Open Secret Shin Minori Still Delivers Value and Quality @ Shin Minori UE Square, Singapore
Since it started business 15 years ago, Japanese buffet restaurant Shin Minori has always been an open secret among value-seeking Singaporeans.
Today, amid rising inflation and global food supply chain uncertainty, Shin Minori still delivers food quality and great value for money.
Shin Minori has a Kanpai Buffet at $79.99++ for adults and it’s a great all-rounder buffet. You get to taste the various types of Japanese cuisine such as sashimi, nigiri, yakitori, teppanyaki, tempura, sushi rolls etc. Best of all, you can top up $15 for free flow Sakoshi Bay oysters. Sakoshi Bay is a protected oyster farming area in Hyogo prefecture. The purity of the water in Sakoshi Bay is maintained by not allowing swimmers or boats to enter the area.
Ordering what you want is really easy. You scan a QR code on your mobile phone which opens up the e-ordering system and their menu.
You can then navigate the various categories: nigiri, maki rolls, sashimi, yakitori etc.
Select the item you want, input the quantity you want, and SEND! The kitchen will now prepare your order, fresh!
Since it’s a buffet, naturally I zoomed in on what I like most, starting with sashimi. I picked Sashimi Moriawase and they brought me a huge platter of sashimi on ice. The platter consists of maguro, shake, ika, karachi maguro, mekajiki, tai. It was so satisfying.
Remember that the Kanpai Buffet has free flow of wine, sake, Asahi beer, shochu? I randomly picked a sake and totally lucked out. Kokushimuso Junmai Ginjyo is sweet and ice-cold. The sweetness does a great job of tampering down the wasabi in my sauce when I had my sashimi. Moreover, when you order sake, they don’t pour you a glass, they bring you a whole small bottle that is ALL YOURS. If that is not value for money, I don’t know what is.
I also tried other much beloved and much missed items, such as nigiri, cha soba, zaru soba and shishamo. Every item was as it should be and you can’t find fault with them at all.
Of note, shishamo seems to be quite rare in Singapore. It is a uniquely Japanese item that they must import from Japan, unlike chicken yakitori or salmon which is easily found in Singapore and ubiquitous in Japanese restaurants here. I’m impressed with Shin Minori’s offering and so glad I could find shishamo here.
When my Sakoshi Bay oysters arrived (via robot, kids will love this!), It was another heavenly moment.
They were so huge and thick. Having had another huge Hyogo oyster recently, I’m not sure I can go back to French or Australian oysters.
Besides “blockbuster” items such as sashimi and fresh oysters, there are also many side dishes such as Pitan Tofu and kimchi to help you refresh your palette. I had Pitan Tofu in a very expensive Japanese restaurant and it was no different from this. Haha!
The desserts are Japanese style, meaning petite portions. Thankfully, it’s not American style where they bring out a chocolate lava cake as big as your steak. Seriously???!??!!?? The ice cream is also thankfully not that sweet. It’s just a little sweet something to round off a great meal.
I know it sounds clichéd but I wish I had more stomach room. There are so many items I haven’t tried. I was genuinely a little sad when I had to leave. Haha.
Shin Minori UE Square
81 Clemenceau Avenue, UE Square, #03-16, Singapore 239917
Tel: +65 6733 2272
