Kuru Kuru Japanese Restaurant at Valley Point - Interview Part 1 with Owner Vera Wong

The Beginnings - Restaurateur Vera Wong started Kuru Kuru Japanese Restaurant in Serene Centre in 2006 after she sold her stake in Hanabi (which had two outlets, one in Bukit Timah, the second outlet in Odeon Towers). Vera Wong love Japanese culture and Japanese Cuisine so much that she wants to share it with other like minded people. 

Positioning - Kuru Kuru Japanese Restaurant is positioned as a causal dining restaurant specialising in Japanese Cuisine. Kuru Kuru is an original brand which Vera Wong started herself, and is not part of any International Franchise group. 

Experience - Vera Wong's background is in Business development, sales and marketing, first in the Real Estate industry, then in the Pharmaceutical industry, and finally in the Food and Beverage industry, restaurant business. Her experience in business development, sales and marketing has been a tremendous help in her current role as restaurateur, in areas such as understanding customer behavior, how to retain customers, customer loyalty, what appeals to customers, 

She brings with her total of 9 years F & B experience. She is the sole owner of Kuru Kuru Japanese Restaurant. Besides Kuru Kuru Japanese Restaurant, she has shares in Thai Table located at Simpang Bedok.

Expansion plans for Kuru Kuru - Vera may consider opening another branch of Kuru Kuru Japanese Restaurant in Singapore if there are suitable locations available. 

Menu Planning - currently handled by Vera and the chefs. 

Menu Expansion - usually done every one to one and a half years. 

Menu - Kuru Kuru Japanese Restaurant offers three types of Menu :

1. Ala Carte Buffet Menu with 140 items, 
2. Ala Carte Menu with more than 80 items, 
3. Set Menu with 15 Sets. 

There are about  16 Categories in the Ala Carte Menu and Ala Carte Buffet Menu, ranging from :

1. Zensai (Appetiser)
2. Temaki (Handroll)
3. Sushi (Vinegared Rice[Sushi-Meshi]with toppings)
4. Sashimi (Sliced Raw Seafood) 
5. Makimono (Mat Roll)
6. Agemono (Deep Fried)
7. Yakimono (Grilled)
8. Men (Noodles)
9. Gohan (Rice)
10. Shiru (Soup)
11. Ippinmono (Popular) 
12. Tempura (Deep Fried Batter)
13. Yoshoku (Japanese Styled Western Dishes)
14. Super Menu 
15. Dessert Menu 
16. Sake Buffet

Kitchen staff -  totals 7 at the outlet here at Valley Point, with each station needing at least one cook, the cooks at each station specializes in more than one category. 

Training for kitchen staff - kitchen staff are hired with or without experience in Japanese Cuisine, they learn on the job from the more experienced Chefs.

Marinates, Pastes - are prepared fresh daily. 

Food Ingredients Sources - some ingredients (e.g. Shoyu , mirin, sake) are sourced from Japan. The chef also prepares some specialty sauces in-house. Those sauces that required additional concoction are prepared daily. The kitchen does not use preservatives as the turnover for food is very high. 
There are some food ingredients sourced from local vendors (who imports from Japan, Mynamar, China), e.g. some of the yellow tail farm in China. Chilled seafood from Australia & Japan are delivered to the restaurant at least 4 days a week. Scallops are frozen, chicken are freshly chilled and delivered fresh every day.

Food preparation - the food are prepared ala minute upon order. 

Kuru Kuru Japanese Restaurant is located at :

491 River Valley Road, #01-07, 

Valley Point, Singapore 248371.

Tel : 67332292

Email : enquiries@kurukuru.com.sg

Email : verawong_ts@yahoo.com.sg

Website : www.kurukuru.com.sg

Opening Hours : 

Mondays to Sundays  from 11.30 am to 10.00 pm