About Momiji Shabu Shabu
Whenever I go for steamboat buffets, the first thing I look out for is the cleanliness of the restaurant and the variety of dishes. I was expecting much when I stepped into Momiji at the at the top of Shaw Balestier – an old heartland mall that has seen better years. But the spanking new Momiji was spotless and with 100 free-flow items to choose from, the variety was enormous.
The Food at Momiji
Momiji has over 100 dishes on display, categorised nicely into different sections such as meats, vegetables and pre-cooked food. Yes, forget the antagonising wait while your food cooks and help yourself to dishes like scallop fried rice, chawamushi and fried chicken wings.
If you’re the type to get confused over too wide a variety of food, don’t worry, because name tents are available for every dish on display. Other item highlights were the Kurobuta pork, half-shell scallops, deep red sea prawns, and Asari clams. Momiji also serves ice cream and matcha drinks. There’s also a dedicated dessert section – something you never see at steamboat buffets.
Making the Collagen Soup
Buffets are everywhere, and to find a steamboat with collagen is uncommon but not possible. So what makes this place stand out is the fact that there’s a speciality collagen pudding that melts into your soup before your eyes – and it doesn’t contain any preservatives or MSG.
It takes six hours to simmer the Kampong chicken into the collagen pudding, which forms the soup base. It ensures that the chicken bones are fully dissolved and makes it nourishing for the skin.
There’s a instructional guide available to help you adapt the taste of the soup to your palate. If preferred, there are Himalayan salts, collagen shoyu and kimchi available at the side. We highly recommend you follow the guide to ensure your soup is flavourful.
We didn’t and our soup was a bit bland because it’s meant to be healthy after all.
Verdict
Momiji is a place best suited for leisurely lunches as it does take sometime for the soup to start boiling. Steamboats are meant to be an enjoyable form of communal dining longer than most meals. With the large variety of dishes, you’ll probably need to exceed your lunch break time to get the most of this buffet.
It’s truly a hidden gem in Shaw Balestier, but it’s location isn’t the easiest to get to. If you’re in the area, it’s definitely worth visiting because of their very reasonable prices, large variety and unique concept. The Bugis steamboats usually start at 18++. So thinking about it, for just a few dollars more, you get a way more hygienic experience indulging in a healthy meal with tremendous variety.
Getting to Momiji
Address: Balestier Shaw Plaza #04-01, Singapore 329783
Prices: $13.90++ to $28.90++
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday 11:30 to 21:30// Friday – Sunday 11:30 to 22:00
Contact: 6258 3398
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Momiji.JapaneseBuffet
There will be a complimentary premium item of either wagyu beef or snow crab for every 2 people who dine together.
This post was brought to you by Momiji.