ichiban?

Popped by Ichiban Boshi - yeah conveyor-belt sushi, but still far far better than others like Sakae Sushi - for lunch on Wednesday. A long-ago arranged lunch with a somewhat ex-JC mate whom I'd bumped into at an event at The Arts House a long time ago. He revealed during lunch that his wife's very into Japanese food, so I felt a bit bad about making him eat more Japanese food (plus not the high class type), but he seemed to like it.

And so do I. I like Ichiban Boshi, I'm not afraid to say it.

They do a nice half-bowl of udon - just plain with a sprinkling of green onion (ick), a slice of beancurd skin and a piece of fish cake. But the soup is light, and not over salted or overly sweet. Plus the udon never fails to be springy! (I can't say the same for the last time I had noodles - at Akashi at Tanglin Shopping Centre) We also got some sushi - decent stuff, for its price - including my favourite lobster salad on a crispy rice roll. There was also a special we shared of butter scallops - now that I liked a lot. Served on its shell and with that soft buttery orange roe still attached, it was a little sweet and a little garlicky, and the scallops were really fresh. Plus I love it when they leave the roe on. A scallop is not just a plain white disc, it's a white disc with that gorgeous bit of red/orange sunshine attached. And the dish of four scallops was... what... $5? Something like that. Lunch with the noodles, scallops and several plates of sushi was $15 each.

Am not gonna give the usual contact details cos it's not exactly a place you make reservations for, but more like a quick, not too expensive bite at Wisma Atria, when Food Republic's too crowded and er well, Wisma really doesn't have anything else anyway - that pizza place (don't look that great), Din Tai Fung (not a fan), Crystal Jade fast-food style (still not sure about that one).