Patronized Daizu Cafe as part of my birthday plans this year, and I got to say it was delish yet slightly disappointing. In my food review for Daizu Cafe, I will be covering the two sides purchased, as well as a couple of mains! In actuality, I only ate one of it (Chirashi Don) and received feedback for the other mains.

If you’re foreign to Daizu Cafe, it’s a cozy, homely yet fast-paced eatery located at Rangoon road. Based on the maps, it was slightly confusing to navigate from the nearest train station. Thankfully, my sister drove!

My first impression was rather positive as I really enjoyed the ambience of the cafe, especially with its warm and orange lighting. You might also spot a couple of pets at the entrance, as this eatery is pet-friendly! Additionally, the cafe was rather packed, a sign of its popularity. This can be seen as well from its 60-minutes dining limit (which I found rather short, but I didn’t stay long enough to know whether they adhered to it truly)!

Starters First, If Only

My family and I ordered,  Tempura Dumplings ($10) and Shichimi Mentaiko Fries ($13). For starters, the timing of which came awkwardly as it was served after the mains. However, this starters before main could just be be a personal preference. Nonetheless, I always find it a norm since they’re almost synonymous with appetizers.

Upon receiving the tempura dumplings, I was slightly appalled that there were only five dumplings ($2 for one, quick math). Secretly, I was thankful that there was at least one dumpling per person. These tempura dumplings were plump and flavourful yet rather run-of-the-mill. However, the appeal of this dish actually lies in the truffle mayonnaise. Honestly, the truffle flavour was pleasant but mild.

Next was the Shichimi Mentaiko Fries, and this starter was well-received by us! The Mentaiko sauce was really generous, and smoky thanks to a slight torching. Furthermore, the mentaiko was refreshing and not heavy. While comparisons might be drawn to Genki Sushi’s Mentaiko Fries, it’s important to factor in that these fries are much pricier than Genki’s. Nonetheless, these fries might be something that I might order again, if only there was more!

Mains

Next, we have the mains. Three of us ordered Daizu’s Bara Chirashi ($20 each), and the other two orders were Unagi Bowl ($18) and torched Mentaiko Salmon ($18).

The Daizu’s Bara Chirashi came with a reasonable heaping of fresh sashimi cubes. Furthermore, the sashimi slices were nicely cold when it was served, which reinforced the freshness of this dish. Overall, the bara chirashi was pretty decent and nicely presentable. I would place it above my average expectations of a Chirashi Don; I’ve had better.

I have yet to asked my other family member for feedback on the Mentaiko Salmon. Regarding the Unagi Bowl, it was nicely seasoned though the saltiness of the dish can build up. Portions were just right, though I suspect it could be little if you’re feeling famished.

One pain point across all our rice bowls was the oddly hard rice. Across the different dishes, we all had the problem of having hard, grainy rice that was mixed with nicely cooked rice. This resulted in a weird mixture of rice whereby some grains produced this really coarse texture with each bite.

The remaining components for this review would be service. This is one area where the cafe does well, with their crew greeting you and promptly taking your orders / reservation. Additionally, they were really friendly and receptive.

Overall, I would rate this place a 3 out of 5. The best item I’ve had would be the mentaiko fries. While there are some impressive factors of the individual items and dishes, there is still room for improvement.

Address: 129 Rangoon Rd, S218407
Website: https://www.daizucafe.com/