orchard
290 Orchard Road
#B1-43 The Paragon
68 Orchard Road
#B2-50 Plaza Singapura
930 Yishun Avenue 2
#B1-199 Northpoint
http://www.gyozaya.com.sg/
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| Shichimi Su Buta / Boiled Pork Dumplings With 7-Spice Vinegar (SGD $6.80) |
Speciality Gyoza Dumplings
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 5
Ambience & Setting: 5
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 3
Value for Money: 6
Spent about SGD $21 per person.
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Founded in February 2014, Gyoza-Ya by the Akashi Group is a speciality Japanese store, specialising in hand made gyoza dumplings. Occupying a fairly niche market, Gyoza-Ya has made a name for itself, consistently serving up their tasty gyoza dumplings day in and day out.
Ambience at Gyoza-Ya is styled to resemble a casual izakaya, like a street side bar. Hues of black and wood are spot lit from above, the interplay of light and shadow dance across the modern furniture. A large bar occupies center, with ample bar seating around, where you can watch the chefs at work. Ventilation is poor though, you leave with cooking odour sticking to you.
Service at Gyoza-Ya is passable, but not very friendly. Expect little to no engagement beyond a cursory greeting of 'Irrashimase'. Staff don't display much, or any, product knowledge, and payment is self-service. However, staff do serve orders to your table, and they competently clear away empty / finished plates and tables. Orders are fulfilled in a staggered manner too, which leads to some waiting time.
Food at Gyoza-Ya is focused on Japanese light bites and small bowls. Their signature is the range of gyoza dumplings, all made fresh daily. However, the rest of the dishes are passable in quality at best. Portions are sized for individuals or small groups. Prices are reasonable, but sub-par value for money due to the quality. Budget about SGD $21 per person for a meal here.
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| Gyoza-Ya Facade |
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| Meal Flat Lay |
The Atsukan / Hot Sake (SGD $12) is straightforward, earthy and spicy, best paired with a round of light bites here.
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| Atsukan / Hot Sake (SGD $12) |
The Beer Kirin Ichiban (SGD $6.50) is an American style pale lager, brewed by the Kirin Company in Tokyo, in the Kanto region of Japan. It has a clear, straw golden colour, with aromas of malt, grains, skunk, and lemon. The body is light, crisp, smooth, with lively carbonation, and tastes of bread, metal, grass, and cereal. Has a slight sweetness and slight bitterness. Very drinkable but light, and refreshing.
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| Beer Kirin Ichiban (SGD $6.50) |
A large, warm and earthy Ryoku Cha (SGD $1.50), or Japanese green tea, helps to alleviate some of the oily feeling from the dishes.
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| Ryoku Cha (SGD $1.50) |
I like the Ninniku Yaki Meshi / Garlic Fried Rice (SGD $5.80), which is fragrant and appetizing. The rice is fried till it takes on a smoky spice aroma from the garlic and eggs, with a light savoury salty undertone. A tad more oily than I'd prefer though.
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| Ninniku Yaki Meshi / Garlic Fried Rice (SGD $5.80) |
The Aburi Broccoli (SGD $4.80) features crunchy roasted florets of broccoli, nicely smoky vegetal sweet in flavour. Marinated in 7 different spices, garnished with katsuobushi / bonito fish flakes. The only drawback; the texture tends towards dry. I wish it was more bright and juicy.
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| Aburi Broccoli (SGD $4.80) |
The Soboro Ankake Moyashi / Bean Sprouts With Minced Beef & Fish Meat (SGD $4.80) features fresh and crunchy vegetal sweet bean sprouts, topped with a savoury salty garnish of braised minced beef and dory fish meat. Feels more Chinese Japanese fusion, but still very tasty, pairing well with white rice.
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| Soboro Ankake Moyashi / Bean Sprouts With Minced Beef & Fish Meat (SGD $4.80) |
The Nanban Chicken (SGD $6.80) is a tasty appetizer. Juicy tender chunks of savoury sweet chicken are deep-fried till the skin turns crisp, then glazed with a sticky savoury salty dark soy sauce. Garnished with creamy egg mayonnaise, offering a nice cool contrast to the warm chicken meat. Highly recommended!
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| Nanban Chicken (SGD $6.80) |
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| Nanban Chicken |
The Age Hotate Ika / Deep-Fried Scallops & Squid (SGD $4.80) has chunks of scallop and squid, coated in a savoury salty crumb batter which crunches gently. The scallops are more tender in texture, compared to the squid which is more bouncy and chewy. Very satisfiying, though slightly pricey.
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| Age Hotate Ika / Deep-Fried Scallops & Squid (SGD $4.80) |
The signature Yaki Buta / Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings (SGD $4.80), or original flavour pork dumpling. The skin is imported, but the dumplings are freshly made in-house, containing a juicy mixture of tender savoury salty minced pork, and crunchy vegetal sweet cabbage. Choose to pair it with black vinegar and fresh ginger dipping sauce for added flavour. Overall, among the better executed gyoza dumplings around. Highly recommended!
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| Yaki Buta / Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings (SGD $4.80) |
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| Yaki Buta / Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings |
The Yaki Miso Gyoza / Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings With House Miso Sauce (SGD $7.80) has the same freshly made dumplings filled with minced pork and cabbage, still as juicy tender crunchy and savoury salty vegetal sweet as before. The difference; it's generously coated with a thick, rich, savoury and creamy miso mayonnaise sauce. This gives it a much bolder depth of flavour. Good!
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| Yaki Miso Gyoza / Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings With House Miso Sauce (SGD $7.80) |
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| Yaki Miso Gyoza / Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings With House Miso Sauce |
The Sui Kani / Boiled Pork Dumplings With Red King Crab (SGD $7.80) are also made in-house, and contain a juicy mixture of tender savoury salty minced pork, and briny salty sweet red king crab meat. Served in a light tangy sour vinaigrette, this is pretty decent.
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| Sui Kani / Boiled Pork Dumplings With Red King Crab (SGD $7.80) |
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| Sui Kani / Boiled Pork Dumplings With Red King Crab |
The Shichimi Su Buta / Boiled Pork Dumplings With 7-Spice Vinegar (SGD $6.80) is a house signature, featuring juicy pork and cabbage dumplings in a special black vinegar sauce fortified with 7 different spices. The result is a depth of flavour, tangy sweet savoury sour spicy all at once, layered and complex, yet not overwhelming. A garnish of chopped spring onions lend some crunch to texture, contrasting nicely with the tender dumplings.
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| Shichimi Su Buta / Boiled Pork Dumplings With 7-Spice Vinegar (SGD $6.80) |
What I like about the Unagi Don / Grilled Freshwater Eel With Rice (SGD $14.80) is the fairly large, tender, moist fillet of freshwater eel, which is nicely glazed with a rich, thick, sweet savoury tangy sauce. Overlaid on a bed of fluffy sticky white rice, this dish is simple, yet comforting. Good!
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| Unagi Don / Grilled Freshwater Eel With Rice (SGD $14.80) |
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| Unagi Don / Grilled Freshwater Eel With Rice |
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CONVERSATION