Matsuya’s first Singapore outlet serves up hearty beef bowls, cheesy curry rice, grilled eel and more
The 60-year-old Japanese chain opened on Saturday (Oct 31). 8days tried its gyudon and curry rice to see how they stack up against the competition.
Matsuya’s first Singapore outlet is located at Suntec City Mall. (Photos: 8days and Instagram/matsuyafoods.sg)
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Popular Japanese beef bowl chain Matsuya just opened its first Singapore outlet at Suntec City on Saturday (Oct 31). Founded in Tokyo in 1966, the chain operates more than 1,000 outlets in Japan. It’s best known for its Gyumeshi (beef rice bowls), alongside Japanese curry and unagi dishes.
Located in the basement of Suntec City, the outlet uses a fully self-service kiosk system through which customers place their orders, collect a queue number and wait for their food after taking a seat.
SINGAPORE OUTLET NOT OPEN 24 HOURS LIKE IN JAPAN
While Matsuya’s outlets in Japan operate 24 hours daily, its Singapore restaurant will only open from 9am to 10pm daily. Managing director Jun Hamano said: “If we end up expanding into the heartlands or areas where it’s possible to have customers 24 hours, we’ll definitely do it!”
HOW MATSUYA DIFFERS FROM SUKIYA AND YOSHINOYA
“With Matsuya being the third [Japanese beef rice bowl] brand to come in, we realised we had to differentiate ourselves from Sukiya and Yoshinoya,” Hamano said.
While the Singapore menu is largely the same as Japan’s, there are a few additional items here, including Gyumeshi with Mentai Mayo (from S$8.50), which Hamano said was popular in Hong Kong.
Unlike Sukiya and Yoshinoya, which focus more heavily on beef bowls and their various toppings, Matsuya also offers a wider selection of other grilled meat bowls, including grilled pork, chicken and boneless short rib. Price-wise, Matsuya is fairly comparable to its competitors. Here’s a look:
- SIGNATURE GYUMESHI BOWL
8days tried several dishes during a preview tasting. The Signature Gyumeshi Bowl (from S$5.50) comes with simmered sliced beef and onions over rice. “We import beef from America, specifically the short plate cut. The meat is sliced to 1.1mm, and it’s important to manage its temperature and thickness,” explained Hamano.
The taster described the beef as “thin and delicately sliced, with a pleasant sweet and savoury flavour”. “The meat is marinated in soy but the taste wasn’t overpowering and went well with the onions.”
The verdict? “I would’ve liked the beef to be a little juicier but the ratio of fat to lean meat was pretty solid. Meanwhile, the accompanying rice was fluffy with a slight chewy bite,” said the 8days taster.
- GRILLED EEL BOWL
The Grilled Eel Bowl (from S$12.50) was the taster’s favourite among the dishes tried. “The smoky eel was soft and succulent, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The Gaban sansho pepper on it lent the dish a vibrant, citrusy aroma.”
- CURRY AND RICE WITH CHEESE
“An indulgent, heavy curry, with complex flavours and a bittersweet smoky aroma. The cheese coats the rice generously, adding another layer of umami,” the 8days taster declared.
“It can get quite jelak (cloying) after a couple of bites, but there’s pickled radish on the side to help balance out [the richness].”
So how do Matsuya’s offerings stack up against Yoshinoya and Sukiya’s?
“The quality of the beef here tasted similar to me among all three brands,” said the taster. “The biggest difference was Matsuya’s fluffy, slightly chewy rice. Sukiya’s rice can get a little soggy!” But if forced to choose only one of the three eateries? Sukiya for its wider range of rice bowl options.
Matsuya is at #B1-149/149A, Suntec City Mall, 3 Temasek Boulevard, Singapore 038983. Open daily 9am-10pm. More info via Instagram.
This story was originally published in 8days.
For more 8days stories, visit https://www.8days.sg/.
Source: CNA/bk
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