If you live in the Northeastern part of Singapore, here’s some good news: Isetan is holding a huge Japanese food fair at NEX from now till 17 November 2024. The Isetan Momiji Matsuri fair is taking place at the Level 1 Atrium with over 20 stalls hailing all the way from Japan offering street snacks such as taiyaki, takoyaki, daifuku, mochi, and many more.
The very first stall that greets you at the entrance is Ijima Shoten, selling an assortment of braised and fried seafood. The braised seafood section sees options such as Soft Grilled Squid, Boiled Scallop, and Boiled Octopus, priced at $9.50 for 100g.
We especially loved crunching on the bite-sized Deep Fried Shrimp ($8.50 for 100g) and Deep Fried Crab ($8.50 for 100g). These snacks were an explosion of briny and umami flavours, making for a great snack to have on the go.
If seafood doesn’t strike your fancy, there’s also a variety of meat options here, one of them being Rubicon’s Fried Chicken Kaarage ($12.90).
Pair these with their Hokkaido Potato Fries ($7.50) for the ultimate snack combination.
If you’re feeling slightly more peckish, you can also enjoy full meals here. Head to Kamata Ramen and get ramen in flavours such as Spicy Miso ($16.50) and Shoyu ($14). Else, if you’re an unagi fanatic, Tsukiji Unagi Shokudo specialises in Unagi Skewers ($4) and Unagi Rice Bowls ($17).
A food fair isn’t complete without a good selection of sweets and desserts and we were spoilt for choices. The first thing you must try is Tokio’s Apple Crepes ($12) made with seasonal Japanese apples.
Each crepe was filled with a generous dollop of whipped cream as well as Shinano and Akibae apples which were super sweet!
Another must-visit to add to your list is Bashodo Honzukuri’s Warabimochi.
FYI: warabimochi differs from your usual mochi as it is made from bracken starch, resulting in an ultra-silky texture.
They offer four tantalising flavours: Sesame, Soybean, Matcha, and Chocolate, starting at $13.50 for 200g.
No Japanese fair is complete without some warabi mochi, and you can find them at Bashodo. A box of one flavour goes at $12, while two costs $21. For the most bang for your buck, get the three boxes for $30!
Alternatively, Hakata Yamadaya has a huge array of Daifuku ($5.50) and Dango Sticks ($2.50).
We also tried a special dango-in-a-jar dessert that we’ve never seen before, named the Reward Dango ($14). The stall owner recommends the Mitarashi flavour if you love sweet-salty combinations.
Lastly, make your way to On Sugar, a stall selling a variety of doughnuts, to end your food fair experience with a bang. The Ring Donuts ($5.50) include Matcha Chocolate, Strawberry Chocolate, and Chocolate.
They also have Cream-Filled Donuts ($6) with variations such as Custard Cream and Double Matcha.
For more food spots to check out in the area, read our Joji’s Sandwich Parlour feature. Else, if you love Japanese cuisine, check out our guide to the best Japanese restaurants.
Address: Serangoon Central 23, Level 1 Atrium, NEX, Singapore 556083
Opening hours: 12pm to 9pm (5 Nov), 10:30am to 9pm (6 Nov to 16 Nov), 10:30am to 8pm (17 Nov)
Website
Isetan Momiji Matsuri is not a halal-certified fair.
Photos taken by Paula Formantes.
This was a media tasting at the Isetan Momiji Matsuri fair.
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