The Place Man Man Japanese Unagi Restaurant needs no further introduction, the Michelin Bib Gourmand contender by Chef Teppei Yamashita. The third location where diner can enjoy the popular unagi opened recently at Oxley Bizhub in Ubi, which joins the ranks of its Keong Saik and DUO outlets. Strictly speaking, the new Uni concept is Yamato Izakaya, which serves three different dining concepts under one roof, including the famous Man Man Unagi.

It is a relatively spacious setting at Oxley Bizhub, where the table setting is ideal for couples or family size groups. If you are keen to watch the unagi grilling action, you can opt for the counter seats. The other two dining concepts are Hitoyoshi Ramen and Tora Tora. The former is known for its Tonkotsu broths, while Tora Tora focuses on sushi and rice bowl dishes.

The Food We didn’t have space for the other two concepts and dived straight to the unagi dishes only. That said, the convenience is that there is only one combined menu where you can select dishes from all three different concepts at one go. Talk about collaborations.

I had the regular size signature Hitsumabushi (S$29.50) from Man Man Unagi, which comes with dashi broth, pickles, spices and soup. There are different ways of having this, akin to what I had at Uya and Unagiya Ichinoji. The fun part here is that I get to grind my own wasabi!

With Hitsumabushi, I like to have the unagi with some rice first, before I add the other condiments like spring onion and wasabi. Alternatively, add the dashi broth to the rice and unagi and mix it all. The unagi at Man Man is fresh, with the unagi sauce leaning towards the sweeter side, as compared to other close competitors. Personally, the flavour is not as delicious as the ones I had at Uya, though suffice to say it is better than Unagiya Ichinoji.

I also had the Unatama (S$20.50), a less fancy unagi rice bowl with thick chunks of tamagoyaki. This is the small version and trust me when I say that it is meant for petite eaters.

Rants The industrial location makes it less friendly to access without a car. During my visit, I also noticed that it is mildly challenging to get the attention of the staff.

Will I Return Again? The space at Yamato Izakaya is a good and comfortable alternative to enjoy the popular unagi, along with ramen or sushi if you fancy some variety. At the very least, you do not need to queue under the hot sun or rain at its Keong Saik outlet. The best part? Reservations are taken here.

Make your reservations instantly at Yamato Izakaya here.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 3.5/5
Ambience: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5

Yamato Izakaya
65 Ubi Road 1
#01-92 Oxley Bizhub
Singapore 408729
Tel: +65 6935 2925

Opening Hours
Monday to Saturday: 11.30am to 3.30pm; 6pm to 10.30pm
Closed on Sundays

Ranted by The Ranter