Ordering authentic Japanese cuisine with a Talking Pen!
Sensing that I was growing mouldy being confined to my house due to an ankle surgery :D, a girl friend brought me out for lunch at Ebisboshi Shotengai, a Japanese food outlet in Iluma Shopping Mall, Singapore's first urban entertainment centre. How sweet of her!
A lover of Japanese cuisine, I'm spoilt for choice at Ebisboshi Shotengai's 7 Japanese restaurants hailing from Hokkaido, Nagano, Tokyo, Osaka and Hiroshima. A wide variety of authentic Japanese culinary specialities are located under one roof in a casual setting.
Gosh! There are over 700 items in the menu! Traditional Japanese eats such as ramen, teppanyaki, chikara udon, okonomiyaki, oden combo set (the Japanese version of yong tau foo), shabu-shabu and tsubohachi-grilled cheese lobster are available at prices between S$10 and S$20.
I'm fascinated by the restaurant's Talking Pen, a Deli-Touch self-ordering system using technology from Japan. I tapped the Talking Pen on the menu to place our orders. It reads out the dishes I select, then sends my orders to the kitchen and cashier! Cool!
Kids would love playing with this ordering device, but parents might not be too happy if their kids get too tapping-happy! :D
The Hiroshima-style seafood okonomiyaki I ordered is so different from the usual ones I get. The ingredients are piled high and layered rather than mixed together. The layers are batter, cabbage, yakisoba, pork belly slices, prawns and squid. It is topped with an omelette and a generous amount of okonomiyaki sauce. The amount of cabbage used is several times the amount used in the more common Osaka style.
For dessert, I had a scoop of black sesame ice-cream. I love it for its smooth, creamy taste and that it is not too sweet.... plus black sesame keeps my hair looking rich and dark. :P
I have found Little Japan in Singapore! How sweet!
Iluma, 201 Victoria Street, #04-08/09/10. Tel: 6238 1011
PhotoHunt
photohuntFirst Commenter - Criz Lai
Wow! I would also be happy tapping on all the nice food there. :P
ReplyDeletep/s Goma Ice Cream is my favorite sweet dessert too. :)
http://crizcats.blogspot.com/
That is totally cool! I love all sorts of Asian foods. In fact my husband and I just had Chinese/Japanese food at a huge Buffet yesterday. It was so good.
ReplyDeleteFood looks amazing! :D
ReplyDeleteYour friend is so good o. :D
ReplyDeleteYerrr.....how come the ice cream colour is so black?
Black sesame ice cream sounds wonderful...Japanese sweet-potato,
ReplyDeleteand green tea are old favourites.
That pen is a cool idea-
Glad you had a fun outing.
Aloha from Hawaii my Friend!
Comfort Spiral
I saw the notice on the right and wanted to ask but I wasn't sure.. What happened to your ankle? I hope you'll have a speedy recovery..
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of a self ordering restaurant!!! The food looks delicious and so glad that you got out!!!!
ReplyDeleteoh my! you just made me crave for these! thanks so much for posting...ill take note. :)
ReplyDeletevery sweet of your friend indeed!
wow...ordering with a talking pen is something new.The Japanese are always coming up with lots of new technology and ideas :)
ReplyDeletei hope the Japanese food helped make you feel better =]
ReplyDeletei agree- that ordering device IS such a cool, powerful item =] no more mis-pronounced orders, lesser mistakes from the kitchen... we just have to look out for trigger-happy order-zappers in our tables =]
Happy Easter!
I've never heard of okonomiyaki or seen anything like this dish in any of the Japanese restaurants in San Francisco. I love Japanese food too. Hope your ankle recovers nicely!
ReplyDeleteNow if we could and outlet like that over here... sigh.
ReplyDeleteOMGosh I haven't seen you in so long - and as usual, what fantastic food!! Yum! I wish I were there...Tonight I was thinking of ordering pizza :(
ReplyDeleteGood to see you again.
Rhonda (a/k/a Chuck)
The place sure looks cool! I would love to come and visit if I go to S'pore. :)
ReplyDeleteDid you try the oden combo set, ECL?
How sweet of your friend indeed.
ReplyDeleteRe okonomiyaki: I prefer the Hiroshima style. It's hard to get here in Hong Kong though, alas!
What a sweet post.
ReplyDeleteHope you're recovering well and fast.
www.ewok1993.wordpress.com
That looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteHope your ankle recovers rapidly!
Happy weekend!
Ohhh! Talking pen! Wanna try it! ^_^
ReplyDeleteIt would be easier to dine in restaurants and place your orders. This is a brilliant innovation.
Fortunately you wrote this post on April 2 and not on April 1st I wouldn't have believed in a "Talking Pen" Amazing ! Now I have something to tell to everybody I know !
ReplyDeleteWe only have a few Japonese restaurants in Brussels and Waterloo, and they are very very expensive. You won't find a plate under 40 € !
the talking pen is pretty cool. i'd love to join u to savour the japanese cuisine. the sweet dessert looks tempting too.
ReplyDeletehope your ankle is showing signs of recovery.
That was nice of your friend to take you out to such a wonderful Japanese restaurant. Wow! It looks yummy and very different from what I am used to! I think there is a Japanese restaurant here in little Norrkoping. But it is of course not the same.
ReplyDeleteHow your ankle is mending well!
Best wishes,
Anna
P.S.
Thanks for visiting Sara Cat. She sends purrs to you.
That dish looks very inviting~
ReplyDelete~Have an Egg-ceptional and Eggs-traordinary Easter~
how sweet of your friend, and this place looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteYou really got a sweet friend there! I love sweet teriyaki sauce...did you have some?
ReplyDeleteOishii desu ne? Okonomiyaki suki desu! haha...I'd love to be treated by a sweet friend too lol....yummy!
ReplyDelete700 items! looks like they bring the whole of Japan to Singapore! lol
ReplyDeleteIt's very thoughtful of your friend to bring you out to such a special place with special Talking Pen. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, black sesame is known to help the hair look dark. I remember it contains calcium and will help to strengthen bones.
Hi ECL, I didn't know you hurt your ankle. I hope it gets better quickly! Thanks for commenting at Maxine... Okay no tattoos. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL~ You're right! Parents like me freak out when they have 2 kiddos that enjoy tapping that pen thingy more than the food! Outcome? Ordering more food than they can finish! *sweat*
ReplyDeleteHow's the ankle coming along? Hope you can do the bunny Easter hop soon! :)
What a fascinating post.The talking pen is so cool. Thanks so much, I really enjoyed reading this and seeing your photos. I need to figure out how to try that ice cream. :)
ReplyDeleteWow that is crazy technology with the talking pen....and that meal...tha looked good but also looked like a lot of food....I have never had sesame ice-cream....sounds interesting.....
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to you!
I'm sorry you had to have surgery. This is a great take on the theme. So many treats.
ReplyDeleteBlack ice cream? It doesn't sound too sweet but interesting.
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend ECL.
Ooohh that black ice cream looks interesting. I want to try that !!
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter ECL!
ReplyDeleteA Simple Life
Mommy's Little Corner
Moms... Check nyo
Yummy-as-can-be
wow, yummy!
ReplyDeleteA talking pen.Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteHow is your ankle now?
i've never tried black sesame ice-cream, but now I want to after seeing yr pic ;)
ReplyDeleteI love Japanese food, wow! you have little Japanese in Singapore, how lucky!
ReplyDeleteokonomiyaki!!! wow you must bring me there too when i go there! lol
ReplyDelete