What is a must-have during Chinese New Year? I am talking about food here before you start mentioning about Ang Baos or new clothes.
Apart from Bak kua, mandarin oranges and festive goodies including pineapple tarts, which other one fare is irreplaceable during the eve of the holiday due to its noteworthy significance? 
Nabe, HOTPOT.
The Japanese saying, Nabe (w)o kakomu (鍋を囲む, “sitting around the pot”), implies that sharing a nabemono will bring warmness and closeness to the people who eat together from the same shared pot.
Don’t that sound like how we Chinese like to gather around a hotpot to 围炉 (Wei Lu, same meaning as Nabe (w)o kakomu) during Chinese New Year?
Danro (japanese for stove or fireplace) is the newest addition to the sixteen brands under the wing of Ministry of Food Pte Ltd. This amateur came up with Nine distinctive base from different regions of Japan and you get to try two options when you dine each time.
The buffet is not extensive like how Singaporeans would enjoy but considering the reasonable charges of $16.90++ for weekday lunch, $22.90++ for weekday dinner, and $24.90++ for weekend dinner, I would comply.
Assorted seafood
The ingredients may not have been freshly caught on the spot but I guarantee there will never be a piece of bad meat lying around the counter.
Shabu Shabu Pork.
Thinly machine sliced meats divided into individual portions. I hope you are able to differentiate between the various raw flesh, the lightly pinkish is pork while the deep red is beef.
Shabu Shabu Beef.
The evenly distributed fats on each piece were inviting. I knew that every helping would be tender upon blanching. Just remember that these would require lesser cooking time than pork, keep the latter in the pot longer to kill any possible bacteria.
The beef may not be of the finest cuts of the animal but it was enough to satisfy me. Think about the unlimited amount you could send down your tummy, make sure you chow down wholeheartedly.
Raw Eggs.
You could ignore this picture but don’t you agree that the eggs looked exceptional good in the basket?
Chilled Onsen Eggs in soy. (subject to availability)
Apart from the raw fares for the Hotpot, Danro also whips up a number of cooked grubs for their guests. Dig into sushis, fried goodies, soups and appetizers like these Onsen eggs before the main hot pot feast starts boiling.
Perfectly pouched, every morsel had a runny yolk just the way I like it.
Oden (Japanese Yong Tau Foo).
Adorable teddy fish cakes for the kiddies. Dive in for those broth soaked radishes and yummy stew.
Kiritanpo (skewers of grill flavoured rice).
These carbo sticks were an initiative by head chef Kazunori Sonoda (in the background) who insisted on presenting to the local scene the Akita tradition. First of its kind to appear in Singapore, the lightly mixed rice are moulded on the stick and grilled.
Dip them into the bubbling cauldron till they are softer. I must admit, I did not enjoy mine as I took it out of the soup way too early.
Assorted Desserts.
Fruits, Soft Serve ice cream with toppings, Hot desserts, Cakes. There were a heap of selections when it comes to gratifying your sweet tooth. I do advise to lower anticipations when it comes to the confections, ice cream was milky goodness but that was about all.
A greenhorn when it comes to buffets, Danro has a lot to learn. They are still in the midst of fine tuning their menu so I suggest giving them some time to make things better for you.
*this is tasting session initiated by fellow blogger Daniel from Danielfooddiary and Danro. Thank you Lena and Daniel for your great hospitality that evening.*
Address: Serangoon Nex #02-04/06
Tel: 6634 4608
爱makan 
Posted on February 28, 2013
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