This Poke Stop Serves Aburi-Style Poke, And That’s Not Their Only Twist On The Trend

It’s been a good couple of months, and still, the poke bowl trend doesn’t seem to be losing steam here in Singapore.

A healthy, Hawaiian-inspired version of our favourite chirashi don, that’s filled with raw fish and healthy to boot, it’s no wonder there seems to be a new poke place springing up every other week!

[caption id="attachment_29468" align="alignnone" width="5184"] Look out for this sign to find Torched[/caption]

Yet another poke stop has surfaced, specifically in the Bugis area of Singapore. This one is a little different from the rest, and we think those of you who love aburi-ed sashimi will especially like this.

Have Your Poke Torched

Located just a stone’s throw away from LASELLE College of the Arts, Torched shares a counter and dining space with specialty coffee concept One Man Coffee.

[caption id="attachment_29460" align="alignnone" width="5184"] Torched was started by a brother-sister duo[/caption]

The brainchild of 2 siblings – a brother-sister duo – the concept of torched poke bowls was a product of experimentation and spontaneity. After fooling around with a blowtorch in the kitchen, the pair stumbled upon a way to separate their poke bowls from the rest – serving up bowls with their ingredients torched!

The result is a poke bowl that has all the usual suspects – raw fish, rice, seaweed – but with their flavours fired up.

[caption id="attachment_29461" align="alignnone" width="5184"] Poke galore[/caption]

Like most poke places, you get to take your pick of either a signature bowl – where all the big decisions are made for you – or a customised bowl, where you can put all your favourite ingredients into one bowl!

Torched offers 3 signature bowls: the Signature Torched Poke Bowl ($15), the Torched Tofu Bowl ($9), and the Roast Pork & Kimchi Bowl ($10).

[caption id="attachment_29466" align="alignnone" width="5184"] So many colours in one poke bowl![/caption]

The Signature Torched Poke Bowl is a colourful mixture of torched salmon, tuna and tamago mentaiko on a bed of sushi rice and salad. The fish is fresh and lightly seasoned, so you won’t feel jelat halfway through your bowl. A fuss-free, flavourful bowl, this is an easy pick if you have trouble deciding what to put into your poke.

Vegetarians, Torched hasn’t forgotten you.

Their Torched Tofu Bowl is a vegetarian option that comprises torched sesame tofu and avocado on a bed of rice and salad. Cherry tomatoes, edamame, pomelo and seaweed are also added into the mix to give your poke bowl a tantalising variety of textures and flavours.

Torched Snacks

Poke bowls aside, their torched ingredients also come served in tacos and kueh pie tee “shots”.

[caption id="attachment_29467" align="alignnone" width="5184"] Taco with Tamago Mentaiko filling[/caption]

Fill your tacos and “shots” with tamago mentaiko ($6), spicy poke ($7), or roast pork & kimchi ($8). We recommend the spicy poke, which is spicier than we expected – not that we mind.

If you’re considering pairing these snacks with your poke, we suggest going for the kueh pie tee shots. Perfect for popping into your mouth, the kueh pie tee cups work interestingly with the fillings. That, and we love the crunch when you bite into these little cups.

While we enjoyed the poke shots, we didn’t fancy the tacos nearly as much because the filling, rice, and taco made for a strange combo. With nothing tying the different elements together, the three tasted like completely separate entities that were just thrown together.

[caption id="attachment_29471" align="alignnone" width="5184"] Kueh Pie Tee “Shots” with Spicy Poke[/caption]

While poke bowl spots are becoming more common in our local food scene, Torched has taken a unique approach with its poke, and we think it’s pretty clever. After all, who doesn’t love the smokey-raw combo of aburi-style fish?

The next time you’re in the Bugis area and are craving a hearty bowl of poke, drop by Torched! Simple, delicious and oh-so-photogenic, these rice bowls are a straightforward choice for a lunch break or a quick friend-date with the girls.

Torched 
Address: 128 Prinsep St, Singapore 188655
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 11am – 5.30pm; Closed on Sat & Sun
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Also read Singaporeans, Here’s What Your Go-To Hawker Food Says About You

Salmon Samurai Is Now O-Fish-Ally Open – Create Your Own Salmon Don For Just $9.90

Salmon lovers, you’ll want to read this.

Newly opened Salmon Samurai is set to serve Singaporean’s favourite raw fish in all its delicious forms! There’s maki, sashimi, donburi, udon… the list goes on.

But let’s start from the beginning.

[caption id="attachment_26621" align="aligncenter" width="1188"] Image Credit: Justin Teo[/caption]

Matches Made In Salmon Heaven

On the menu are pre-determined salmon bowls, with salmon prepared in different ways paired with the base they go best with.

On the lighter side is the Salmon Poke with House Salad ($9.90), served with tart Wafu dressing that accents the umami flavour of the marinade perfectly.

[caption id="attachment_26617" align="aligncenter" width="1500"] Image Credit: Salmon Samurai[/caption]

You can swap out the salmon poke and get a Spicy Salmon with House Salad ($9.90), where the salmon is coated with a creamy and slightly spicy sauce for some added heat to the usual sesame salad dressing.

The Salmon Sashimi with Brown Rice ($9.90), blended with refreshing ume-yuzu Furikake, offers a surprising burst of savoury and sour flavours in each spoonful.

[caption id="attachment_26620" align="aligncenter" width="3648"] Image credit: Salmon Samurai[/caption]

If you’re in the mood for something less raw, The Garlic Shoyu Salmon with Udon ($9.90) is perfect.

The braised salmon is tender, yet rich with flavour. Burst open the onsen tamago that comes with it; the yolk coats the dish for an extra boost of flavour.

Did we also mention the yummy add-ons as the cherry on top of your dish? Choose from half an avocado ($1.50), Onsen Egg ($1.50) and Ebiko ($1.00).

[caption id="attachment_26618" align="aligncenter" width="1500"] Image Credit: Salmon Samurai[/caption]

Build Your Own Salmon

Alternatively, don’t choose from any of the above options. At Salmon Samurai, you get to build your own salmon, i.e. customise your own bowl.

Just pick from its 5 not-so-basic Donburis–Salmon Sashimi, Salmon Mentaiko, Garlic Shoyu Salmon, Salmon Poke and Spicy Salmon–and pair it with a base of your choice, be it mixed grain rice, salad or udon.

And the best part of all of this? It only costs a very affordable $9.90 to put together the salmon don of your dreams.

[caption id="attachment_26619" align="aligncenter" width="5472"] Image Credit: Salmon Samurai[/caption]

Also, don’t miss their Warrior Maki ($9.90), the perfect side to your bowl.

All the salmon is delivered fresh daily and is only sliced upon ordering to guarantee freshness and quality. Sauces are made in-house, with the wasabi freshly grated for good measure.

If salmon dishes are your go-to at Japanese eateries, check out this salmon specialist for a tasty, affordable and completely fuss-free lunch!

Salmon Samurai
Address: Ocean Financial Centre, 10 Collyer Quay, B1-08, Ocean Financial Centre
Contact no.: 6634 8593
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 11am – 8pm

Address: Tanjong Pagar, 100 Tras Street, 03-22, 100AM
Contact no.: 65 6543 6823
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 11am – 8pm; Sat – Sun: 12pm – 6pm
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Also read Forget Sugar Glazed, This Cafe Serves Up Savoury Donuts Like ‘Cheeseburger’ And ‘Bacon’ At Only $2.90 A Pop

(Header Image Source: Salmon Samurai)