Hanare's Superb Bara Chirashi in Tanjong Pagar!

The Japanese Bara-Chirashi is a really interesting dish for us, for the main reason that it's essentially a dish made from scraps. Unlike Chirashi, which is made of properly sliced raw fish (think sashimi) and other seafood, bara-chirashi is raw fish in chunks and cubes. Essentially a Japanese restaurant orders slabs of assorted raw fish, slices them nicely for Nigiri Sushi, Sashimi and Chirashi ... and then chops up the leftovers to serve up over vinegared rice.

Leftovers or not, a well balanced, well seasoned bara chirashi is delicious.

In Singapore, Hanare Cafe over at Tanjong Pagar road serves up one of the better bowls around town. This cafe specializes in bara-chirashi: $17.60 nett for the basic bowl, which comes inclusive of free flow of side dishes, tea, and miso soup.


The side dishes change from day to day -- you might get some edamame and assorted seaweed some days, or a lotus root stew and salad on others.


The base bara-chirashi on its own is delicious: with a generous serving of chunky, seasoned, wasabi'ed salmon, tuna, scallop, octopus, ikura and avocado on perfectly vinegared rice. It's awesome comfort food. If you're in a mood to splurge, you can order the rainbow bara chirashi ($25.00 nett for better raw ingredients), and/or some add-ons like Negitoro, Baby Squid, Sweet Prawn, Hokkaido Scallop (for $7 each), or Uni (sea urchin, $9.50).

The cafe's decor is very basic, and it's order at the counter, so don't go in expecting Michelin-starred table service.

Hanare Japanese Cafe is at 99 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088520. Non-halal.