Hokkaido Fair @ Isetan

Scenes from Hokkaido Fair at Isetan Shaw. Queues significantly less ferocious as compared to the fair at Tampines. I don't remember ever laying hands on the manju cakes as they are usually sold out. Neither do I remember being able to walk freely through the fair without my modesty being compromised.






Hokuyu's Manju Cakes ($1.30 each)

Comes in custard and white red bean, these manju cakes are chewy with a buttery fragrant finish, it's not like the taiyaki (Japanese fish shaped waffles), only softer. The fillings ooze out like melted cheese, of the two, my vote's on runny smooth custard.



Scalloped Rice

The well marinated fat scallops coupled with beads of Japanese rice, tastes like a bite from a premium dumpling.



Shinori's Cheesecake

It's one sweet delicate cheesecake, the finish is quite different from the cheesecakes I've eaten.




Zundo Ramen ($10 for 2 noodle patties)

Springy noodles that are slurp worthy. The soup tasted wholesome, not the usual salty miso soup base.



PullMan's Bakery's Danshaku Potato Curry Bun ($2.80 each)

Breaded and fried, the amazing thing about this curry bun is the bread. The thin layer of bread is crispy and chewy, not oily at all. The curry is just alright though, not spicy as per most Japanese curries.

Trivia: The chef hails from Sapporo city and is the No.1 chef - Winner of “TV Champion”! -- soshiok.com



Corn and Pumpkin Instant Soups, $15 per packet

Advertised as "perfect for baby's first food", I have to agree wholeheartedly. The soups are amazing! Pure thick full-bodied soups with no hint of "instant" in them, tastes as if the ingredients have been bubbling over the stove for hours. Pumpkin and corn were very evident with every slurp.




Cream Dowa's Yubari Melon Soft Serve ($4.50)

This is the Hermes of melons, priced at $86 at Isetan..the world record in 2008 for this fruit stands at 2 Million Yen or a hefty $30K. Wiki says "A top grade melon is to be perfectly round and have perfectly smooth skin. A portion of the trimmed stem is left on top for appearance. Inside, the melons contain orange flesh."

So $4.50 for a taste of such a prized melon does not seem over priced, no?

Like any soft serve icecream it melts faster than you say "Yubari Melon Soft serve" but the fragrance of the yubari melon permeates with every bite. There are tiny bits of Yubari Melon embedded within. The natural sweetness of the ice-cream is unrivaled, I'm assuming the folks did not add sweeteners to this. Big surprise or not, even the waffle cone tasted extra crunchy.



Mochi that costs $3.20 a piece, the skin's slightly rubbery and on the thick side. Tasted too artificially sweet but the red bean paste was delicious.

Should've tried the pumpkin cake! Or the crab bun...next year?