Shokudo Bazaar

I was late as usual. As always, I was dragged into a last-minute meeting starting only at 6pm. Inevitably, I arrived about half an hour late. There was already a long queue outside Shokudo Bazaar. Fortunately, Ah Peng and Ms Chan were already inside, so I could skip the queue and just went into the restaurant to meet them.

This is the latest F & B outlet that hits the local shopping mall. Its modus operandi is replicated from Marche's concept, except that it has replaced Swiss cuisine with Japanese cuisine. For the die-hard lovers of Rosti, fret not. There is also the Shokudo's version of Rosti being served. For Japanese cuisine fanatics, you will be able to have your fill of Japanese snacks, bentos (set) and even desserts here. After finding a seat, you can just order your food, 'pay' with your card, and either wait for your food to be cooked or order something else before coming back to retrieve your cooked food.

The shortcoming of such a scheme is that it is self-service and you will need to bring your food to your seat. If you are seated at a secluded corner far from the main stalls alley, you may need to walk a fairly long distance. This is especially inconvenient when you are carrying hot pots or soupy food. It is also hard to resist the variety of food and we over-eat when we are attracted by the food array on the table. (Psst, we are slightly shock when we pay which indicates how much we have eaten).

Althought the restaurant is hip, cosy and refreshing, the ambience is not exactly very suitable for chit-chats as it is bustling with people and chatter. Moreover, the location where we are seated is also quite chilly with the aircon blasting down on our food.

For those who have like Marche and for those who wants an affordable Japanese restaurant which offers variety, Shokudo Bazaar will cater to your needs. Personally, I prefer the restaurant to its pasta chain which only offers pasta in Japanese-fusion style. My favourite? The Yuzuu Tea (grapefuit tea) - refreshing and heartwarming.