Wakao (哇靠) - a conversational term primarily used among the Chinese (including Singaporeans and Taiwanese) to express shock and it's hard not to spot the similarity in pronunciation when i got to know of this new dining establishment known as Waa Cow!
And yes, i spewed out the exact same words when a fellow colleague who checked out the place the day before informed me that their Signature Wagyu Beef Rice Bowl was already sold out at about 12.45pm! Wakao, that's less than two hours into their operation!
Luck was on our side at 12.30pm the following day although the same cannot be said of the equally popular Aburi Bara Chirashi Bowl. We did notice a second batch that was made available later; hence, do exercise patience and ask the beautiful ladies at the counter on the waiting time required.
Sweet Garlic Soy Chicken Wings
Counting seven pieces served in a porcelain bowl, they kind of reminded me of the addictive wings and drumlets from 4fingers!
These were said to be double fried and featured a super crispy batter drenched in sweet garlic soy sauce that tasted almost like teriyaki; albeit a less sweet variant. Of special mention was the chicken meat that remained juicy after the double frying. If you ask me, i still prefer 4fingers.
Shrimp Karage w Mentaiko Mayo
I would deem this to-be-shared appetiser a must order despite its lack of visual appeal; so much so that i was under the impression they would just be full of salt!
Strangely, i didn't get that superbly oily sensation as i bit through them; it was surprisingly meaty with the seafood sweetness that made got me seriously hooked! Dunk them into the accompanied fish roe dip for that extra yummy kick!
Signature Wagyu Beef Rice Bowl
As some of you are aware, i totally dig the Gyu Don from Megumi and have been wondering for a while if there's another reasonably priced beef rice bowl to compete with it.
Guess this shall be the match i have been looking forward to!
I am not going to describe more than what you can read from the menu but i did notice the slightly burnt rice which was necessary to hype up the taste difference from conventional Japanese beef rice bowl. And of course, who could have missed out on the slices of pinkish, almost raw looking Wagyu beef!? Mixed them up and get ready to dig in!
In my opinion and that from another colleague, the chef could have been more stingy with the sauce (aged in house with a slight char siew taste) as the generosity had overwhelmed the slices of wagyu beef which were delicious when eaten separately.
Being less generous with the sauce would be helpful but in case you face the same scenario as us, slow down your pace and savour the food slowly; this would enable you to appreciate the subtle tastiness in every single ingredient, including the popping fish roes.
Verdict: this was one mean beef rice bowl which could have taken over the position of Megumi Gyu Don if not for the overly sweet sauce. I am not discounting it yet and believe i would be back very soon. Maybe a petite serving of beef rice bowl with aburi bara chirashi next round!
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Location
11 Kent Ridge Drive, #01-03,
Shaw Foundation Alumni House,
National University of Singapore
Map
As above.
Operating Hours
Mondays to Fridays - 11.30am to 3.00pm
Saturdays - 12.00pm to 4.00pm
Sundays - Closed
Website
Menu
As above.
Pricing
Sweet Garlic Soy Chicken Wings - S$8.90
Shrimp Karage w Mentaiko Mayo - S$6.90
Signature Wagyu Beef Rice Bowl - S$17.90
[NETT] NUS staff / students entitled to 10% discount
Additional Information
Petite serving is available for those who have a small appetite. Attached picture as above to show the difference in bowl between a normal sized Wagyu Beef Rice Bowl and a petite one.
Miso soup was supposed to be served but the pretty lady missed two of us out! Nevertheless, i noted she was extremely busy with the orders yet she apologised on quite a number of occasions to have kept us waiting (it's common to wait more than 30 minutes for your food); i also greatly appreciate her kind gesture to offer everyone of us a complimentary canned drink!