Kumachan Onsen Review: Popular Teddy Bear Hotpot Chain From Hokkaido In SG

Kumachan Onsen Shabu Shabu & Yakiniku is at Orchard Central

Fresh off the press: Kumachan Onsen Shabu Shabu & Yakiniku has arrived in Singapore, and you can find the new hotpot restaurant at Orchard Central! The popular chain, which hails from Hokkaido, Japan, is most famous for their adorable teddy bear hotpot.

Food at Kumachen Onsen Shabu Shabu & Yakiniku

We started by choosing our Hot Spring flavours and out of six choices, we went for the Soymilk Soup and Gochujang Soup. The former came with a white bear, while the latter came with a red bear. There are also Japanese Miso Soup, Chicken Mapo Soup, Bonito Soup, and Collagen Soup to choose from.

Each set includes a frozen kuma-chan, AKA bear, in an “onsen” with a small edible “towel” sitting on its head to highlight the hot spring theme. As hot water was added to our individual hotpot, we watched the collagen bear slowly melt into the broth resulting in a thick, rich soup.

Then, we picked our main ingredients with options such as Chicken ($15.80++), Double Beef Karubi ($21.80++), and Premium Beef Karubi ($23.80++). Each set comes with an individual hotpot, your choice of protein, and other standard ingredients: silken tofu, enoki mushrooms, lettuce and more.

We also topped up an additional $2 for Steamed Chicken Gyoza on the side as we thought it would be a good addition to the broth. 

And of course, no hotpot meal is complete without going all out with the sauce and condiment station, which we were pretty impressed with. 

They had an extensive selection of Ponzu, Mustard Mayonnaise, Sesame Soya Sauce, Garlic Oil, Chilli Oil, and Black Pepper among others. And if you’re a spring onion warrior like us, don’t forget to add plenty of that too!

In terms of the broth, we found the soy milk-based soup to be slightly bland. Other than a slight citrus flavour, it did not have much of the nuttiness from the soy that we had expected. 

The gochujang soup, on the other hand, was a better pick as it was a good blend of sweet and spicy from the chilli paste, giving the ingredients a more distinctive flavour. 

However, we found that both the broths started congealing into a semi-solid state as they boiled down—which might be attributed to the amount of collagen used. A tip to counter this is to refill your soup with hot water several times!

For our proteins, we went for the Double Beef Karubi and Beef Karubi & Chicken for a good variety of meats. In true hotpot fashion, we swirled the thinly sliced beef pieces in the soup for a few minutes and were adequately cooked for consumption. 

The result was tender, juicy beef that diligently soaked up the flavours of the broth. We especially liked how it fared with the more robust gochujang-infused broth, which lent the meat a delightful sweet and spicy flavour. 

If hotpot isn’t your thing, they also have various yakiniku sets! These sets come with rice, your choice of protein, a side of kimchi, and a bowl of clear soup. We were feeling atas that day, so we opted for the Wagyu Beef Rump Set (80g for $26.90++). 

Other grill sets you can go for include the Shokudo Set ($21.90++/$25.90++) which comes with beef karubi, beef tongue and beef steak, the Sambal Belacan Chicken Set ($9.90/$14.90) and many more options. 

We had no regrets going for the Wagyu as the premium cuts were ultra delicious and flavourful, lined with a layer of tender fat that melted into the meat on the grill, making it all that more satisfying.

Also, we paired this with their Asian sauce, chilli oil, and kimchi on the side to give the beef a medley of spicy, sweet, and tangy touches. 

As for the carbs, we topped up an additional $2 to upgrade the regular rice to their Beef Curry Rice. This bowl came with Japanese curry and thin slices of beef. Although the curry is nothing to shout about, this is a good option to substantiate your meal. You can also top up $2 to add noodles to your soup if rice isn’t your preferred choice of carbs.

Ambience at Kumachen Onsen Shabu Shabu & Yakiniku

We made our visit during lunchtime and it was relatively empty. I could see Kumachen Onsen Shabu Shabu & Yakiniku attracting more footfall during the upcoming weeks due to its central location and cute concept. 

Aligned with the teddy bear theme, the space had cute bear decor adorned throughout the restaurant’s interior. The restaurant can seat 60 people at a time, so don’t worry about having to wait in line for too long!

For easy access, the restaurant is at Orchard Central, which is a two-minute walk from Somerset MRT Station.

The verdict

Kumachen Onsen Shabu Shabu & Yakiniku offers a unique dining experience since the Japanese teddy bear hotpot is the first of its kind in Singapore. 

Although there wasn’t anything mind-blowing food-wise, it’s relatively affordable in my books. They also have an extensive menu besides hotpot you can look forward to! Even better for our Muslim friends, they are a soon-to-be halal-certified restaurant! 

For more food places to check out in the area, check out our Orchard Central food guide. Else, we have compiled a list of the best hotpot restaurants for your next hotpot fix! 

Address: Orchard Road, #07-10/11, Orchard Central Singapore 238896
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Tel: 6509 1176
Website
Kumachen Onsen Shabu Shabu & Yakiniku is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork or lard. 

Photos taken by Casandra Nicholas.
This was a media tasting at Kumachen Onsen.