Chako @ Hong Leong Garden

Our colleague 'pirate' has been asking us to have lunch at Chako, one of his favourite places for Japanese food. We have been saying no because we have been very busy at work, it's one of those places that will guarantee a long lunch because of the wait while the lady chef prepares our food with the utmost care and dedication.

We are a bit free yesterday, so we thought why not? Half our lunch gang away on leave, childcare MC, etc. So there's only 3 of us today.

Here's the tea that you might drink 2 or 3 cups before lunch is served. Remember we have to wait. :-)



It's one of the places that you have to wait, yet will be satisfied when the food's served. The home cooked style Japanese food just makes you happy.

Pirate and I had the sets that had the following beautifully crafted side dishes. The pickles.



The tofu. (you got to pour the soy sauce over it)



And the clam miso soup.



Pirate had the Beef Oyako. The beef that is really tender. We took some from pirate's because we wanted to try it.



I had the Unatamaju. I ordered this because it's the broiled version that's really nice. I remember having some of it when pirate ordered it last time and I said to myself the next time I am going to order it when I come again.

The egg layer below somehow reminds me of how my mum makes the eggs on some occasions. The egg's semi-soft with a little peppery taste. The combi with the melt in your mouth unagi really makes it lovely.



For Almondjelly, this is her first time here with us. She had the Chicken Katsu Curry Rice. The curry looks different from what you usually see because it's Chako's proprietress' version. She mixes her own curry mixture from a mixture of local and Japanese curry powder etc. The difference we tasted was it is has a bit of ume / plum like taste that gives it a hint of tanginess. We wonder what she puts in it!



A different salad side dish that goes with the Katsu Curry.



It was a quiet afternoon, so the proprietress Mdm Hisako Okugawa came and sat and talked with us. She asked how we like the food, etc. We said it was lovely. We were chatting and the conversation led her to tell us about Japan, the places she goes to when she visits her other family there. It does make us wanna visit Japan too! She originates from Okayama. Hmm next time if I do visit Japan, I should visit Okayama eh? :-)


Approx of an average of $19 per person incl of taxes etc.


Restaurant Chako
134 West Coast Way
Hong Leong Garden Shopping Centre
Singapore 127064

Tel: 6776 3919 / 6776 4613