Chen’s Mapo Tofu Rebrands With New Dishes, Including Collagen Sauerkraut Fish For A Limited Time

Chen’s at Downtown Gallery has Japanese-Sichuan fusion food

The CBD is chock-full of restaurants, but we can guarantee Chen’s stands out from the crowd. Located at OUE Downtown Gallery Mall, Chen’s is the new face of what was formerly known as Chen’s Mapo Tofu, a popular Japanese-Sichuan restaurant founded by the acclaimed Chen Kentaro, executive chef of Michelin-starred Shisen Hanten. In its time, the restaurant was also featured on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list.

Chen’s maintains its predecessor’s focus on Japanese-Sichuan—AKA chuka ryori—fare, and they’ve included more inventive dishes into the mix. 

Note to fans of Chen’s Mapo Tofu’s OG dan dan mian and mapo tofu donburi: you can still find these signatures on the menu here as well!

As mentioned, the Chen’s brand has always been known for their fusion donburi bowls, so try the Garlic Saikoro Don ($21.90++). 

Each bowl comes with juicy and tender beef cubes marinated in a Sichuan-spiced soya sauce, seared in a wok so that each bite is nicely charred. Atop the beef, you get a generous portion of crispy garlic chips for a texture and flavour bomb in every bite. An onsen egg adds creaminess to the bowl, while the button mushrooms help you get your greens in. 

If you’re on team noodles, then try two of Chen’s ramen signatures. These are dry ramen dishes that combine the best of Japanese ramen with Sichuan flavours.

For something spicy, try the Mala Aburi Chashu Kombu Ramen ($17.90++). The level of spice here is more xiao la than anything, so you won’t have to keep reaching for a glass of water to quell the burn. The main attraction here is the thick cuts of charred chashu you get, marinated in a mala sauce so it’s got a bit of a kick. 

The QQ ramen noodles here are infused with a house-made Japanese kelp dressing, making them slightly earthy, and balancing sweetness from the dark soya sauce they’re tossed in. 

The Kurobuta Tonkatsu Kombu Ramen ($16.90++) is another one of our favourites off the menu.

The generous slab of pork katsu is the star here—well-seasoned, with a crispy exterior and delicious, juicy meat within. We found the mala mayo that accompanies the dish to be a nice touch, as it gave the pork cutlets an added spicy zing!

All their ramen dishes come with an ajitama egg, bak choy, and a small bowl of soup as well. 

Also, Chen’s currently has a selection of exclusive offerings under their Taste of Spring menu, which is available from now till 31 May at their Downtown Gallery and Star Vista restaurants.

If you’re dining with a friend, you’ll want to order their limited-edition Collagen Sauerkraut Fish ($39.90++). Sauerkraut fish has been extremely popular of late, and Chen’s rendition is well worth the hype. 

You get a generous amount of red grouper fish slices served in a collagen-enriched paitan sauerkraut broth. The moreish soup is piquant, but also sweeter than usual, thanks to the use of wild sansho peppers. Each portion also comes with lots of beansprouts and xiao bai cai. We appreciated that the fish had no bones, which made for a much more convenient dining experience!

The first dish we’d recommend is their Tori Katsu with Mala Crunch ($14.90++). This is a great appetiser that can feed up to three people, making it ideal for sharing. 

At Chen’s, you get juicy morsels of fried chicken thigh topped with a numbing, fragrant mala crunch, comprising nuts, seeds, and mala seasoning. We loved how addictive this dish was!

If you want to try all the highlights off their Taste of Spring menu, we recommend ordering their 2 Pax Bundle ($56.90++ for two people). Each bundle comes with the Collagen Sauerkraut Fish, Tori Katsu with Mala Crunch, and an exclusive Szechwan Spiced Oyster Mushroom side dish. You also get two servings of Hokkaido rice to enjoy your suan cai yu with!

Overall, if you’re looking for a casual but memorable meal in the CBD, check out Chen’s! And be sure to keep an eye out for their seasonal offerings in time to come.

Find out more about Chen’s here!

Downtown Gallery restaurant
Address: 6A Shenton Way, #02-29, Downtown Gallery, Singapore 068815
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 8pm
Tel: 9875 8399

The Star Vista restaurant
Address: 1 Vista Exchange Green, #02-08, The Star Vista, Singapore 138617
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9:30pm
Tel: 6694 0160

Website
Chen’s is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Casandra Nicholas.
This post was brought to you by Chen’s.