Apollon: One of Orchard Plaza’s best izakayas, with a hidden room behind a liquor shelf
In recent years, Orchard Plaza has flourished into one of the hottest spots for Japanese food in Singapore.
The understated shopping centre now houses a multitude of popular Japanese restaurants from top to bottom — but if there is one spot we highly recommend, it’s Apollon.
Apollon is located on the ground floor, on the outer perimeter of Orchard Plaza and, upon entry, you’ll assume it’s a tiny establishment that can seat perhaps 10 people.
Push against one of the liquor shelves, though, and the space opens up into another room.
This is Am Bar, an aged sake and tapas bar concept that serves up the same food offerings as Apollon, albeit in a slightly different setting.
I guess you can call this a “hole-in-the-wall” spot, literally.
Compared to the brightly lit, wood-dominated decor outside, Am Bar sports a sleeker ambience.
The walls are darker in tone, and the counter surface is textured with a hammered metal finish. Dimly lit by a handful of hanging green lamps, the space is perfect for intimate date nights!
Those who know a thing or two about the local izakaya scene would also be elated to hear that Apollon and Am Bar is run by the same folks behind Mobomoga at UE Square, another very popular izakaya!
What to order from Apollon’s menu
One of the biggest challenges diners might face when they first visit an izakaya is choosing what to order — the large menus can be overwhelming.
After a few visits, we are convinced that the star on Apollon’s menu is the minced tuna with egg yolk sushi roll (S$25).
Unlike your usual maki rolls, what makes the difference here is the jammy egg yolk that accompanies the negitoro (minced tuna).
Already creamy by itself, the negitoro’s texture is further accentuated by the viscosity and velvety texture of the yolk — on top of it all, this dish is a true flavour bomb with oodles of umami.
Another must-order for us is the curry udon, with options of oden soup-based creamy curry udon (S$20) and prawn tempura curry udon (S$28).
One thing that sets Apollon’s curry apart from others out there is the consistency, which is thinned out with the oden broth to achieve a silky mouthfeel.
This also gives the dish a nuanced profile, rather than a hard-hitting richness and spice that can come across as one-dimensional.
Most importantly, the thin and flat udon is perfectly cooked till springy, with a gentle chew, and the broth clings oh-so-snugly to the noodles!
As we’ve come to expect from the popular izakayas in town, Apollon also serves superb oden. You can either order omakase oden (S$18 for three kinds, S$32 for six kinds), or a la carte (from S$6).
The soup here leans towards the cleaner side, and isn’t as robust as some other spots, but we particularly enjoyed how the massive daikon (Japanese radish) explodes with a cleaner, more elegant sweetness.
Our last recommendation might be a bit divisive, but those who adore strong cheese absolutely ought to order Apollon’s ham cutlet with blue cheese (S$20).
The combo might sound overwhelming, but the blue cheese’s flavour is reined in — not as much in the way of pungency and sharpness — so that you get a rounded salinity that blends seamlessly into the ham’s savouriness.
We have to say: Apollon hasn’t failed us thus far. At least, every order of the egg-yolk roll has proven to be a sensational hit.
We can’t say for sure that it’s one of the absolute best izakayas in Singapore — though it makes a strong case — but it is definitely one of the top spots to look out for in buzzy Orchard Plaza.
For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on this adorable couple running Al Solito in Orchard Plaza, or about Foura, the newest wellness concept at Gardens by the Bay.
Tue 5pm - 11.30pm
Wed 5pm - 11.30pm
Thu 5pm - 11.30pm
Fri 5pm - 11.30pm
Sat 5pm - 11.30pm
- Somerset
Evan started off writing about food on Instagram, before joining outlets such as Buro and Confirm Good to pursue his passion. His best work usually comes after his first whisky shot in the morning.
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