Aburi-EN (Orchard Central)

Dinner time! Another visit to Aburi En @ Orchard Central. Ordered carbo free High Ball Lime and Iberico Hoho Yaki. As per our first visit, we were mesmerized by the soft and delicious buta. However, this visit is a mixed review and reaction. As many believed, if you enjoy the food, don't look at how they prepare. And sadly, I had to sit right in front of the grill station. The cook (I cannot address him as chef because he doesn't deserve) was wearing disposable glove on one hand. The same gloved and bare hands were used to cut raw meats, put the raw meats on the grill and the bare hand using a tong to turn the meat on the grill. What shocked me next was when the cook used the gloved hand to hold a don box and the bare hand to take the meat (using tong) from the grill and placed on the don. The worst (or maybe it's ok) was when I saw him dropped a sotong/squid on the floor, had it washed and continued to prepare it. Will you return after seeing how the food was unacceptably prepared? Or close an eye for the sake of the taste and quality of the food? For that, 4 stars downgraded to 3 stars for food hygiene. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Review from 8 months ago. A hidden treasure in Orchard Central where it serves quality food. Mouth-watering pork, grilled to perfection, layed nicely onto each bowl. Each piece of premium buta just melts in your mouth. Price wise, if you measure quality vs quantity, I would say it's reasonably priced though 3 mains and 2 small sides can cost about $20+per pax. Service was also very good with staff attentive to customers' needs. Even offered little kids chair to sit while waiting in the queue. However, dining experience was slightly marred by a strand of hair found in one of the bowl. Hopefully they will be more mindful about hygiene during food preparation. Will definitely return to try other dishes.

I enjoyed the Wagyu Unagi Jyu. Nice chunky cut of unagi, but the four wagyu slices although delicious and tender but was a bit small. Added onsen tama. Shiok.

Pork was thick cut, but roasted very softly. Not so expensive for their quality. Negative point is their outlet is small. They have very limited capacity.

I tried: 1. 3-kinds buta combo jyu - the pork here is better than other dishes. I would say just choose the pork don if you are here. 2. Wagyu stamina Don - not bad but not outstanding. Kind of disappointed when the egg yolk is not a whole. 3. Salmon harasu yaki (grilled salmon belly) - fishy The price is a bit steep.

Place bit small but service good and fast. I only have buta bara aburi don, it's pork bell for me the meat soft and good, the fat not too much so i like it. Portion big too, for adult we can share and add more side dish. If they add bit more gravy it will be better. But overall i will come back again.

Ordered their beef and Iberico pork don. Food was mediocre. Meat was overcooked and slightly burnt. Too much sesame sauce for the salad. There are many better grilled meat dons out there. $16-20+ per bowl

Pork loin is really soft and good but a little salty…. The pork cheek is well seasoned but quite tough. There isn’t any gravy so the dish is really dry as well. Unagi is quite fishy as well.

Ambience and food is ok. Saw the menu photos and was salivating… when it came it’s a bit underwhelming. Some suggestions, rice is quite plain, if you order the regular Buta Don, it’s just 4 slices of meat with plain rice. Could consider adding pickles or ginger or free egg. Ordered the wagyu Don as well, waited almost half an hour for it. Bowl came with some garnish and mushrooms. (a slight upgrade from the Buta Don). Anyways shop wasn’t crowded but food was a bit slow.