Royal Host Review: Popular Japanese Family Restaurant Chain Opens At Jewel Changi

Royal Host opens first overseas outlet at Jewel Changi

Anyone familiar with Japanese culture will know that “family restaurants” are a local favourite for quick, fuss-free meals. Best described as casual diners serving Western-Japanese dishes, some popular family restaurants in Japan include Saizeriya, Denny’s, and Royal Host, which opened its first overseas outlet at our very own Jewel Changi Airport. To be specific, Royal Host Singapore is currently in its soft launch phase, with its grand opening slated for 19 July 2024.

Recently, we were invited to the new restaurant to try out the classic dishes that have made them a household favourite, with 223 outlets across Japan and a legacy of over 50 years. That experience culminated in this review, which may help you decide whether this legendary Japanese eatery is worth a visit in Singapore.

Food at Royal Host

We started with the “ROYAL” Onion Gratin Soup ($7.80++), a house-made consomme soup made with caramelised onion, topped with a slice of toasted baguette and melted Gruyere cheese.

We were told that Marilyn Monroe declared herself a fan of Royal Host’s rendition back in 1954, and after trying it ourselves, we can kind of see why. The really thick, savoury Gruyere cheese complimented the sweet caramelised onions really well, and it was a joy to slurp on the rich broth whilst chewing on the softened toast. All in all, a really solid starter dish.

Up next was the Omelette Rice (From $26.80++). The simplicity of the so-called “omurice” makes it an easy dish to underestimate, but Royal Host’s take has an attention to detail that meant it was quite impressive overall.

The whole dish was drenched in sweet-savoury demiglace sauce and topped with bits of sauteed mushrooms. Digging into the omelette, which were made with eggs from the Kyushu region, its wonderfully silky texture gave way to a mountain of fried rice.

Each grain of rice was fluffy and nicely infused with the flavour of ketchup, too—it ain’t omurice without that sweet and tangy dimension.

Then, we got to try the family restaurant staple: the “ROYAL” Hamburg Steak ($29.80++). Served on a hot plate, this dish comes with one of three sauces of your choice: brown butter, black pepper, or wafu sauce.

While the hamburger steak was chunky and sizeable, we felt it wasn’t sufficiently succulent and maybe even a tad dry on its own.

The sauces, which naturally added some moisture, helped alleviate this issue a little. The black pepper sauce in particular was a standout, as it intensified the meaty flavour of the beef in a way the rest of the sauces couldn’t.

We ended our meal with the HOT Fudge Sundae ($16++). Whipped cream, pecans, bananas, chocolate ice cream, vanilla ice cream, graham crackers, and of course plenty of hot fudge made up this decadent dessert—we reckon that this can easily be shared by two or even three people.

Ambience at Royal Host

Royal Host has a particularly inviting look, with a heavy emphasis on wooden furnishing that revolves around a circular bar. The service here is top-notch as well, with the staff going above and beyond to ensure that everything is in place for your meal.

You’ll find this family restaurant just at the entrance connecting Jewel Changi Airport with Changi Airport MRT Station—that’s about a five-minute walk between the two points.

The verdict

Compared to most Japanese family restaurants we have in Singapore, Royal Host serves food that is comfortably of a higher quality. If you’re a fan of dishes such as omurice and hamburger steak, then you’re likely to enjoy the fare at Royal Host.

For famous Choy Kee egg tarts, curry toast and more at Jewel Changi Airport, read our Ipoh Town Kopitiam review. For authentic Bornean food at the same place, read our Kantin review.

Address: 78 Airport Boulevard, #03-219, Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore 819666
Opening hours: Daily 8am to 11pm
Website
Royal Host is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Kia Ee Hor.
This was a media tasting at Royal Host.