Since the 18th century, casual eateries in Edo (present-day Tokyo) started serving rice mixed with chopped greens and konnyaku (konjac jelly). The same ingredients were later served simmered together in a broth, which evolved into what we know as oden today.
Oden eventually became popular as a quick snack served from roadside stalls during the wintry seasons but what actually goes into an oden varies from region to region; some insist on the addition of boiled potatoes while others believe that an oden isn’t complete without tsukune – a chicken meatball skewer that’s cooked yakitori-style.
While the importance of spuds and skewers to an oden is debatable, some ingredients are not; daikon radish, tofu (fried or not), konnyaku and hardboiled eggs are imperative to making oden what it is. A piping hot clear dashi stock flavoured with miso or soy is ladled out into bowls along with the ingredients upon serving and the entire dish is eaten with a knob of mustard.
Here are five spots we visit when we're craving a bowl of the homey goodness.
Oden eventually became popular as a quick snack served from roadside stalls during the wintry seasons but what actually goes into an oden varies from region to region; some insist on the addition of boiled potatoes while others believe that an oden isn’t complete without tsukune – a chicken meatball skewer that’s cooked yakitori-style.
While the importance of spuds and skewers to an oden is debatable, some ingredients are not; daikon radish, tofu (fried or not), konnyaku and hardboiled eggs are imperative to making oden what it is. A piping hot clear dashi stock flavoured with miso or soy is ladled out into bowls along with the ingredients upon serving and the entire dish is eaten with a knob of mustard.
Here are five spots we visit when we're craving a bowl of the homey goodness.
SEE RELATED: 10 Types Of Ramen and Where They Are From
Konnyaku is also referred to as konjac jelly or devil's tongue
The Public Izakaya
100AM Shopping Mall, 100 Tras Street, #01-09
Opening hours: 11am to 2.30pm for lunch, 5.30pm to 12am for dinner, daily. Closed for lunch Sat & Sun.
Don't take the fact that it calls itself an izakaya as a testament of the food. The Public Izakaya is as devoted to its food as it is to drinks and their oden is one of the finest. Their konnyaku differs from the ones traditionally found in oden; unlike the usual grey slabs, the konnyaku here are rolled into little balls and have been marinated prior so they pack a ton of flavour.
Kamoshita
5 Neil Rd
Opening hours: 6pm to midnight, daily. Closed on Saturdays.
The oden here isn't an afterthought. It isn't merely designed to be hangover food. With over 20 types of oden, both hot and cold, Kamoshita has one of the biggest oden menus around. The radish is a must-order for it represents the culture of oden, we're told by chef-owner Miyoshi. Other highlights include their homemade prawn cakes, chicken dumplings and whole tomatoes softened by simmering in the oden broth overnight. Read our full guide to Kamoshita's oden here.
5 Neil Rd
Opening hours: 6pm to midnight, daily. Closed on Saturdays.
The oden here isn't an afterthought. It isn't merely designed to be hangover food. With over 20 types of oden, both hot and cold, Kamoshita has one of the biggest oden menus around. The radish is a must-order for it represents the culture of oden, we're told by chef-owner Miyoshi. Other highlights include their homemade prawn cakes, chicken dumplings and whole tomatoes softened by simmering in the oden broth overnight. Read our full guide to Kamoshita's oden here.
Warming bowl of oden from Bar Ippudo
Bar Ippudo
Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Rd, #04-23
Opening hours: 11.30am to 10pm, Sun to Thurs. 11.30am to 11pm, Fri & Sat.
Trust the people who made their living dishing out slurp-worthy bowls of ramen to know a thing or two about broths. Bar Ippudo's foray into sake and bar food (otsumami) has been well-received for good reason. A warming, light bowl of oden ($2 for an item, $5.80 for three) singing of shoyu and kombu is indeed perfect in accompanying bottles of sake.
Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Rd, #04-23
Opening hours: 11.30am to 10pm, Sun to Thurs. 11.30am to 11pm, Fri & Sat.
Trust the people who made their living dishing out slurp-worthy bowls of ramen to know a thing or two about broths. Bar Ippudo's foray into sake and bar food (otsumami) has been well-received for good reason. A warming, light bowl of oden ($2 for an item, $5.80 for three) singing of shoyu and kombu is indeed perfect in accompanying bottles of sake.
Sanpoutei
253 Holland Ave, #01-01
Opening hour: 11.30am to 11pm, daily.
Here's another unexpected outpost dishing out decent oden. You may know Sanpoutei for their exceptional Niigata-style ramen but the ramenya's got the chops for good oden too. At $9.80 a bowl, their oden is one of the most affordable on the market and yet its price doesn't affect its flavour. The ingredients are tasty with a good amount of bite and the broth, downright delicious.
253 Holland Ave, #01-01
Opening hour: 11.30am to 11pm, daily.
Here's another unexpected outpost dishing out decent oden. You may know Sanpoutei for their exceptional Niigata-style ramen but the ramenya's got the chops for good oden too. At $9.80 a bowl, their oden is one of the most affordable on the market and yet its price doesn't affect its flavour. The ingredients are tasty with a good amount of bite and the broth, downright delicious.
Orihara Shoten
11 Unity Street
Opening hours: 7pm to 12am, Mon to Wed. 7pm to 1.30am, Thurs to Sat. Closed on Sundays.
To the sake-lovers, the name Orihara Shoten isn't new. The intimate bar is known for its store of shochu, umeshu and jizake (artisanal sake) from Japanese boutique breweries. But what we're really after is their homey, wholesome oden that really hits the post-sake spot. Customers can also oder yakitori from its sister restaurant Shirokane Toritama that sits next door.
11 Unity Street
Opening hours: 7pm to 12am, Mon to Wed. 7pm to 1.30am, Thurs to Sat. Closed on Sundays.
To the sake-lovers, the name Orihara Shoten isn't new. The intimate bar is known for its store of shochu, umeshu and jizake (artisanal sake) from Japanese boutique breweries. But what we're really after is their homey, wholesome oden that really hits the post-sake spot. Customers can also oder yakitori from its sister restaurant Shirokane Toritama that sits next door.
