Iroha 168 Japanese Restaurant: Whatever you want, on the grill.

Butatama (Pork and Squid) Okonomiyaki, Mini Size $7.50++. Regular Size costs $15.00++

Okonomiyaki in Singapore is generally found in places that do Takoyaki (Grilled Octopus balls) as well, or in Pasar Malams (Night Markets). One example is the chain store "Takopachi" which serves up takoyaki and Okonomiyaki. Rarely do we get to see a place that specializes in Okonomiyaki.

"Okonomiyaki" is a combination of the Japanese words "Okonomi", which means "whatever you want/like" and "Yaki", which means "Grill". Simply put, it is a Japanese pancake grilled with a standard base of cabbage and batter made from flour and dashi, with whatever ingredients you fancy. Originating from the Kansai (Osaka) region of Japan, this is another particular Japanese food that is not very popular in Singapore.

Enter in Iroha 168.


After a long period of 14 years of being in the Orchard Hotel basement, they have finally relocated their premises to the east (rejoice O ye fellow easties of Singapore) and have set up operations in a small, humble space next to a coffee shop, which incidentally sells the legendary Geylang Lor 29 Hokkien Mee. But that's another story.

Their okonomiyaki is, true to their name, the signature here. Aside from the fact that they have hardly any other competitors in this particular Japanese dish, what won me over was that all the components, from the cabbage to the batter and choice of ingredients possessed a nice texture. It was neither soggy nor hard. The flavours were also balanced, a multitude of sweet, sour and saltiness evident in the dish. With the homemade sauce and Japanese mayo generously drizzled over, this makes the perfect snack/meal for people craving a proper Okonomiyaki.

Having tackled 3 different Okonomiyakis on my maiden visit, I was curious to see how the Chef and owner of the establishment would do his Teppanyaki sets today on my 2nd visit.

Set E: Sliced Ribeye, Scallops, Foie Gras, Broccoli and Mushrooms. $30++
All Teppan sets come with Rice, Pickles and Miso Soup

 I opted for the Set E of the Teppanyaki Menu, seeing that for $30, I do get quite a spread of seafood and meat. Most of the items were decently done, nothing outstanding in particular. However, this was different to other Teppanyaki establishments in the sense that while other places serve you the dishes course by course, the Chef here cooks everything all at once and places it all into a hot plate to maintain the temperature. That said, I was still disappointed because I did expect the ribeye to be thicker. As it was already a thin piece prior to slicing, the meat was quickly overcooked. The scallop was also nothing to shout about and the foie gras definitely needed a longer time in the grill. But what really turned me off was that I saw the waitress scoop out rice onto a bowl and put it inside the microwave to heat it up. All this was done, oblivious to the fact that I was silently observing from a vantage point (I was seated at the counter). So all in all, while half decent, I could have gotten 2 regular sized Okonomiyakis for the same price, which I am glad to say is made from scratch, having seen the Chef do it in front of me.

Chef Sekiguchi Akimasa

Hailing from Kyoto, Chef Sekiguchi's belief is that Okonomiyaki will one day, enjoy the same popularity that Sushi does not only in Singapore, but worldwide. It is after all, a fast and easy meal to enjoy, and it leaves the choice of the ingredient (meat or seafood) up to the customers. Would you fancy some beef steak cubes or ham and cheese with your Okonomiyaki? Why not?

Having been in operations for less than a month, I feel that they have some serious issues to iron out. Some of it being the over-diversifying of their menu, (they sell a whole range of food like sushi, ramen, tonkatsu, soba and the list just goes on) and the naming of their food items. (According to the Teppanyaki menu, it said "Beef steak Ribeye" and not "Beef slices"). Service was also generally haphazard with the service team (namely the lady boss and another waitress) having problems communicating orders even though it was not a busy dinner service. And I am still a little peeved by the fact that they can't serve me a warm bowl of rice without having to microwave it.

That said, my advice is just to come here for the Okonomiyaki, and enjoy it with their variety of drinks like beers and Sake. They have many ingredients for you to choose from like the Squid and Pork, Ham and Cheese, and Beef Steak cubes to put onto your Okonomiyaki.

Also featured on their menu is the "Osaka Jyo", an Okonomiyaki that is meant to feed 4-5 pax which, according to the plastic food display models outside the shop, contains a really large prawn, some seafood and other bite-sized ingredients in one gigantic pancake to be shared. But do enquire the type of ingredients that go into the Osaka Jyo just to be sure.

Despite all its flaws, I will come here solely just for the Okonomiyaki, because I simply cannot find another place so close to home that actually specializes in a relatively uncommon food item of Japanese cuisine. And credit to Chef Sekiguchi, his Okonomiyaki comes straight from the mixing bowl, to the grill and finally to your table.


Bacon Okonomiyaki, anyone?

Iroha 168 Japanese Restaurant
392 East Coast Road
Singapore 428992

6738 1683

Closed On Mondays.
Do call for operating hours as it is yet to be fully confirmed.

Nearest MRT Station: Kembangan