One of the best places to celebrate a birthday or friends gathering is at a Japanese Izakaya restaurant as they can almost satisfy any kind of food preferences
Public Izakaya is located within the 100am mall and is pretty close to where I stay so I have walked past them so many times I have lost count. The restaurant is always crowded during dinner time and I have always wanted to find an opportunity to visit
When my friends suggested Public Izakaya for a gathering, I was more than excited to check them out. The restaurant occupies 2 units on the first floor of the mall and is quite spacious. Combined with the outdoor seats, the restaurant can sit more than over 100 customers. For indoor seating, the unit on the left has floor-sitting cubicles and counter seats whereas the unit on the right has a standard table and chairs setting
The menu is typically Japanese looking but there is an English explanation below each item which allows for easy ordering of the food. The items are also grouped by category so it is quite self-explanatory
I think one of the most ordered items at an Izakaya is definitely the kushiyaki skewers which are skewered meat or vegetables grilled over low fire for the perfect charred meat and vegetables as a perfect companion to after-work drinks. We had some popular selections like the bacon-wrapped asparagus, chicken ball, bacon-wrapped scallops, chicken skin, pork belly and chicken soft bone. All the skewers were very well grilled and seasoned with meat juices bursting in each bite. I was surprisingly delighted with the chicken soft bone as it is crunchy and full of umami flavour from the seasoning
The next item we ordered was the oden which is commonly found in most Japanese convenience stores. This is my favourite dish and I will always buy a bowl of these before returning to the hotel every day. We ordered a large set which came with a fixed set of items and we had a 2nd al la carte order where we could specify the items we wanted. My favourite was the radish which is soft and well-soaked in the broth and absorbed all the sweetness in every bite. The fish cake and eggs are also extremely delicious and authentic
Some other items we ordered include the Agedashi tofu, braised buta don with egg, grilled squid served with mayonnaise, giant karaage chicken balls and croquette. All the dishes were on point in flavours and texture and we were so stuffed when the giant karaage chicken balls were served as they were huge like a tennis ball. The outside was crispy but the inside was juicy and tender even though the ball was such a huge ball of meat
When eating at a Japanese Izakaya, the drinks are definitely another item on the menu to look forward to since the Japanese have some of the best cocktails. My friends had a beer which was good as usual and I had the Calpis drink as I could not have alcohol that evening but it was still good with the food
Overall, I have since visited them again just for the chicken soft bone and I will not hesitate to visit again for other gatherings since I find that the majority of their menu is really good in taste and price
Address: 100 Tras St, #01 – 09, Singapore 079027
Operating hours: 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and 5.30 pm to 12 am ( Mon – Fri)
5 pm to 12 am ( Sat) and 5 pm to 10 pm ( Sun)
Bear Travels . Bear Eats . Bear Cooks 