11 Feb 2022
Edo Shokudo serves authentic Japanese food without the use of pork and lard.
The complex yet delicate flavours of Japanese food make it a popular cuisine of choice for many. However, Japanese food is traditionally made with non-halal ingredients, which makes it difficult for our Muslim friends to enjoy the wide variety of Japanese cuisine. Edo Shokudo, the first halal-certified Japanese restaurant at White Sands, is about to change that.
The restaurant serves authentic Japanese ramen and teppanyaki without the use of pork and lard, and using halal ingredients. Their menu selections include a variety of Japanese food, most notably, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki that is less common than its more popular Osaka-style version. Edo Shokudo also serves hearty meal choices such as piping hot teppanyaki sets and delicious bowls of ramen made with creamy, collagen-rich chicken broth.
Edo Shokudo has recently attained their halal certification, so our Muslim friends can experience the taste of good quality Japanese food served here. We had the pleasure of speaking to Lillian Lee from the Business Planning Team at Edo Shokudo to learn more about what the restaurant has to offer.
What is the difference between Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki and Osaka-style okonomiyaki?
The difference between Hiroshima-style and Osaka-style okonomiyaki is in the cooking technique. The Hiroshima-style of cooking is slightly more complicated, as the ingredients are uniquely layered on each other instead of mixed together as with the Osaka-style of cooking. Edo Shokudo’s Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki consists of layers of dough, shredded cabbage, bean sprout, fish powder, dried shrimp, tenkasu (tempura bits), meat, noodles, egg, and topped off with okonomiyaki sauce and aonori (dried seaweed).
Edo Shokudo’s Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is made of layers of ingredients, as compared to the Osaka-style dish which mixes the ingredients before cooking.
What made Edo Shokudo decide to serve Japanese food that is halal-certified, and were there any challenges in crafting the menu?
With Singapore being a multi-racial country, we wanted to increase the accessibility of authentic Japanese food to all ethnic groups. By serving halal dishes, many including our Muslim friends can also enjoy our signature authentic Japanese Ramen and the classic Japanese foods that are given a local flavour twist.
We definitely faced a couple of challenges in the menu creation process. Our research and development team spent months on the sourcing of halal-certified ingredients before going through many iterations and fine tuning to achieve the right flavour and satisfying taste. For instance, okonomiyaki served in Japan uses pork as their core meat whereas at Edo Shokudo, we have replaced pork with chicken, beef as well as seafood while ensuring the authentic flavours of each dish is retained.
Are there any special ingredients or cooking processes for your collagen-rich chicken broth ramen?
To give the broth its creamy and rich consistency, we boil the chicken for a very long time. This also allows the flavour from the chicken to be extracted and fully infused into the soup base. The broth is kept on a constant simmer to thicken the soup and to achieve a richer taste over time. This is what makes each of our ramen bowls satisfying and hearty.
The long cooking process for the collagen-rich chicken broth ramen allows the flavours from the chicken to be extracted and be fully infused into the soup.
What are the other must-try menu items at Edo Shokudo?
A must try would definitely be our range of Waffle desserts which comes in different flavours – Classic Chocolate Banana, Popular Berry Berry, and the most kid-friendly – Milo Dinosaur Waffles. The waffle is ideal for sharing between two individuals. What would be better than ending off a satisfying meal on a sweet note?
What are the future plans for Edo Shokudo? Are there any plans to open more outlets elsewhere, or new menu items to expect?
In the coming months, we are planning to set up more Edo Shokudo outlets across Singapore to increase our accessibility to the Muslim community, and many others who prefer their Japanese food prepared without pork and lard. Our Research and Development team is constantly creating new food items which customers can indulge in during their next visit.
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The intricate cooking processes and techniques at Edo Shokudo is what makes us a standout when it comes to serving affordable and authentic Japanese food – all without using pork and lard, and using halal ingredients. The wide variety of menu items also ensures that all taste buds and cravings are catered to.
So head on down to Edo Shokudo’s White Sands (#02-04) outlet with your family and friends to check out the delectable menu items today!