Kenboru Review: New Torched Salmon And Unagi Donburi Shop With Nothing More Than $12

But between the bland taste and hefty rate tags of healthy food, it was always easier and more affordable to indulge in my sinful eating habits. Per to my sources, this place has it all – torched rice bowls, wholesome elements and pocket-friendly rates. Torched donburi in SMU Food at Kenboru Even before we received the food, Kenboru was already scoring points for presentation.

All of the bowls were flamed right in front of us, and it was especially impressive how they manipulated the flame to torch the meat without getting any of the other components singed. We decided to start with the Smoked Salmon Mentaiko With Fish Roe ($10.90), which is apparently one of the most popular dishes here.

The house-made mentaiko sauce had a sharp yet savoury taste, and when you add it to the lightly charred salmon and fish roe, the results are super addictive. But that was because the owners wanted to achieve a balance between tasty and healthy food, so they didn’t douse everything in sweet donburi sauce.

Plus, it was totally our own fault for thinking the food was “too pretty to be mixed”. Like all the other bowls here, this one came with an array of colourful greens and a creamy sous vide egg.

After some culinary action with my disposable utensils, I tried a forkful of well-mixed soba and chicken and was pleasantly surprised by how well everything came together. The sweet house-made teriyaki marinade of the chicken thigh was a great complement to the tangy taste of roasted sesame and the springy texture of the soba.

At a little over $10, this bowl was less than half the price of most unagi dishes in Singapore. But that didn’t make it any less legit – the meat came apart firmly, and yet melted sweetly in my mouth when I took a bite. Just like all those atas health food places, the bowls here are customisable with your own choice of protein, base and add-ons.

The owners are fitness trainers themselves, so everything here was done with nutrition in mind. The shop is pretty new, so they’ve yet to release dishes such as Sous Vide Chicken Breast and Flamed Beef. But that’s no reason not to visit – if you come before 1 June 2018, the highly addictive Mentaiko Sauce topping is free for all bowls!

Ambience at Kenboru Despite being tucked away in the basement of SMU, Kenboru’s comfortably lit interior was cosy rather than claustrophobic. It can get a little crowded during lunch and dinner hours, but then again, the bowls and utensils are disposable, so you can actually just take your food out and grab a seat anywhere on the university campus.

The verdict Even though they’ve yet to release all of their dishes, the current items on Kenboru’s menu are already tasty, wholesome, and healthy for your wallet. I’d go out of my way to treat myself to a bowl here, so their convenient location in town is just another bonus.