Report: Oiden Bowl Bar

Oiden located in the heart of the CBD just beside Menya Mappen. Similarly to Mappen, the ordering is done through a canteen style service. First it was the drinks, there was a selection of imported Japanese canned drinks and two house-made cold drinks. Next, it was the choice of mains, followed by fried foods and serves of cold sides including salads. Last step is payment which is cash only. If your main takes longer to prepare, they will bring it to you table-side.

OIDEN MENU

ONTAMA BBQ BEEF $9.90

Grilled sliced beef, original BBQ sauce, coleslaw, sesame seed, pickled ginger & half boiled egg on rice

This Ontama BBQ Beef dish is part of the premium donburi selection. The extra $3 worth it for a treat. The beef was very tasty, thin and smokey. The rice and coleslaw were just as delicious. The classic Japanese textured rice and coleslaw with a slight crunch complimented the beef. The egg was the cherry on top, cooked to a soft boiled texture. The matching sauce can be added to taste.

BEEF CURRY $6.90

Curry & stewed beef w/rice

The curry was very good for the price. Tasty and moreish, no complains. The thinly sliced beef is prepared separately but that does not affect the overall dish. The dish is very comforting and excellent value.

MISC DEEP FRIED TREATS $1.90 to $2.90 each

Shrimp, chicken and tofu

My favourite part of the menu, fried foods! From takoyaki to karaage, there are plenty of options to add more treats to your rice bowl. The three I tried were the tofu, chicken and shrimp. They were crumbled and deep fried while still preserving its original taste. The best was the shrimp stick which was soft and moist, with yummy texture and flavour for the price, definitely not a boring deep fried crab stick.

WASHOKU LOVERS

Oiden is part of the Washoku Lovers network. If you are a fan of Japanese food like me, joining is a no-brainer. The membership is free to join and gives members access to special deals and rewards around Sydney.

Oiden Rice Bowl Bar offers value meals that are comforting and tasty at the same time. The service is very good and the menu is diverse but easy to navigate. The foundation is of course the excellent rice. No wonder this place is always buzzing.