the Fad gourmet: Shokudo

Facing the rest of the world at the end of the newly added wing of Raffles City basement is Shokudo.

Shokudo. The name itself vaguely sounds like "Shiok-udo", hence from the first moment, might have already appealed to the palettes of many jap-food-aficionados here in Singapore.

Think Marché, think Vila'ge, then think about the glorious world of fresh Japanese sushis and sashimis we often see portrayed on blogs and tvs. "No artificial flawourin. All fresh-o," screamed the intimidating chef in the typical wooden hut restaurant, with a towel tied around his head, single-mindedly moulding his sea urchin rice ball.

This, ladies and gentlemen, might be a sin to many orthodox Jap-food-connoisseurs, but to the avid Katsu curry and Yakitori fans, this has to be marriage made in fast food heaven! You queue for your food, they swipe your card, and you will wait for the chefs to whip up your dinner right there and then. And the waiters will swoop down on you the moment you finish your meal - and clean the table.

Design of the eatery is just like the many types of food being offered - the word is "Assortment". Like a funfair with many stations for one to play games and sit on rides, this is your playground. There are many sitting areas with various themes from modern chic to traditional wooden hut setting.

What should we eat?

Well the Fad boy will tell you that $5 for 5 gyozas is too expensive. And there's nothing spectacular about it anymore than you going to Cold Storage and buying a pre-packed frozen version.

My katsu curry was just so-so, but it was hearty and the sweet curry sauce is not too salty. The crepe was more like pancake and it was too thin. The banana-chocolate (What chocolate??) toppings totally overwhelmed the crepe.

What a small world!
It was a day of serendipity. Not only did I bump into an old time buddy, Peiyong, I'd also met a bunch of sec school/JC mates who were all in the school Judo team, Mingli, Caroline, Hui xian and one of my good friends, Xinyi. We are actually all connected, from Peiyong to Xinyi and I'd leave you to wonder what the connection is :)

We asked the girls if they like Shokudo, and they did. The concept was good for gatherings, and they like the food.

As usual the Fad people had our own fun while munching away, either sneaking a shot at one another, or self-posing in front of the cam. (But we were working hard, okay!)

At the end of the day, I was glad there's a Marche concept, express Jap food eating house where I can add to my potential gathering list. But the thought of paying some exorbitant price (relatively speaking) for not so supreme quality Jap fare might take a little coaxing of my wallet and the sceptical mind for me to make Shokudo a frequent hang out.