JPN: Shikairou (四海樓)
The birthplace of 'champon'!
Nagasaki, Japan was one of the few port cities that were opened to foreign trade under the Tokugawa Shogunate from the 17th to the 19th century. Champon is a soupy noodle dish originating from the region, which was invented by Chin Heijun who migrated from Fujian, China to establish Shikairou in 1899.
Did you know that the term champon originated from the Hokkien phrase jiak png (lit. eat rice) which typically means 'to have a meal'?
Nagasaki, Japan was one of the few port cities that were opened to foreign trade under the Tokugawa Shogunate from the 17th to the 19th century. Champon is a soupy noodle dish originating from the region, which was invented by Chin Heijun who migrated from Fujian, China to establish Shikairou in 1899.
Did you know that the term champon originated from the Hokkien phrase jiak png (lit. eat rice) which typically means 'to have a meal'?
Champon ¥1,000 (~S$12.90)
Taste: 8/10
Finished with a shredded egg garnish, the champon was tasty. The broth made by boiling chicken and pork bones was thick enough for my liking, although I was expecting it to be richer. There was enough pork slices with some fattiness that made them delicious, but not that much seafood. Frankly speaking, I found the one served at Hikari No Restaurant to be more delicious as it had a much more fuller-bodied seafood flavour.
The moment I sank my teeth into the truly moist and fluffy egg omelette mixed with crab meat and spring onions, I was sold. The aroma of sesame oil from this particular dish was strong, which I appreciated so much. The taste was so good that I wasn't complaining much about the fact that there could be more of the shell meat.
Sweet and sour pork is one of my favourite Chinese dishes of all times. I pretty much enjoyed the restaurant's rendition that came with lots of vegetables, such as carrots, cucumbers and onions, but no pineapples. The sauce was adequately thick and delicious. The pork meat had an adequate amount of fats, but I felt that the cornstarch coating was somewhat too thick.
Crab Meat Egg ¥1,100 (~S$14.20)
Taste: 9/10
Sweet and Sour Pork ¥1,400 (~S$18.10)
Taste: 8/10
Braised Shrimps and Vegetables with Chili Sauce ¥1,400 (~S$18.10)
Taste: 7.5/10
The quintessential Chinese-Japanese dish of chili shrimps was pretty good, but not too exciting as the supposedly sweet and spicy sauce had too mild a spiciness level. Nevertheless, the shrimps were quite juicy and bouncy, accompanied by crunchy onions and ginkgo nuts that had such an intense green colour.
Melon's Rating
Taste: 8/10
Ambience: 8/10
Service: 7.5/10
Overall: 7.5/10
There's a small champon museum located in the same grand-looking building as the restaurant. It's free of charge. Pika's advice: Set menus are available at the restaurant. Furthermore, it's possible to book a private room for 4 pax and above with a compulsory order of a set menu that caters to the size of the party.
Shikairou
(四海樓)
*Prices quoted are subject to 10% VAT.
Have a nice meal,
Cliff(y)
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