Tempura-EN
What Makes Tempura-EN Special
About Tempura-EN
Tempura-EN — formerly known as Tempura Makino — is a specialty tempura restaurant under EN Dining Bar Holdings. Established in Japan in 2006 with a singular focus: tsudoage-style handcrafted tempura where each piece is fried individually to order. The same flour, dashi, and dipping sauces from Japan ensure authenticity that most local tempura restaurants cannot match. The rebrand in late 2024 brought sousaku creative tempura items while preserving the core tsudoage method.
The VivoCity outlet at #02-111 (Level 2) features counter seating where you can watch chefs frying each piece, plus table seating for families. The complimentary free-flow homemade yuzu daikon — pickled radish with yuzu citrus — is unlimited and addictive. The menu has two tracks: classic tendon/set meals (Makino Special Tendon S$25++, Stamina Bowl S$16.90++, Executive Bento S$36.50++) and sousaku creative tempura (truffle camembert S$8++, prosciutto asparagus S$9++). The egg tempura at S$2.50++ is iconic — perfectly molten yolk in the lightest shell.
Importantly, Tempura-EN is not halal-certified. Some items contain pork (prosciutto asparagus tempura). However, the core tempura menu — prawns, fish, vegetables, egg — does not inherently contain pork. The restaurant operates four outlets in Singapore: VivoCity, Suntec City, Great World, and Jewel Changi Airport. All share the same menu, ingredients, and tsudoage commitment.
Recommended For
Menu & Pricing
Signature Tendon & Bowls
| Makino Special Tendon & Soba — 3 ebi, kisu, anago, ika, mushroom, pumpkin, egg + soba ⭐ | S$25++ |
| Stamina Bowl — Assorted tempura on rice | S$16.90++ |
| Kaibashira Kakiage Don — Scallop kakiage | S$19.90++ |
| Kaisen Hitsumabushi — 3 ways to eat | S$22++ |
| Unagi Don — Grilled eel + tempura crumbs | S$24++ |
Tempura Sets
| Prawn & Vegetable Tempura Set (3 rounds) | S$16++ |
| Executive Tempura Bento — Tempura + sashimi | S$36.50++ |
| Gozen Sets — Various set meals | from S$15.50++ |
Sousaku (Creative) Tempura
| Truffle Camembert Tempura ⭐ Editor's Pick | S$8++ |
| Prosciutto Asparagus Tempura | S$9++ |
| Egg Tempura — Molten yolk, iconic | S$2.50++ |
| Matcha Mochi Tempura | S$4.80++ |
Budget Guide
Practical Information
Dietary Information
Not halal. Some items contain pork. Core tempura menu (prawns, fish, veg, egg) does not inherently contain pork but may share oil.
Photos
Photos loaded from Google Places. Click to enlarge.
Location
From HarbourFront MRT: Escalator to VivoCity L2. Tempura-EN at #02-111. Warm wooden interior with open kitchen visible from corridor. ~5 min.
Your Dining Journey
Yuzu Daikon Welcome
Before ordering, homemade yuzu daikon appears — pickled radish with fragrant yuzu citrus. Refreshing, tangy, addictive. Free-flow with unlimited refills. Tempura-EN's signature hospitality — crisp, clean, Japanese.
Counter — Watch the Craft
At the counter, watch chefs dip each piece in the lightest batter and lower it into oil. Sharp hiss, gentle crackling, 60-90 seconds, then placed directly on your paper at peak crispness. Batter is paper-thin and flaky — it shatters when you bite. This is tsudoage: tempura as a living performance.
Egg Tempura — The Icon
Whole egg in the lightest shell, fried just enough for set white and perfectly molten yolk. Crack it open — vibrant orange yolk flows like lava. Over rice: yolk meets tare sauce meets rice. Almost criminally delicious at S$2.50++. The best-value item on any Japanese menu in Singapore.
Sousaku — Creative Tempura
Truffle camembert (S$8++): hot, gooey camembert in crispy shell with earthy truffle. Should not work as tempura but absolutely does. Prosciutto asparagus: Italian-meets-Japanese perfection. These creative items distinguish Tempura-EN from old Makino — ambition beyond the traditional canon.
Sweet Finish
Matcha mochi tempura (S$4.80++): generous fried mochi with matcha-azuki cream. Crispy outside, chewy warm inside, fragrant filling. Or sweet potato with hojicha ice cream (S$6.80++) for refined finish. Both excellent conclusions to the meal.
Tempura-EN (formerly Tempura Makino) is the best-value tempura specialist in Singapore. The tsudoage method — each piece fried individually to order — is a genuine differentiator you taste in every bite. The batter shatters on contact, something batch-fried tempura cannot achieve. The egg tempura (S$2.50++) is iconic. The Makino Special Tendon (S$25++) is the most complete bowl. The sousaku range adds creativity the old Makino lacked: truffle camembert is a revelation. Free-flow yuzu daikon is a lovely touch. Counter seating is the way to go for first-timers. For lunch, gozen sets from S$15.50++ are excellent value. 4 outlets across Singapore. Come hungry, order the egg tempura. Trust us.
How Tempura-EN Compares — Tempura Options in Singapore
| Tempura-EN | Tsudoage specialist · From S$1.50++ · Sousaku creative · 4 outlets · EN Group |
| Tempura Tendon Tenya | Tokyo chain · Budget tendon from S$8.80++ · Fast-casual · Multiple outlets |
| Ginza Tendon Itsuki | Premium tendon · Ginza-style · From S$16++ · Limited outlets |
| Akimitsu Tempura | Tokyo-style · Counter service · Single outlet |
Tempura-EN's advantage: the tsudoage method delivers a level of freshness and crispness that batch-fried operations cannot match. At S$15.50++ for set meals, the pricing is competitive. The sousaku creative range gives it a unique identity. The free-flow yuzu daikon is unmatched.
Pro Tips for Your Visit
1. Sit at the counter for your first visit — watching the tsudoage process is half the experience. 2. The egg tempura (S$2.50++) is non-negotiable. 3. The yuzu daikon is free-flow — take full advantage as a palate cleanser. 4. Eat each piece immediately when it arrives — tempura loses crispness within 60 seconds. 5. The truffle camembert is best shared. 6. Lunch gozen sets (from S$15.50++) are the best value. 7. Combine with Kyo Komachi (L1) or Kikanbo (B2) for a VivoCity Japanese food tour.