It is hard to resist a beautiful bowl of Chirashi-don that is filled to the brim with fresh, premium seafood. Apart from the fact that it is completely colourful and photogenic, a good bowl of chirashi-don does wonders for the soul with all the goodness in one serving.
Chirashi-dons come in many shapes and sizes. The most popular serving in Singapore is the classic chirashi-don, where big slices of sashimi are served atop vinegar-ed Japanese rice, and more often than not comes with a premium price tag. On days that we need our sashimi and rice fix without burning a hole in our wallets, we turn to ‘bara chirashi-don’, which typically refers to diced sashimi – sometimes marinated with mirin or soy sauce.
Thankfully, we have several affordable chirashi-don options in Singapore and most of the ones on this list are so affordable that we are not even kidding! Here is a guide to Chirashi-dons In Singapore That Are S$20 And Under.
#1 BABETTE
Served with plain Japanese Niigata rice, Babette’s Chirashi Donburi (S$19) first impressed us with the colourful assortment of sashimi, tamago and even mini carrot cubes that added a nice textural variety to the dish.
The sashimi blocks were marinated in a light soy dressing, so the donburi is good to eat on its own. Finished off with tobikko, Babette’s Chirashi Donburi was love at first sight, until the last bite.
165 Tyrwhitt Rd
Singapore 207569
Tel: +65 6341 7727
Mon to Thu, Sun: 11am – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 1am
Nearest Station: Farrer Park
#2 GINZA KUROSON
There are many restaurants along Robertson Quay, but most of them come with relatively higher price tags. If you are in the are during lunch hours, why not drop by Ginza Kuroson for some sweet deals? At S$20, you enjoy a serving of “fisherman’s bowl”. We do think this is a pretty darn value-for-money deal, because will you just look at the number of slices of sashimi, on top of a whole prawn?
Topped with ikura, the bowl’s variety may differ from day to day, but you will always be guaranteed a reasonable portion for S$20.
30 Robertson Quay
Singapore 238251
Tel: +65 6737 5547
Daily: 11.30am – 2pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay
#3 HINOKI
Hinoki is known for their fresh sashimi, served in a semi-fine dining setting. A lesser known fact is that during lunch, they serve a chirashi-don for only S$16.80 in a set with salad and soup.
Besides just cubed sashimi, Hinoki also adds other ingredients such as pickled jellyfish. Upgrade your accompanying miso soup to a rich pork broth with tender pork slices for only S$1.50 to complete your meal.
22 Cross Street, #01-50/53
China Square Central
Singapore 048421
Tel: +65 6536 7746
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
#4 IKKI
If you live near Buona Vista or work around the area, make sure you make a trip down to IKKI Izakaya, just a stone’s throw away from the MRT Station. For just S$14, you get a half Barachirashi Don with a half bowl of Udon.
On the side, you get a serving of deep-fried salmon, salad and miso soup. For the extremely affordable price, we are definitely loving what IKKI has to offer.
9N Buona Vista Drive, #01-06/07
Singapore 138588
Tel: +65 8138 8578
Mon to Thu: 11am – 12am
Fri: 11pm – 2am
Sat: 5pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Buona Vista
Come 1 August 2015, Kinsa Sushi will be launching its new Chirashi Cupcake. Just to clarify, there is no cake nor icing involved here, and it is actually just a beautifully plated chirashi-don, using purple rice and freshly sliced sashimi.
The rice is dressed with a nice sesame ponzu sauce and sandwiched with some denbu (pink fish flakes) for an extra oomph to the dish. We loved how, in this dish, you could taste the distinct yet subtle nutty flavour of the purple rice, which reminded us of a classic local dessert, Pulut Hitam.
This is a great choice especially for lunch and it comes at an affordable price of only S$15.80 per bowl.
4 Hillview Rise
HillV2 #02-02
Singapore 669320
Tel: +65 67107278
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Fri, Sat & Sun: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bukit Batok
#6 KOJI SUSHI
Tucked in China Square, along Nankin Row, Koji Sushi gets naturally packed with people during lunch hours. Most people would have a bowl of the Chirashi Don (S$17) on their table, and we can safely say its popularity is due to its friendly price tag.
The main plus point of this Chirashi Don is the dollop of fatty negitoro and use of Japanese ginger flower for a unique and fragrant touch.
3 Pickering Street
#01-42 Nankin Row
Singapore 048660
Tel: +65 +65 6225 6125
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
#7 SUMIYA
We dare say that this is the most value-for-money chirashi-don in Singapore. The Bara Kaisendon (S$18.80) is a lunch-exclusive item at Sumiya, Orchard Central and this beauty features extremely generous cubes of sashimi, crowning a bed of perfectly cooked sushi rice.
The sashimi cubes are dress in a Japanese sesame dressing and is mixed in with Ikura, Tobiko and avocado pieces. The set comes with salad, soup, chawanmushi and a dessert too – definitely an amazing deal you can’t find anywhere else.
181 Orchard Road
#12-02 Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 6509 9618
Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset
#8 SUSHI AIRWAYS
Also another lunch exclusive, Sushi Airways’s Bara Chirashi Sushi Set (S$15) surprised us with how fresh the sashimi were. Avocado cubes were also mixed in here and we loved how it added a nice creamy texture to the dish.
The set comes with a side of soup and for just $15, it is definitely worthwhile. Sushi Airways has a whole list of other lunch donburi sets, but we say skip the rest and dive right into this beauty.
20A Baghdad Street
Singapore 199659
Tel: +65 6291 1151
Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Bugis
#9 TEPPEI SYOKUDO
The Teppei group has had their loyal fans since they first started, has ventured out into other concepts, and now, even a takeaway counter. A mainstay in all of their outlets is the Barachirashi Don or Kaisendon (S$16), as it is referred to at Teppei Syokudo.
The marinate on the sashimi is possibly one of the best you can find in Singapore and the thick cubes of sashimi feels more satisfying.
391 Orchard Road
#B2 Takashimaya Food Hall, Ngee Ann City
Singapore 238872
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
For more recommendations, read our guide to the best chirashi-don in Singapore.
About the writer:
Cheryl is a staff writer for ladyironchef. She loves a good steak and an even better cuppa. She eats just about anything and everything. In her free time, she regularly starts on sci-fi or fantasy movie marathons.