Have you ever pondered how Mentai-Ya came to be? Allow us to take you on a trip through the journey of our much-loved hawker chain.

It all started during the pandemic, when our founder, Khoo Keat Hwee, made a decision to bravely deal with his financial struggles.

With a debt of approximately $120K looming over him, Keat needed to survive - he became a Grab driver. For 16 hours every day, he drove relentlessly to pay off his debts. When the pandemic hit and demand for cab rides dropped drastically, he noticed an opportunity to make his dream of running a Japanese F&B business come true.

Little did he know that this would lead to something remarkable.

You see, Keat had always been a fan of Japanese food, however his financial background couldn't permit it. Determined to change that, he chose to take a chance.

Keat adjusted the signature dishes from his previous restaurant and made them more affordable for the hawker environment. One outstanding discovery was our salmon / chicken donburi topped with mentaiko mayo - a game-changer.

Thanks to this daring step forward, Mentai-Ya was born.

At the start of 2020, our first outlet popped up in a Bukit Panjang kopitiam (628 Senja Road), setting off to supply delicious and affordable Japanese food into an area with not many such options. It was a risky move that paid off - after only four months, our shop had broke even. The encouraging feedback from customers gave us the courage to keep growing.

We have opened eight hawker outlets and two café since then. Through hardships and good times alike, we stayed dedicated to delivering quality and flavor-packed Japanese cuisine at accessible prices.

Café Projects by Mentai-Ya like Chirashi-Ai and Coffee & Chirashi have also allowed us to expand into the café market. Our menu offers a diverse selection of dishes with a Japanese twist, including mentaiko dishes, ice cream, and freshly made waffles; enough to satisfy your cravings for any meal of the day.

We've come a long way and want to express our sincere gratitude for your continuous patronage. We strive each day to ensure your satisfaction when you enjoy our economical Japanese food.

Come to our restaurants and stalls to try out our mouth-watering dishes from Mentai-Ya. We're not just a hawker chain, but a family that loves serving up the finest Japanese cuisine in town.

Join us on this journey of taste and let your taste buds embark on a thrilling ride.

Thank you for being a part of the Mentai-Ya story.

Stay close, as we have exciting things in store for you.

See you soon!