Thanks to an event which I’ve attended at Millenia Walk, I received some Rakuzen Dining vouchers which allowed me to dine at this restaurant for the past couple of months. Unlike other restaurants in this mall, Rakuzen did not receive much attention or publicity from the masses. So we thought that their food was mostly not up to standard. However, we were proven wrong after making three visits to Rakuzen.
Rakuzen
Though their food isn’t over the top fantastic, their food quality and taste are generally quite good. For the price you are paying for a meal at Rakuzen, the food is considered to be decent. Service is prompt and their staff is generally quite approachable. Since the restaurant is generally quite quiet on weekdays, you can enjoy some privacy here while dining. Overall, we were pleased with their food, services and prices. Their set lunches
The Ambience
The interior of the restaurant looks rather new. It is well-furnished with wooden zen-like dining furniture. As mentioned, this restaurant is quiet on weekdays. I am not too sure what’s the crowd like during lunch hours or weekends. However, since it is tucked away from the main restaurants and shops at Millenia Walk, I believe that it is generally quite quiet on most days. For the business owners, this could be something worrisome. But for us customers, this is a perfect place for quiet gatherings.
The Food : Sushi Roll
Ebiten Tobiko Maki (Prawn Tempura and lettuce roll with flying fish roe) & Unagi Golden Roll
We ordered two maki rolls from their menu and they serve both rolls on the same place. The maki roll turns out to be rather small and skinny. We only wish that they would be more generous with the ingredients. It was overall quite delicious, especially the Ebiten Tobiko Maki.
The golden Unagi roll is topped with a thin slice of mango and crunchy walnut. To us, it is a creative take on the regular sushi.
Cold Soba with Tempura
Sam felt like having cold soba that day so he ordered a bowl of soba for himself. It comes with a plate of tempura which is served with tempura sauce and a small dish of raw quail egg with wasabi and shredded seaweed in it.
We were quite shocked to see that the quail egg was raw and we had no idea how it was supposed to be eaten. So we approached the waiter and he enlightened us by demonstrating how cold soba is eaten with the raw egg. You first crack the egg open and mixed it into the warm soba soup. Then dip your cold soba into the mixture. Now we know!
To me, this dish did not meet my expectations of a good soba. The tempura was not great either. But the sushi we had that evening was quite good. That’s the saving grace for our first meal at Rakuzen.
Kagoshima Wagyu Kinoko Don
On our second visit to the restaurant, we decided to order from their set menu as I read about some positive review about their set meals. It turned out to be a great experience. For $26, Sam enjoyed some delicious pan-fried Japanese wagyu with a bowl of Chawanmushi, miso soup, a couple of tomatoes and a small piece of dessert. We were both so full after we gobbled up our set meals.
The beef was tasty and the rice was soft. Once again, it is not outstanding but just decent enough to satisfy our stomachs.
Chicken Katsu Don
For me, I tried their Chicken Katsu Don which also comes with similar sides like miso soup, chawanmushi, two cherry tomatoes and a matcha mochi dessert.
The portion is huge. Look at how big the chicken cutlet is! It’s sitting on a bed of cooked eggs and rice. Likewise, it was nice and satisfying but nothing out of the blue.
Kagoshima Pork Curry Udon Zen
On the third occasion, we both ordered curry-based dishes. Sam had Kagoshima Pork Curry Udon with similar side dishes – just like the one he had before. The portion was very generous too! It was not too bad!
Kagoshima Pork Curry Rice
The pork Katsu was nicely done and it goes very well with the sweet Japanese curry. My meal came with a bowl of miso soup. And I was so full after completing my meal.
In conclusion, we find that the food at Rakuzen is pretty decent and their set meals are worth a try. If you are a big eater, you will be satisfied with their set meals.
