Watami – A scrumptious feast for the stomach and soul

They say good food is meant to be shared and we concur. “Watami”, which means to gather in harmony, is set to entice customers with their Ishokuya concept so diners can indulge in sake and shochu along with delicious Japanese fare.

It’s not common to see extra-large crispy fried chicken in the menu of a Japanese restaurant. Their award-winning signature W Chicken ($8.90) comes in 2 versions – crispy fried chicken or juicy grilled chicken. It’s personal preference but I’ve got a soft spot for fried chicken. The batter is flavourful and crispy. It’s relatively large so do share it with a loved one!

Served in a large pot of rich pork broth, the Real Man Hot Pot ($17.90) features a mountain of meat. Diners get to choose from either pork, beef or a combination of both. Cook the meat in the broth as it starts to boil. The hot pot comes with a portion enough for 2, with generous servings of cabbage, bean sprouts and shimeji mushrooms. We liked the creamy broth and the tenderness of the meat.

One of the highlights of Japanese food is possibly sushi. Dive into a plethora of sushi platters and assorted skewers in their dedicated Sushi & Skewer Menu. Featuring soft shell crab, avocado and tobiko (flying fish roe), the Soft Shell Crab Roll ($19.90) is both crunchy and satisfyingly tasty. For salmon fans, you can opt for their Spicy Salmon Tempura Roll ($12.90). Despite its name, the spice doesn’t overpower the salmon. The interesting combination of salmon, tempura and Japanese mayonnaise makes for a splendid burst of flavour in your mouth. However, my pick from the lot would be their Assorted Roll Skewers ($15.90). A variety of vegetables are wrapped with pork and beef and grilled to perfection before being coated in teriyaki sauce. You won’t regret starting your meal with this clever pairing of ingredients.

If you prefer having something lighter, you can go for this specially curated seafood gozen set. It might not look filling, but it’s definitely enough for one. Diners can expect to try a little of everything in their seafood arsenal. The Hanakago Gozen ($18.90, limited sets available) features three mini don with negitoro (minced tuna), ikura (salmon roe) and seafood chirashi, as well as tempura, grilled fish and other side dishes. The fresh ingredients made this a lighter choice in comparison to the other dishes. I liked the minced tuna for its vibrant flavour and smooth texture.

For tendon fans, the Extreme Tendon offers a real bang for the buck. For only $13.90, you get assorted vegetables, pork, chicken, egg and two pieces of prawn all fried till golden brown. My favourite item was the egg because of its molten core and crispy skin. For those with big appetites, this is one you shouldn’t miss.

Feast on an array of fresh sashimi featuring an assortment of fish, prawn and roe. The Assorted Sashimi ($38.90) is good for up to 5 people and definitely a dish worth sharing. A great catch, and a feast for both the eyes and stomach!

To make your visit even more worthwhile, Watami at Causeway Point is rolling out a series of daily dinner promotions! Available till end of November, diners can expect to see 20% off the Gozen Menu (Mondays), 20% off their Sushi & Sashimi (Tuesdays), 20% off Hot Pots (Wednesdays), 20% off all Noodles (Thursdays), 10% off all appetizers (Fridays) and 50% off all kid’s meals with a purchase of any Set Menu (weekends). Pick a day when your favourite item is on discount and pop by their newly-renovated outlet!

This post was brought to you by Watami.