Shop Reviews

This was a great Japanese izakaya that we stumbled across and decided to pop in and check out, so glad we did. The meat is masterfully prepared in front of you and as its aroma whets your appetite the taste delivers everything you expected, juices, flavour and delicious umami taste. The ramen and avocado and toast were equally tasty and combined to make a delicious meal.

A very cosy & friendly eatery to be chilled & enjoyed at. Got to know this yakitori by Kai from online. Didn't know they have been at this building for 4 years. Only recently they changed their yakitori concept. So I chose this eatery at very last minute & walk-in with my friend. Everyday (closes at certain days) starts at 6:30pm, before 8:30pm, they mainly serving omakase for yakitori. Yes! Yakitori omakase! This was the 2nd time I had it at differ eatery. Cos in Singapore, seldom to encounter omakase for yakitori. Now then realised that their main entrance showing chicken parts for yakitori. Cos for myself, I don't like to eat chicken heart, liver & gizzard. For eatery who doesn't how to handle it, there will be a metal taste which I don't like it. Surprisely the chicken heart was tenderly freshly tasting very deliciously. Very seldom to come across good one. Except the chicken gizzard, I don't like the rubber taste. Overall, it was an awesomely satifying meal. Good to eat the yakitori with draft beer 😋

Went to Homura by Kai on their opening day back on 1 Feb, but only got to posting the photos now. Have been wanting to try Chef Issey's dishes for a while but I kept procrastinating as he moved from restaurant to restaurant. Food was great and tasted as authentic as you could get from Japan. I felt like I was eating in Japan again. Would definitely return in the future if I run out of new places to try in Singapore.

Small and cosy, food is delicious. But takes time to be served as there’s only 1 chef. High quality but pricey! If you’re hanging with a group of friends, then it’s a great place to catch up as you chat and wait for food. If you’re hungry; this will be a super slow dinner.

Good izakaya style cuisine that’s focused on seafood but also deceptively expensive. We ended up paying $300 per pax (instead of an expected $200 pp) because the price of the fish dishes were undisclosed (they’re “market price”) but ended up being quite an exorbitant amount. Some dishes stand out like the kagoshima pork agedashi and the clay pot rice but others are standard izakaya fare. Overall it’s good to go with your eyes wide open!

Nestled on the third floor of Orchard Plaza, this restaurant is a bit tricky to find, but the small lantern at the entrance sets a charming tone. Inside, the restaurant features all counter seating. While the space isn’t large, it is neat and tidy. However, the lack of bag storage, the cramped seating, and the high chairs can be a bit uncomfortable. What truly stands out here are the two remarkable staff members. The female staff member is incredibly warm, attentive, and provides delightful service with a constant smile. Equally impressive is the male staff member assisting the chef; his service is friendly and efficient, and he maintains a cheerful demeanor even during busy times. Thanks to these two! Now, onto the food—it was all delicious! Every dish we ordered, including the otoshi starters, exceeded our expectations. The menu isn’t extensive, but with the daily specials, there’s plenty to choose from. Everything was delightful, especially the tantanmen, which was outstanding. While the selection of beverages other than sake is limited, expanding this could enhance the overall dining experience. One thing that did stand out, though, was the chef’s attitude towards his assistant. Given the counter seating, it was hard to miss the less-than-pleasant interactions. The chef’s apparent displeasure and unprofessional demeanor were noticeable. Though the reasons behind this are unclear and could have been a one-time occurrence, it’s something that shouldn’t affect the customer experience. Professional conduct should be maintained at all times. Aside from this, the restaurant is a fantastic spot worth visiting.

Was a bit apprehensive as I saw some reviews about poor service, long wait times and expensive food. However, that was not my experience. For context, I was there at around 6pm+ on a Saturday evening, and it took about 2hrs+ for the whole meal. There was a bit of a wait, but not that bad as dishes were brought out one at a time so we could also eat comfortably in the small counter space. We spent $140+ for 2 pax, with drinks each and about 5 dishes altogether. The staff was thoughtful enough to split the pasta into two portions to make it easy for me and my dining partner. Food was very delicious with a fair variety of Japanese style pasta and other izakaya dishes.

Amongst the treasure trove of hidden culinary gems in Orchard Plaza lies Homura by Kai, yet another hidden find nestled on the third floor. Service was excellent, and food outstanding. A slight pity that we missed the new batch of seafood that was due to arrive tomorrow and thus a few dishes were OOS, but the rest that we had were cooked very well. Their signature claypot rice was fragrant, full of umami and went well with the side dishes. The smoked tuna cheek was another highlight if you like smokey flavors. The izakaya features all-counter seatings, allowing you to watch the chef at work. He did come across slightly grumpy compared to the rest of the service stuff though, not sure why. Prices were on the slightly pricier side so be prepared to splurge a little if you are looking for a complete meal here, would otherwise highly recommend to give them a try!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great Service and Honest Pricing Visited the shop today to pick up a motor, ESC, battery, and charger. There were two customers ahead of me, so I waited about an hour — but it was worth it. What really touched me was when Winnie personally came out to greet my wife (who was waiting outside) and apologized for the long wait. That small gesture showed genuine care and sincerity — something rare these days. The pricing here is very competitive, and the service feels warm and personal. Definitely worth the visit, and I’ll be back again for future upgrades!

I managed to drop by today, having passed by this store quite a few times before but when it was closed. There is a very beautiful M4 Sherman tank model in the shop window which is no longer in production. The lady boss was very friendly - she shared about the intricacies of RC model building, the variety of model kits she had, and even offered some insights on my Titanic 1:400 model kit that I shared a photo of. I was impressed by her humbleness and willingness to share - Swan Model & Trading is an old-timer business that has been around for 4 decades. It is open from 1.30 to 7 pm daily except Sundays and PHs.