Aburi-EN Review: Popular Japanese Rice Bowl Chain With 15 Outlets In SG

Aburi-EN has new donburi and sides at Chinatown Point

Japanese food in Singapore doesn’t always come cheap, but there are some affordable options if you know where to go. One such is Aburi-EN, a popular Japanese donburi chain that started around five years ago. Today, they’ve expanded to a whopping total of 15 outlets across the island, including one at Chinatown Point, which we had a chance to review recently.

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Food at Aburi-EN

Aburi-EN is most famous for their buta don AKA grilled pork loin on rice, but we were there to try the new menu additions instead. The Aburi Mentaiko Kaisen Bara Chirashi ($19.90++) was one show-stopping main; this rice bowl came with a generous serving of diced tuna, salmon, and swordfish.

The whole shebang was finished with a creamy mentaiko cheese sauce, ikura, caviar, and shredded tamago. For the price it was going for, I thought this was a pretty good deal considering the amount of toppings we got.

I couldn’t taste how fresh the fish chunks were, though, as they were masked by the rich mentaiko sauce. Also, I found the tamago bits a tad too sweet for my liking, clashing with the savoury elements unfortunately. I wasn’t particularly impressed by the rice too, as it leaned mushy after a while.

I much preferred the Truffle Roast Wagyu Don ($19.90++), another new item on the menu. This rice bowl came with a good portion of Australian roast Wagyu slices, topped with truffle paste, shimeji mushrooms, and an onsen egg on the side.

The grilled beef slices, though thin, were sufficiently tender and flavourful. Slathered with black truffle paste, each piece was elevated with umami and earthy notes.

The cherry on top was the onsen egg, which we broke into easily. Dip the beef slices into the yolk for a super satisfying bite!

If you’re celebrating a special occasion or you want something more splurge-worthy, try their Premium Miyazakigu Jyu ($32++) instead, which stars A4/A5 Miyazaki Wagyu and shimeiji mushrooms on rice.

Besides refreshed donburi mains, Aburi-EN has also introduced a few new sides to its repertoire. We enjoyed the Hotate Butter Yaki ($6.50++ per piece): grilled Japanese scallops served with a butter cube.

Though on the pricey side, the scallops were cooked just right; they were sweet and flavourful when paired with the buttery sauce.

There’s also the Cheesy Chicken Teppan ($10.90++), which came on a hot plate with mushrooms, broccoli, and corn.

I enjoyed the sweet corn and juicy shimeji mushrooms but found the chicken lacklustre. While the meat was well-grilled with a slightly crisped skin, the nacho cheese did little to add flavour. Perhaps the Yakiniku Chicken Teppan ($10.90++) would have been a better choice!

Ambience at Aburi-EN

Aburi-EN’s Chinatown Point restaurant sits on the first floor of the mall, which is directly connected to Chinatown MRT Station.

The decor is fairly simple, with lots of wood for a welcoming vibe and Japanese-inspired cut-out panels separating each booth. While the eatery is rather spacious, it tends to get packed during peak meal times, so it’s not suitable for long work meetings or catchups.

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The verdict

If you love grilled meats and rice bowls but are not keen to splurge, Aburi-EN is one good option to consider. Besides this outlet, they also have 14 other branches across the island, so it’s easy to find a location that’s convenient for you!

For more must-try donburi in Singapore, head to Kemuri BBQ, which offers value-for-money Texan-Japanese BBQ rice bowls in Balestier. Otherwise, read our Muji Cafe Plaza Singapura feature for delicious pork katsu donburi and deli set meals.

Address: 133 New Bridge Road, #01-44 Chinatown Point, Singapore 059413
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Tel: 6444 0889
Website
Aburi-EN is not a halal eatery.

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Photos taken by Chew Yi En.
This is a media tasting at Aburi-EN.