Man Man Unagi: Smoky, decadent and authentic unagi hitsumabushi on GrabFood 5-Star Eats

The beauty of food delivery is that we can enjoy our favourite foods, whenever we want, wherever we want. But it makes us prone to ordering the same things over and over again.

But if you dig enough, you’ll discover there’s a whole world of interesting options on GrabFood that are readily available to be sent to your doorstep.

Take Japanese food for example: Everyone loves it for its rich flavours and diversity. The cuisine has plenty to offer, especially with so many specialty dishes that require great skill to make.

If you’re like us and enjoy checking out the finer aspects of Japanese cuisine, the newly launched GrabFood 5-Star Eats collection is a great way to dive into that, from the comfort of your home.

The carefully curated selection includes the best Japanese food you can find. 

But not just good ol’ donburis: We’re talking about interesting Japanese specialties served by restaurants that have mastered one signature dish and are devoted to making them, with the greatest respect to craft and detail.

Curious about what goes into making these quality specialty dishes? We check out the behind the scenes of three well-respected Japanese brands to show you the magic behind them — starting with Man Man Unagi!

Unagi hitsumabushi at Man Man Unagi

Japanese food enthusiasts will no doubt remember the viral sensation that was Man Man Unagi when it opened in Dec 2016.

At that time, unagi (grilled Japanese freshwater eel) was a rather under-the-radar Japanese speciality in Singapore — almost an afterthought that was commonly slathered in a thick and often-time saccharine tare at most Japanese restaurants.

Man Man Unagi was Singapore’s first unagi speciality establishment and also garnered plenty of attention, since it was opened by renowned chef Yamashita Teppei. 

Chef Teppei is also behind the eponymous Teppei at Orchid Hotel, known for its affordable and fun omakase experience, as well as casual Japanese outfit Kai Kai Sushi and Grill at Wisma Atria.

More interestingly, Man Man uses live eels for its dishes, which you can see being freshly prepared in the kitchen, while you dine. Up till then, unagi was usually made with frozen eel.

The speciality is, of course, the unagi hitsumabushi, a dish that features grilled unagi served in a rice bowl, supplemented with a suite of condiments.

While the unagi is the highlight, what makes the dish even more unique is how it’s meant to be eaten.

Unlike a usual donburi, it’s meant to be separated and eaten four ways: First, as it is, with rice and unagi. Second, with condiments such as spring onions and wasabi. Third, with soup, just as you would an ochazuke (rice with tea poured over it). 

The fourth way is however you enjoyed it best.

Man Man Unagi has sparked a wave of unagi specialist restaurants since then. But even with multiple of such concepts in Singapore these days, it’s hard to emulate the restaurant’s peak.

For years following its opening, it was impossible to head over to Man Man Unagi’s Keong Saik road outlet in the evening and not be met with a queue!

So what wizardry does chef Teppei use to make Singaporeans so enchanted by his grilled eels?

Chef Yamashita Teppei’s unagi story

Probably one of Singapore’s most recognisable Japanese chefs, 43-year-old Yamashita Teppei first made a name for himself in 2011, with the opening of his eponymous restaurant at Orchid Hotel. Today, it is still a highly raved spot for its affordable and tasty omakase.

Prior to opening Man Man Unagi, Teppei wasn’t particularly familiar with unagi as a Japanese speciality.

However, a Japanese chef he met in Bangkok some time in 2015 introduced it to him and that became a turning point.

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“We were looking to bring him on board and we were asking what his specialty was. I didn’t like unagi before that but he let me try his freshly grilled unagi and I was sold,” Teppei recalls.

Teppei says he is still learning more ways to improve his unagi, even today.

“Personally, I’m still learning. Sometimes I go to Man Man to grill and study, because the unagi we import can have different qualities and the grill time can be different,” he adds. “For me, grilling is fun. Grilling takes a long time to master. Of course it takes a long time but it’s fun!”

What goes into smoky unagi hitsumabushi

On the origins of the dish, Teppei says: “What I heard was that unagi hitsumabushi actually came from a staff meal at a restaurant in Nagoya, in the Aichi prefecture.” 

“After regulars saw the staff eating the chopped eel, they got curious and wanted to try it!”

The eels at Man Man are specially imported from Mikawa Isshiki, located in the same Aichi prefecture.

Each unagi histumabushi begins when the eels are imported into Singapore. Upon arrival at the restaurant, Teppei puts them in the tanks (the ones you can see in the restaurant) to allow them to relax.

After a day, the eel is ready to be cooked and will be taken out of the tank upon order and put in ice to stop them from jumping around. 

Following the traditional Nagoya style, the eel is killed quickly with a metal needle to the jaw. The chef then cuts the eel from the stomach-side, before the bones and guts are taken out.

The unagi is then put on the charcoal grill, with the cooks taking care to flip it continuously — that’s to prevent the juices from dripping out, so as to retain its intrinsic flavour.

It’s then dipped in the unagi sauce and grilled until just before it burns, which ensures the best fragrance.

“Unlike the factory-made unagi at supermarkets, ours is made as fresh as possible and it also helps make sure it’s flavourful and smoky,” he adds.

How does Man Man compare to the other unagi specialists in town, though?

Teppei says: “We follow the Nagoya style so it should be mostly the same. But one big difference is that we use fresh wasabi and we make our own sauce.”

The attention to detail is everywhere, even in the unassuming rice: “I always remind my staff that the rice must be fresh, so when you open the bowl, all the steam and fragrance will rush out together!”

Taste test

Teppei says that his unagi hitsumabushi (S$35 for six pieces, S$46 for eight pieces, S$82.30 for a double layer) is something that suits the local palate: “I think a lot of customers like it, because they like the fragrance and they also enjoy drinking soup and porridge!”

That said, there are some things that didn’t carry over. One such thing is grilled unagi fins, which are served in many joints in Japan, but he thinks are too boney for many locals.

But guests can still find offcuts such as kimo-yaki (grilled unagi liver, S$10.80) and unagi bone crackers (S$6.40) on the menu — if just trying the signature unagi hitsumabushi wasn’t enough.

We finally sat down to trying Man Man’s unagi hitsumabushi and it has everything chef Teppei said: It’s super tender, intoxicatingly smoky and packed full of flavour.

The skin of the eel is nicely caramelised and sports a delectable mix of sweetness and umami.

On its own, it’s already very enjoyable, with the fluffy plain rice being a great, yet simple pairing with the unagi.

But mixing it up with unagi sauce and condiments adds more layers, while the fresh wasabi nicely cuts through the richness.

Our favourite way to eat it? Pour soup into the bowl and let it soak for a while. That ensures the smokiness seeps into the soup when you slurp it all up!

Really, though, all three ways have their own virtues, so choose how you want to eat it. 

With an immaculate grill and meticulously prepared accompaniments and condiments, there’s really no doubt that Man Man Unagi is one of the best unagi hitsumabushi in Singapore, and you can understand the crazy queues!

Man Man Unagi is on GrabFood’s 5-Star Eats collection

Grab has launched its 5-Star Eats collection, a curation of Singapore’s best eats, comprising top-rated stores by the Grab community with recommendations from the Michelin Guide, HungryGoWhere and others!

Head to the Grab app to check out the list of top-rated eats, including Casa Vostra, Keen’s Bagelry and Oven & Fried Chicken, that you can get delivered to your doorstep.

This article was written in collaboration with GrabFood.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on where to find the silkiest, most comforting mee hoon kueh and a quaint new bakery that opened at Farrer Park. 

Do explore the new GrabFood 5-Star Eats curation to explore more quality eats on the app!

Man Man Unagi is on the GrabFood delivery service and offers free delivery (up to S$3 off) with GrabUnlimited. 

You can also book a ride to Man Man Unagi  to try out this GrabFood 5-Star Eats Japanese speciality!