Nonbei Izakaya Tasting Session
282 South Bridge Road
Opening Hours:
Daily: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5pm - 12am
https://www.facebook.com/Nonbeiizakaya282
This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Jennifer Yeo Lifestyle, Chubby Botak Koala, and Thara Koiii.
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| Skewers Yaki Tori, Tori Kawa, Tebasaki, Ko Tamanegi, Asapara Bekon, Mukago (SGD $??) |
Laid-Back Izakaya With Restaurant Quality Dishes
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Budget about SGD $80++ per person.
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From the founders behind the popular 'George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer' gastropub at Boat Quay, comes their latest concept Nonbei Izakaya. Opening in August 2022, Nonbei Izakaya is a Japanese styled casual izakaya gastropub, helmed by former Chefs hailing from a renowned Japanese premium restaurant brand.
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| Nonbei Izakaya Facade |
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| Nonbei Izakaya Signage |
Ambience at Nonbei Izakaya is casual and laid-back. The indoor seating area is small and narrow, but flanked by a wall-length mirror to give an illusion of space. The low wooden tables with wide rattan chairs, and blue cushioned booth seats, glow with a soft blue hue from the decorative fish-shaped lamp. The outdoor al-fresco seating area features the same low wooden tables and wide rattan chairs, but is more spacious and cooling, especially in the evenings. The extendable awnings overhead help protect from rain. We preferred the outdoor seats for people-watching and relaxing.
Service at Nonbei Izakaya is efficient and polite. Staff acknowledge guests with cursory greetings and quickly seat them. They demonstrate decent product knowledge on the menu, answering queries and introducing dishes as they serve. I note that staff clean up quickly when diners leave, and sometimes proactively offer to clear finished plates during the meal. As the kitchen team is still refining the menu, there were several off-menu special items we sampled that are not priced in yet, nor have any descriptions. There doesn't seem to be a sake sommelier yet, but the sufficiently knowledgeable owners currently aid customers with this.
Food at Nonbei Izakaya is classic Japanese cuisine, focused on izakaya offerings in the way of kushiyaki, robatayaki, and other small bites favourites like tempura and sashimi. With connections to reliable suppliers, the ingredients used here are fresh and premium. Quality of dish execution is very good, befitting a premium Japanese restaurant, evident in Chef's skill. Portions are either sized for individuals, or for communal group dining, with the majority pairing well with drinks. Prices are slightly more affordable compared to other izakayas, budget about SGD $80++ per person for a meal here.
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| Seating Outdoors |
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| Seating Indoors |
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| Decorative Fish Light |
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| Us |
The Sake Kiminoi Honjozo Josen (SGD $10 for 120ml) is the house pour sake, a pleasant rice wine made with a blend of 77% Koshi Ibuki rice and 23% Gohyaku Mangoku rice, polished to 62%, brewed by the Kiminoi Shuzou Co., Ltd. brewery in the city of Myoko, Niigata prefecture, Chubu region, Japan. It can be served either warm or chilled, and has a clear transparent colour with aromas of white rice, corn, vanilla, and cedar. The body is medium-dry, light, and refreshing, with tastes of caramel, straw, tangerine, and banana. Has bright fruity grainy earthy bitter spice sweet flavour, with good structure, ripe acidity, and a delicate finish.
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| Sake Kiminoi Honjozo Josen (SGD $10 for 120ml) |
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| Sake Kiminoi Honjozo Josen |
The Sake Manotsuru Junmai Ginjo (SGD $38 for 300ml) is a crowd-pleasing rice wine made with 100% Gohyaku Mangoku rice, polished to 55%, brewed by the Obata Shuzo brewery in the city of Sado, Niigata prefecture, Chubu region, Japan. It's served chilled, and has a clear transparent colour with aromas of straw, purple grapes, white rice, and snow. The body is medium-dry, gentle, and smooth, with tastes of pear, spring water, honeydew melon, and watermelon. Has light fruity grainy mineral sweet flavour, with balanced structure, and a quick finish.
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| Sake Manotsuru Junmai Ginjo (SGD $38 for 300ml) |
The Sake Sanzen Junmai Daiginjo Omachi (SGD $48 for 300ml) is an award-winning rice wine made with 100% Omachi rice (the original and oldest sake rice, produced in a pesticide and fertiliser free environment), polished to 50%, brewed by the Kikuchi Sake Brewing Co.,Ltd. in the city of Kurashiki, Okayama prefecture, Chugoku region, Japan. It's served chilled, and has a clear transparent colour with aromas of grapefruit, lemon, spring water, and snow. The body is medium-sweet, crisp, and refreshing, with tastes of pomelo, mandarin orange, white rice, and green grapes. Has sharp fruity mineral spice sweet flavour, with rounded structure, touch of astringent bite, and a uplifting finish.
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| Sake Sanzen Junmai Daiginjo Omachi (SGD $48 for 300ml) |
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| Sake Sanzen Junmai Daiginjo Omachi |
The Sake Keigetsu Junmai Daiginjo Sparkling John (SGD $128 for 720ml), simply known as 'Sparkling John', is a unique sparkling rice wine made with Gin No Yume rice polished to 50% and Koji yeast, brewed by the Tosa Brewing Co. Ltd. in the city of Tosa, Kochi prefecture, Shikoku region, Japan. It's served chilled, and has a clear transparent colour with aromas of pink grapefruit, peach, lime, and musk melon. The body is medium-dry, lively, and elegant, with tastes of green apple, pear, tangerine, and spring water. Has bright fruity mineral sweet earthy flavour, with well-textured structure, subtle complexity, Champagne Brut quality, and a delicate bubbly finish.
Served in a specially crafted glass, with the base of the drinking glass shaped like the iconic Mount Fuji. The odd shape helps hold the ice cubes at a raised height, and also makes for a great conversation piece.
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| Sake Keigetsu Junmai Daiginjo Sparkling John (SGD $128 for 720ml) |
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| Sake Keigetsu Junmai Daiginjo Sparkling John |
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| Sake Glass Mount Fuji |
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| Sake Glass Mount Fuji |
The Ohitashi (SGD $6) or vegetables marinated in dashi, features crisp cabbage, crunchy carrots, and tender shiitake mushrooms, in a dashi broth, topped with katsuobushi / bonito flakes. Bold with vegetal earthy sweet savoury flavour, this was light and refreshing. Worth ordering!
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| Ohitashi (SGD $6) |
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| Ohitashi |
The Tamago Yaki (SGD $10) or rolled egg omelette, has bouncy soft spongy rolls of egg omelette infused with dashi, carrying bright eggy sweet savoury flavour. Served with grated daikon radish on the side, for a refreshing vegetal sweet contrast in taste. Good!
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| Tamago Yaki (SGD $10) |
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| Tamago Yaki |
The Buta Kakuni (SGD $10) or soy braised pork belly, features thick succulent cuts of pork belly, braised till tender in a light soy broth. While the meaty salty savoury notes were nice, the pork belly tended towards the more gamey taste profile. Could be improved.
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| Buta Kakuni (SGD $10) |
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| Buta Kakuni |
Loved the Gyu Sukiyaki (SGD $12) or dashi braised beef and white onions, which features thin sliced beef and white onions, tender and juicy, with bold meaty savoury earthy sweet flavour. Garnished with crisp spring onions which lend a vegetal sweet note, this dish practically requires pairing with white rice. So yummy and delicious. Highly recommended!
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| Gyu Sukiyaki (SGD $12) |
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| Gyu Sukiyaki |
The Buri Kama Shio Yaki (SGD $18) or grilled yellowtail fish collar, has a large well-grilled piece of bone-in yellowtail fish collar. The fish is tender moist flaky in texture, carrying bold smoky meaty sweet savoury salty flavour, so enticing. We enjoyed this immensely. Highly recommended!
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| Buri Kama Shio Yaki (SGD $18) |
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| Buri Kama Shio Yaki |
Nonbei Izakaya has some of the most afforable high-quality sashimi around. The 7-Kinds Sashimi (SGD $58) is a fantastic example of their varied range of fresh fish and seafood, all served raw and clean-tasting. There's the juicy sweet savoury Ama Ebi or sweet pink shrimp, the meaty Kanpachi or greater amberjack fish with clean sweet savoury flavour, the tender succulent Shake or salmon fish loin with lovely oily sweet savoury notes, the tender succulent Maguro Chutoro or bluefin tuna fish belly with lovely fatty savoury sweet notes, the pliant Tai or red seabream fish with soft fishy savoury flavour, the juicy globules of Tobiko or flying fish roe with briny salty sweet notes, and the bouncy Hotate or scallop with mild sweet savoury notes.
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| 7-Kinds Sashimi (SGD $58) |
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| 7-Kinds Sashimi |
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| Ama Ebi |
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| Kanpachi, Shake |
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| Tai, Tobiko |
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| Maguro Chutoro |
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| Hotate |
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| 7-Kinds Sashimi |
The Skewers weren't listed on the menu at the time of our visit. The Yaki Tori or chicken thigh was well marinated in tare, tender and juicy with smoky sweet salty flavour. The Tori Kawa or chicken skin was crispy and crunchy, with bold smoky fatty savoury salty flavour. The Tebasaki or chicken wing was seasoned with salt, tender and succulent with enticing smoky meaty salty savoury flavour. The Ko Tamanegi or baby white onion was juicy crunchy with smoky vegetal earthy salty sweet flavour, yum. The Asapara Bekon or bacon wrapped asparagus was juicy and crunchy with smoky vegetal sweet meaty salty savoury flavour. The unique Mukago or baby yam / taro has a soft tender chew to texture with deep smoky vegetal earthy sweet flavour. Good!
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| Skewers Yaki Tori, Tori Kawa, Tebasaki, Ko Tamanegi, Asapara Bekon, Mukago (SGD $??) |
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| Skewers Yaki Tori, Tori Kawa, Tebasaki, Ko Tamanegi, Asapara Bekon, Mukago |
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| Skewers Yaki Tori, Tori Kawa, Tebasaki, Ko Tamanegi, Asapara Bekon, Mukago |
The Ebi Tempura (SGD $15) or tempura breaded prawns were succulent and juicy with a crisp light tempura batter. With lovely shrimpy sweet savoury salty flavour, these were so tasty. Good!
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| Ebi Tempura (SGD $15) |
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| Ebi Tempura |
The Kaki Ponzu (SGD $?? per piece) or ponzu marinated oysters weren't on the menu at the time of our visit. These large succulent fresh oysters are lightly dressed with ponzu sauce and grated daikon radish, giving them a lovely briny salty vegetal earthy sour sweet flavour. Good!
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| Kaki Ponzu (SGD $?? per piece) |
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| Kaki Ponzu |
Had perhaps a tad too much sake, as by this point, I couldn't remember anything about the Kani Korokke (SGD $10) or crab croquette, which was our 2nd last dish of the visit. I'll have to order this on a return visit.
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| Kani Korokke (SGD $10) |
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| Kani Korokke |
The Chashu Ramen (SGD $??) was another off-menu dish, with thick cuts of tender pork chashu, springy chewy ramen noodles, crunchy seaweed, and crisp spring onions, in a milky tonkotsu soup / broth that was creamy and rich with beautiful meaty sweet savoury salty earthy vegetal flavour. A great hangover dish, comforting and straightforward. Highly recommended!
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| Chashu Ramen (SGD $??) |
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| Chashu Ramen |
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| Chashu Ramen |
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| Chashu Ramen |
Greatly enjoyed our dining experience at Nonbei Izakaya, we'll definitely be back for more! Cheers!
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CONVERSATION