Japanese food. I love Japanese food but not just any run of the mill japanese food. I only like good Japanese food. It was this thought that i joined our dear friend, HFB's invitation to try out a place which he has raved about since his visit. 3 times in 2 months? Definitely a must try for foodies when a tongue as tough to please as his, wags praises about a restaurant.

First up, it took us a long time to locate the restaurant because it was supposed to be found in UE square. The truth of the matter is, it can be found along the sides of UE square. In fact, its directly opposite Mohammad Sultan road and next to another restaurant called Bonta. En jap also boasts 2 different settings for seating. There's the semi alfresco seats on the outside and the oily and stuffy seats on the inside. Good thing for us, HFB managed to secure the alfresco seats which was still a double edged sword at best. Why is that so? Because the weather is so darn warm, its impossible not to sweat regardless of where you sit in this restaurant. However, a good point is that the waiters noticed that and actually turned the fans in our direction. Thats a good start in terms of service.

2 x Salmon Belly Sashimi ($13 x 2) - Recommended by HFB as the must eat and must have dish of the day, we had 2 servings of this elusive salmon sashimi. Well, i'm no expert but i have to say its rather interesting. Unlike normal salmon sashimi, it has a layer of fats which gives it a certain new degree of texture. The salmon is fresh and sweet but not cold enough even with all that ice beneath it. Its nice but sinful due to the fats.

maiyu Salad ($15) - Yummy. Appetising and definitely a must try. The Imaiyu salad comes with generous salmon sashimi pieces scattered throughout the immaculately chosen greens. Its also topped with delicious sour dressing which serves its purpose well in whetting our appetites. Definitely worth the time and effort to enjoy.

Beef Carpaccio ($16) - The star of the day in my book. This beef carpaccio beats every other beef carpaccio i've eaten thus far. Tender and thinly sliced beef smothered in something akin to cheese and a sweet and sour soya sauce dressing that has to be tasted to be believed. You can taste the fragrant cheesy taste in every bite and the beef is literally juicy and melts in your mouth. Must try this!

Kushi Mori ($17) - HFB introduced that En Jap is actually famous for their skewered meat but unfortunately on this case, i have to say i disagree. I had minimal tastings of the above but from what i did have, basically the bacon and asparagus and the chicken, it tasted fairly normal to me. Nothing particularly interesting about the item at all.

Unagi Fried Rice ($13) - Now this is a close second when it was served. Unagi fried rice. The fragrance of the rice is unbearable to the point that smelling it invariably makes you want to savor the dish immediately, but it was the generous serving of unagi mingled with the rice that makes it so much more special. When had together, its simply sweet, fragrant and undeniably good, not to mention the portion was generous as well. A must have on any visit!

Satsuma Age ($7) - We were nearing the end when we ordered this and honestly, it looked so much more promising on the menu. When it was served, we were slightly taken aback that we had ordered fish cake. And worst of all, its 2 miserly pieces at a whooping $7. Now this takes the cake as a royal waste of money. How it tastes like? Just like any 50 cent fish cake you can find outside, and i'm not even trying to be nasty.

Salmon Belly ($13) Mekajiki ($12) Tako ($11.50) = $36.50 - Another sashimi platter which we ordered. Needless to say, the salmon belly is as fresh as ever and the same goes for the squid and the swordfish pieces. I didn't get to try much of the rest but i'd say that for the price, they really could have given more sashimi. The portions as above were miserly at best and a rip off at worst.

Wafu Steak ($17) - Recommended by HFB as one of the better items on the menu as well, this was our last order of the day. Juicy thick cubes of beef prepared simply can still turn out to be an art form. Fresh juices accompany each bite of this little gem and is a joy to have. The only gripe here is that its too oily and there's too little beef to go around. Other then that, i'd love to have it again.

A semi satisfying and interesting meal turned out to be $173.16 for 5 people. Effectively, i'm a happy man because of the company and some of the hits we've found.

Thank you HFB for introducing the place. Its pretty good. Not excellent, but pretty good still. The good items like the carpaccio, unagi fried rice and the Imaiyu Salad are items not to be missed while the rest are either too miserly portioned to recommend or simply don't measure up. I've heard comments that the standard is inconsistent as well but overall, i'm still happy with my visit here. Definitely return for the value items and the carpaccio.

Never had a Japanese Restaurant that I have been to, warrant a 3rd visit from me within a space of two months, but this rule simply did not apply to En Japanese Dining Bar.

Introduced by my manager (whom is very particular about what she eats), I was pleasantly elated to find that not only was the food outstanding, the price is sound as well. Situated at UE Square, facing the now awfully hushed Mohammed Sultan Road, En Japanese Dining Bar is a also a fav among the diminutive but surely growing Japanese community, in the River Valley area.

Known for its little dishes of appetiser and starters rather than the main dishes, customers are spoilt for choice with the amount of dishes they can choose from the menu. While waiting for the rest to arrive, a friend and I had some Kawaebi (Deep Fried Small River Shrimps) to go with our Hakkaisan (Honjouzou) – Medium Dry, Well Balanced Sake.

Dinner then proceed with our first starter of the day – Beef Carpaccio, or Thinly Sliced Raw Beef and Sliced Onion with Sour Soya Sauce. Along with just a dash of lemon juice, the beef is juicy and melts the moment it touches your mouth (a result from the freshness of the meat), leaving you to crave for more when you are done with it.

Thankfully, the Sashimi did not disappoint us when it arrived. The Kanpachi (Yellow Tail), Mekajiki (Sword Fish) and Salmon Belly was just as fresh and the thickness of each slice – perfectly cut.

More Sashimi came along, but this time in the disguise of Imaiyu Salad, or the Fresh Sashimi Salad with Special Blended Vegetable Dressing. Cubes of raw meat act as a perfect complement to the vegetables, and along with the appetising salad dressing, this dish is a hit with both the carnivores and the herbivores.

And when the cooked food finally arrives, the Roasted Minced Chicken Balls on a Skewer Laced with Egg Yolk has a sweet aroma which lingers in the air even after that satisfying bite. However, one may find the texture of questionable due to the bits of tendons within the minced meat.

The only staple we had for the night was another perfectly executed Unagi Fried Rice, or Eel and Egg Fried Rice. The natural juices oozing out from the Grilled Eel somehow goes harmoniously well with the rice, making it enjoyable to consume and a perfect dish to share among a table of 4.

To round of the lovely night, we had Black Sesame Ice Cream and Green Tea Ice Cream with Red Bean Paste. Not a big fan of both flavours, I was somehow charmed to find that the Green Tea Ice Cream, with a hint of bitterness, goes astonishingly well with the Red Bean Paste.

You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.