Robataya Yoyogi

Robata refers to an open fireplace that is found in the middle of traditional old Japanese house, where it is the center of activity for cooking, eating, socialising, and for keeping warm. Ya means shop so as the name implies, Robataya refers to restaurant in which seafood and vegetables are cooked over an open charcoal grill. And Yoyogi is simply the restaurant name ...and in case it rang a bell, it is related to the other yoyogi restaurant found along Mohamed Sultan Road too.

So Robataya Yoyogi is a restaurant that specialises in grilled food. The restaurant is designed with a huge central counter where all the chefs grilled all the dishes in the centre of the counter and the guests will sit themselves outside at the circumference of the counter. You can pick out the items that you want that is place over the counter, OR you can get order by looking at the written menu on the walls OR simple ask the chef to make the recommendations. The interesting thing about this restaurant is that the food and drinks are serve over the counter by the chef passing the food over to customers using a long-handled wooden paddle, called a shamoji. All the chefs and waiters (though non-Japanese) took orders and pass orders and communicate nearly purely in Japanese only. The large counter takes up nearly the entire restaurant space and seats about 30 people. Moi went there for dinner and for a 3 pax, our bill chalked up to S$300 plus with sake and other missing items not shown below. But I understand that they do serve more affordable dishes if you take their set. I heard that there got a lunch set at S$15.50.

Robataya Yoyogi is quite an unique joint here and the chefs take pride in their job to grill every ingredient to just nice. Another plus point is that the restaurant's ingredients are really fresh. You can taste the sweetness of the meat with every bite. They also managed to provide a good variety and range of seasonal items imported from Japan. It's definitely a good restaurant but if you are on budget then you won't be able to taste the delicacies.

Fugu Mirin Boshi (dried strips of puffer fish marinated in sweet Japanese rice wine and grilled)


Asparagus wrapped in bacon


Cherry tomatoes wrapped in bacon


Grilled satsuma imo (Japanese yam)


Grilled potato


Mentaiko (fish roe) with cucumber


Kurobuta Pork Rolls (Enokitake (Japanese golden mushroom) wrapped with grilled pig skin)


Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Ball Miso + Soya Sauce)


Robataya Yoyogi
80 Mohamed Sultan Road,
The Pier #01-04
Tel: 6733-2711

Tue-Sat: 12noon - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm
(Closed on Mondays)