In Singapore’s vibrant Japanese food scene, Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu stands out as a hidden gem. By day, it’s the city’s first and only authentic Hokkaido soup curry specialist, serving a comforting Japanese soup curry with light, aromatic broth, tender chicken, and deep-fried vegetables, all paired with steamed rice. After 6 PM, the space transforms into a friendly traditional izakaya offering classic izakaya cuisine, small plates, and an authentic izakaya experience with wallet friendly prices. This unique dual concept combines the flavors of authentic Sapporo soup curry and Japanese izakaya traditions, creating a dining experience unmatched in Singapore.
This transformation isn’t just about the menu—it’s a complete shift in space, service, and focus that reflects Hokkaido dining culture, where soup curry originated in Sapporo. Dishes arrive fresh and hot, featuring an authentic soup curry with chicken and deep-fried vegetables, served with steamed rice. The beverage menu offers beer, sake, shochu, and cocktails, ensuring a lively izakaya atmosphere. Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu has earned a reputation for good food as part of its overall dining experience. While Singapore has many options, Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu uniquely honors both the innovative spirit of Sapporo soup curry and traditional izakaya dining, blending authentic Japanese food with modern Japanese and new wave touches.
This transformation attracts office workers looking for good food and a relaxing atmosphere after work, making it a popular spot for those seeking to unwind with quality Japanese cuisine.
The Dual Identity: Soup Curry Restaurant by Day, Izakaya by Night
Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu’s unique approach mirrors authentic Japanese eateries in Hokkaido, where flexibility is key and dining evolves from day to night. By day, we focus on perfecting soup curry with a light, flavorful broth, steamed rice, and fresh, deep-fried vegetables—a nod to Sapporo’s origins. In the evening, we transition into an authentic izakaya experience, offering traditional izakaya cuisine and small plates. This dual identity celebrates Hokkaido’s real food culture, where soup curry and izakaya dining naturally coexist, and brings a true taste of Japan to Singapore.
At 6 PM, Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu shifts from efficient, walk-in soup curry service to a relaxed, reservation-based izakaya experience. Our opening hours for lunch feature authentic Hokkaido soup curry from 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM—served with a light, aromatic broth, steamed rice, and deep-fried vegetables. The izakaya opening hours for dinner run from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM (last orders at 10:30 PM), transforming the space into a friendly traditional izakaya. This mirrors Japanese dining rhythms, with lunch focused on soup curry and evenings on social dining with classic izakaya cuisine, capturing true Sapporo food culture in Singapore.
This concept of blending Sapporo’s soup curry tradition with Japanese small plates and izakaya classics reflects how food is enjoyed in Hokkaido. Many Sapporo eateries serve soup curry during lunch with a light, aromatic broth, tender chicken, and deep-fried vegetables, then offer izakaya cuisine and social dining in the evening. By bringing this authentic flexibility to Singapore, Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu recreates real Hokkaido dining culture—serving soup curry and traditional izakaya favorites, just as in Sapporo, rather than adapting the experience for overseas trends.
Before 6 PM: The Soup Curry Experience
Soup curry was born in Sapporo, Hokkaido in the early 1970s as an innovative departure from the thick, sweet Japanese curry popular at the time. Chefs crafted a lighter, aromatic broth-based curry soup that highlights each ingredient instead of masking them, bringing out the best in fresh vegetables and tender chicken.
Soup curry stands apart from traditional Japanese curry with its light, aromatic broth, crafted from chicken stock, curry powder, and garam masala. Unlike thick, sweet curry roux, Japanese soup curry highlights each fresh, deep-fried vegetable and tender chicken, retaining their unique textures and flavors. At Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu, our soup curry uses carefully balanced spices for depth, not heaviness, served as a soup dish with steamed rice on the side—true to authentic Sapporo soup curry style.
Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu honors decades of Hokkaido tradition. We slow-cook tender chicken thighs and legs in an aromatic broth made with chicken stock, curry powder, and garam masala. Fresh, deep-fried vegetables like eggplant, bell peppers, potatoes, and carrots add vibrant color and texture—a hallmark of authentic soup curry and Sapporo style. Each vegetable is deep-fried to create the ideal balance: crispy on the outside, tender inside. This careful preparation sets Japanese soup curry apart from regular Japanese curry, letting each natural flavor shine.
Our lunch service is walk-in only, staying true to the casual, welcoming vibe of Sapporo’s original soup curry shops—which valued accessibility and hospitality over reservations. This ensures Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu’s Hokkaido soup curry remains approachable and authentic, with high quality and genuine service at every visit.
After 6 PM: The Izakaya Awakening
As evening approaches, Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu transforms into a true izakaya, reflecting the natural rhythm of Japanese dining culture. Unlike many other izakaya bars in Singapore, Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu stands out for its unique blend of authentic Hokkaido soup curry and classic izakaya fare.
Our reservation system starts at 6:30 PM, with a 15-minute hold for each table—reflecting Japanese punctuality. This allows our kitchen team to shift from focused soup curry preparation to serving traditional izakaya cuisine in the evenings, ensuring every dish, from our signature soup curry to authentic izakaya plates, is served with care and quality.
The atmosphere transforms to welcome a relaxed izakaya experience, shifting from efficient soup curry service to leisurely dining and drinks. Evenings at Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu evoke the lively feel of a public izakaya combined with the style of a modern Japanese dining venue, reminiscent of a small izakaya in Japan.
Daytime highlights efficient service with authentic Sapporo soup curry, while evenings embrace social dining, bar bites, and premium Japanese food. Changes involve menu expansion, different pacing, and a warm, friendly setting—delivering a true izakaya and best izakaya Singapore experience.
The Evening Menu: Soup Curry Meets Izakaya Classics
A standout feature at Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu is that our signature soup curry remains available during dinner alongside authentic izakaya offerings. This lets diners mix soup curry with traditional small plates like golden mushroom skewers, jaga mentaiko, and pork yakitori for a personalized dining experience.
In the evening, guests can look forward to an extensive menu featuring a wide variety of dishes, from donburi and sushi to grilled specialties and creative appetizers. Enjoying soup curry as a main or pairing it with Japanese small plates celebrates both Sapporo’s unique soup curry style and classic izakaya cuisine, creating a dining journey you won’t find elsewhere in Singapore’s Japanese food scene.
Our Japanese small plates are made for sharing, embracing the izakaya principle that food brings people together. Among our must try dishes are gyoza, buta kakuni, foie gras, wagyu steak, yakitori omakase, bara chirashi, crab gratin, and salmon mentaiko donburi. Each hot and fresh dish highlights premium ingredients and Japanese cooking techniques, from comforting ramen and miso soup to bento sets and sushi. Every plate complements our signature soup curry, creating harmony between authentic Hokkaido soup curry and broader Japanese culinary traditions, all served in a friendly, authentic izakaya setting.
Traditional izakaya-style dishes, made fresh nightly, include seasonal specials based on ingredient availability and authentic Japanese techniques. Many of our dishes are charcoal grilled to enhance their smoky, authentic flavor, and we make use of seasonal produce to ensure freshness and quality. Enjoy chicken meatballs (tsukune), fresh seafood, deep-fried and vegetable dishes, golden mushroom skewers, and pork yakitori—all crafted to rival top Japanese izakaya while keeping soup curry as our centerpiece.
Our beverage menu is carefully curated to pair perfectly with both soup curry and izakaya fare. Guests can also enjoy a dedicated sake bar experience, featuring a wide selection of premium sake to complement their meal. Enjoy sake, Japanese beer, and creative cocktails that enhance the aromatic complexity of our soup curry’s light broth and deep-fried vegetables, while also complementing traditional izakaya dishes.
Behind the Scenes: What Changes at 6 PM
Running both soup curry and izakaya dining at Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu requires detailed planning and skill. The kitchen team preps for izakaya dishes during the afternoon, ensuring all hot dishes and small plates are served fresh in the evening while keeping our Hokkaido soup curry at its best. Ingredient allocation and timing are carefully managed so the soup curry’s light, aromatic broth, deep-fried vegetables, and tender chicken are consistent with Sapporo standards. Our focus is always on delivering dishes hot and fresh for an authentic Japanese food experience.
Staff transitions are a key part of our dual operation. Shifting to izakaya dining requires a different approach to service, menu explanation, and timing. Our team is trained in both soup curry lunch service and relaxed izakaya hospitality, ensuring smooth transitions and consistent quality whether you visit for authentic Hokkaido soup curry or traditional izakaya cuisine.
Balancing our soup curry specialty with authentic izakaya cuisine demands strict quality control. We never compromise on authenticity—each service uses separate prep areas and equipment to achieve Hokkaido-level soup curry and izakaya dishes that reflect Japanese culinary traditions. This approach guarantees every bowl of soup curry features a light, aromatic broth, deep-fried vegetables, and tender chicken, while our izakaya offerings remain true to classic Japanese food standards.
Why This Concept Works: Bringing Sapporo’s Food Culture to Singapore
This dual concept works because it authentically reflects Hokkaido dining culture, where soup curry and izakaya experiences exist side by side. At Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu, we celebrate the fluid nature of Japanese food culture—serving Sapporo-style soup curry with deep-fried vegetables and a light, aromatic broth at lunch, then offering traditional izakaya cuisine and small plates in the evening. This genuine approach resonates with diners seeking authentic Japanese experiences and a true taste of the rising sun, evoking the spirit of Tokyo and all things Japanese, and maintaining our commitment to the highest standards of Japanese food in Singapore.
While many Japanese restaurants and izakaya exist in Singapore’s major food hubs, none combine authentic soup curry and izakaya cuisine in a single location with this level of quality and commitment. This unique approach lets guests enjoy true Japanese soup curry and an authentic izakaya dining experience, setting Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu apart as a must-visit in Singapore’s Japanese food scene.
Elevate Your Dining Experience with Authentic Japanese Food
Singapore’s sophisticated Japanese food scene values authentic experiences. Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu stands out by offering both a unique soup curry specialty and traditional izakaya cuisine, positioning us among the best izakaya Singapore has to offer. Our concept brings real Hokkaido soup curry and genuine izakaya dining, providing real value and authentic taste instead of fleeting trends.
Experience Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu’s authentic Hokkaido dining—enjoy Singapore’s only true soup curry before 6 PM, featuring tender chicken thighs and legs in aromatic curry soup with deep-fried vegetables. After 6:30 PM, return for best izakaya Singapore dining with Japanese small plates, fresh sashimi, and premium sake. This dual concept captures the spirit of Sapporo’s food culture, delivering genuine soup curry and izakaya cuisine you won’t find elsewhere in Singapore’s Japanese food scene.
