I had to run an errand that left me alone in town during lunch and I seized the chance to run into Sabar 38 at Japan Food Town.
Sabar 38 sells.. Saba.. LOL. I actually learnt of Saba Fish aka Mackerel only when korean food started to become mainstream in Singapore. Ok very noob I know, but I am essentially a creature of habit, and my habit was eating the same thing again and again and again and again. I'm sure I ate yong tau fu or fish soup almost every lunch for more than a year. All those meals wasted on not trying something new... But I digress, Sabar 38 offers the well loved Mackerel as a whole grilled fish, sushi-ed, simmered, sashimi-ed or donburi-ed. Their Lunch Teishoku (Set Meal) starts from $18 and comes with pickles, and senbei cracker (rice cracker) soup.
Sabar 38 sells.. Saba.. LOL. I actually learnt of Saba Fish aka Mackerel only when korean food started to become mainstream in Singapore. Ok very noob I know, but I am essentially a creature of habit, and my habit was eating the same thing again and again and again and again. I'm sure I ate yong tau fu or fish soup almost every lunch for more than a year. All those meals wasted on not trying something new... But I digress, Sabar 38 offers the well loved Mackerel as a whole grilled fish, sushi-ed, simmered, sashimi-ed or donburi-ed. Their Lunch Teishoku (Set Meal) starts from $18 and comes with pickles, and senbei cracker (rice cracker) soup.
Interestingly, their lunch timing runs from 11.38 am to 2.38pm. There are 38 seats in the restaurant and 38 items in the menu. Their grilled Saba is more than 38cm long. However, the staff were not 38 (pun on chinese pronounciation intended pls). They were nice, kind and enthusiastic.
I ordered the Grilled Toro Saba Teishoku at $25 and a poached egg in saba dashi and amused myself by looking around the shop. I learnt that the people at Saba 38 are passionate about saba and that Saba 38 serves Mackerel caught off Japan's North Pacific Coast.
And my teishoku arrived!
This is a Big Mackerel with yummily crispy skin and lots of soft juicy flesh *Goood!* The fats just melted in my mouth and I really loved the way the oils tasted clean. Sabar 38 serves Yamagata Haenuki rice which was soft and fluffy (major heart).
The poached egg in saba dashi was served cold. I was abit sad, because I thought it would be hot. It looks beautiful though, and the dashi was packed with flavour.
I found this meal hearty and satisfying. The highlight was definitely the grilled saba. However, I had a reaction from eating here, and am determined to figure out which food item gave me that. I have narrowed it down to the below 3:
1) Tougarashi
2) Dashi
3) Tsukemono
As I have to find out which one caused my reaction, I have no choice but to return again. HA. HA. HA. HA.
Sabar 38 @ Japan Food Town
Wisma Atria
435 Orchard Road
Singapore 238877
Hours:
11.38am - 2.38pm, 5.38pm - 10.38pm
Sabar 38 @ Japan Food Town
Wisma Atria
435 Orchard Road
Singapore 238877
Hours:
11.38am - 2.38pm, 5.38pm - 10.38pm
