Irodori: Now you can have both Value and Quality

Sashimi Moriawase

We Singaporeans love things at good value. If it tastes good and it is cheap, it will be an instant hit amongst us.

As far as buffet goes, many restaurants fail to find a balance between the quality of the products they offer and the prices which they charge. I could pay $20 and get crappy sashimi and less than decent cooked items. At the other end of the scale, I could pay upwards of $100, burning a hole in my pocket, which leads me to think that I would rather pay a little more and go for an omakase.

In this market gap enters Irodori. A Japanese buffet restaurant which offers decent quality food at reasonable prices. The large crowds they gather on a daily basis for dinner is testament to the success of the business and it is always recommended to make a reservation a week in advance.

Japanese restaurants which do not specialize in a certain dish, offer a little bit of everything. From sashimi, to tempura, to udon and many more items. The sashimi is always a deciding factor as to whether customers come back for more, and I am glad to say for Irodori, their sashimi is fresh and of proper quality. Best of all? it's free flow! I would highly recommend their Salmon and mekajiki (swordfish).

Spider Temaki (Soft shell crab handroll)

I am a sucker for Spider Temaki and Irodori does theirs perfectly despite having to churn out large volumes constantly. The nori (seaweed) and soft shell crab is crispy, and they add a dash of mentaiko (spicy cod roe mayonnaise) which just lifts the entire hand roll. You get crispy and savoury all in one roll which makes this such an enjoyable dish. As I type this, I am still thinking of the 6 hand rolls (yes, 6) I had for dinner today.

Grilled Shishamo

For their yakimono (grilled items)  I decided to go for their shishamo. Once again, Irodori delivered accordingly. The fish was crispy, charred and the roe inside was plentiful.

Yakitori (Grilled chicken skewers)

The yakitori was decently done. Tender and slathered with teriyaki sauce. Would have preferred it if they kept the skin on and if the chicken was more charred to bring out that smoky flavour.

Ebi Tempura

Irodori serves up a fantastic variety of tempura. But since we decided to save our calories for the higher valued items, we ordered 3 servings of prawn tempura. The prawns were still warm and batter crisp, though I did find the prawns a little hard. Nevertheless, I can't complain much for the price they are offering me.

Over the years, my appetite has shrunk significantly as compared to the times when I just feasted and binged without thought for my health. As such I generally try to stay away from buffets for fear of overeating. Normally, I would prefer to save up a little more and cash in on a nice meal for a treat. But Irodori just fits the bill perfectly if I have friends who wish to go for buffets and yet want sashimi of decent quality. The one thing I like about this restaurant is that all of the multiple times I went, they managed to deliver consistently without compromising their quality, while catering for a large crowd. This makes it a perfect place for big groups and big eaters.

If you want a good Japanese buffet but do not want to burn half your salary, Irodori gets my vote as the best value-for-money institution to satisfy.

Here's a link to their full menu

Irodori Restaurant

382 Havelock Road

Riverview Hotel #03-01

S169629

Operating Hours:
Lunch:11.30am - 2.00pm

Dinner:6.30pm - 10.30pm

Open daily unless stated otherwise.

Nearest MRT Station: Clarke Quay

Tel: 6737 2002

Reservations highly recommended.

The restaurant also has private rooms for big groups. Call for enquiries.