Pricey cafe with several outlets across Singapore (Upper Thomson, Bukit Timah, Everton Park, Joo Chiat). Inspired by Japanese cuisine, but plenty of fusion dishes too, and offers a few vegan options. Known for their Sandos, but highly recommended to try their pastas too - especially Kinoko Pasta! Suggested to go with friends so you can try multiple dishes without paying too much.
Last month, a few friends and I visited Hello Arigato Cafe at Upper Thomson. My main dish was so delicious that I couldn't resist documenting it in my blog. However, I have to admit, I didn't delve too deeply into my friends' main dishes, so take my overall review with a pinch of salt. The spotlight of the review is really on my Kinoko Pasta, haha. Note that the prices stated below exclude service charges.
Kombu Tater Tots (vegan friendly) - $12.00
Crispy Fried Tater Tots aka Mini Hashbrowns, Shio Kombu, Nori Mayo
The bite-sized, vegan-friendly Kombu Tater Tots were served as appetisers first, and they were so appetising that we finished them in no time.
Side note: I had no idea what "kombu" mean - it only reminds me of kombucha (by the way, they are not related at all) - so I did a quick Google search. It turns out, kombu is a type of edible seaweed. Shio Kombu, on the other hand, are thin sheets of kombu "boiled in soy sauce, mirin, and sugar, then dried and cut into small pieces". Essentially, the "kombu" in the name refers to the delicate seaweed slices sprinkled atop the crispy tater tots.
Nori, as it turns out, is also a type of edible seaweed. The "Nori Mayo" refers to the accompanying dipping sauce. It is a mayonnaise-based sauce with the added savoury goodness of nori, resulting in a flavourful dipping sauce that complements the crunchy tater tots well.
Gyu Sando - $26.00
Angus Beef Striploin (Medium), Caramelised Sweet Onion Jam, Japanese Milk Bread
The Japanese-style sandwich, or sando, is Hello Arigato's most popular dish, and this particular Gyu Sando is a highly recommended choice on their menu. The "(Medium)" in the description likely describes the beef's doneness level, which is medium in this case. This explains why the center of the meat is pink. Since this was my friend's main dish, I can't provide a detailed review, but perhaps on my next visit, I'll have the chance to taste and review it properly!
Tom Yum Somen - $22.00
Japanese Somen, Chilled Tom Yum Broth, Hokkaido Sashimi Scallop, Blue Swimmer Crab, Ikura, Kaffir Lime Leaf
I only had one bite of this Tom Yum Somen as it was my other friend's main dish, but the broth proved to be a refreshing surprise. Disclaimer: I've never tried Somen before (I'm admittedly uncultured in Japanese Cuisine, aren't I?). Somen, a thin, vermicelli-style Japanese noodle made from wheat flour, is typically served chilled. The coldness of the broth pleasantly surprised me, and the addition of Tom Yum soup enhanced the refreshing change of palate after the savoury Kombu Tater Tots, creating a unique fusion dish that blends Japanese and Thai cuisines. The noodles were chewy, and the seafood tasted fresh.
Mentaiko Pasta - $18.00
Spaghetti, Hokkaido Scallop Sashimi, Light Mentaiko Sauce, Tobiko, Lemon Zest, Nori
Sadly, I cannot provide a detailed review about the Mentaiko Pasta either. Personally, I'm not inclined to have my pasta heavily coated in mentaiko sauce, as the intensity of mentaiko's flavour tends to be to overpowering for my liking. I do enjoy mentaiko sauce in moderation, especially in a rice bowl paired with grilled salmon. But, to each their own, of course - my friend thoroughly enjoyed and felt content with his main dish, although he pointed out that the portion seemed a bit small.
Side note: Tobiko is a type of fish roe, specifically flying fish roe. This review is teaching me more than I'd expected.
Kinoko Pasta (vegan frendly) - $18.00
Spaghetti, Smokey Wild Mushrooms, Special Soy Reduction, Negi Oil, Togarashi, Kale, Scallions
Finally, we arrive at my main dish, which has become my personal recommendation. To be honest, I was initially unsure about what to order. As usual, I checked out Hello Arigato on Instagram and noticed that everyone seemed to be posting their Sandos. However, it was dinnertime and I was craving rice or noodles, so I decided to try the Kinoko Pasta, even though it lacked a thumbs-up icon on the menu.
I took the first bite with low expectations, and was welcomed with a burst of intensely umami flavour. The spaghetti was topped with a green leaf, which I thought was some kind of seasoned lettuce at first. But to my surprise, it turned out to be crispy and savoury, complementing the chewy noodles well. Kinoko means mushrooms in Japanese, hence mushrooms were the main ingredient in this pasta, and indeed, and you can expect to see, smell, and taste a lot of "Smokey Wild Mushrooms" throughout the dish.
Flavour-wise, the pasta is coated in a sauce that reminded me of teriyaki - something similar to a combination of savoury like soy sauce and sweet like sugar. As we can see in the description, the sauce is cooked with a"Special Soy Reduction" and "Negi Oil", which I just learned from Google that Negi means green onions. With a dish cooked with juicy mushrooms, flavourful scallions, and a sweet and savoury sauce, it was a truly satisfying meal, and I think Hello Arigato should consider giving a thumbs-up icon for Kinoko Pasta on their menu.
However, I do note that there seemed to be too much oil in the pasta, and I had to drink more water to wash it down afterwards. But overall, still 5 out of 5.
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