The most recent newcomer to Shaw Centre, Tenjin is a Japanese tempura donburi (tendon) specialist — the latest concept under the Les Amis Group, which has introduced restaurants like Indigo Blue Kitchen and Kausmo to the dining scene this year.
In the minimalist space, with concrete walls warmed by the gleam of bamboo pendant lights, a 12-seater communal table sits at the center of it all, surrounded by banquette seats at the side and chairs by the counter for curious customers to peek into the kitchen.
Here, the focus is mainly on tendon bowls. Grains of fluffy hoshi-jirushi rice from the Ibaraki prefecture in Japan are nestled with chunks of seafood and vegetable tempura, served with miso soup and salad, offered on a tiny menu that only serves three mains coupled with one side.
At $12.80, the Yasai Bowl is the most affordable option, with five types of vegetable tempura depending on what’s in season at the moment. This could change from sweet pumpkin in winter to aubergines in autumn, along with common varieties like shiitake mushrooms, lotus root, and capsicums.
For a combination of prawn and veggie tempura, the Jo Bowl ($14.80) comes with a freedom range egg coated in crisp batter. But if you’re feeling particularly peckish, the Toku-Jo Bowl tops the mixed bowl with eel, crab leg, prawn, and fish — all crusted in tempura batter, for the price of $22.80.
To add on to your tendon, the truffle chawanmushi ($3.80) comes with a sprinkle of truffle flakes on the steamed egg custard. You can also toss extra eel, prawn, or egg into your bowl for an extra-filling meal. As limited as the food, drinks are available in options like hot or cold hojicha, sakes and Sapporo beers, or Coke.
FIND IT:
Tenjin is at #03-08 Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Rd.
6235-3312. Tues-Sun 11:30am-3pm, 6pm-10pm.
MRT: Orchard
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