Kemuri @ Balestier

Princess and I were staying at the nearby Aloft during our renovation of our apartment, and we chanced upon this Tex BBQ in an almost abandoned mall.

Kemuri BBQ, located in Balestier Plaza, is a restaurant where the rugged flavours of Texan Barbecue entwine with the refined cuisine of Japan. Chef Owner David Ng learnt from the best – the outback smokehouse of LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue. 

David envisioned a culinary experience that fuses the robustness of Texan barbecue with the refined artistry of Japanese cooking. And that’s how Kemuri Tex Jap BBQ was born – a place where smoky barbecue meets the tidy precision of Japanese cuisine.

The bar was alright, but the cocktails were a bit on the lighter side.

The Texas Tres

A true Pitmaster seeks balance— no meats may be chosen twice; it means you can’t have an entire plate of just bacon.

Wagyu Beef Cheeks

Cows are ruminants, that means they chew grass all day long and beef cheeks get a lot of exercise and therefore the muscle has a lot of connective tissue. They treat these fist-sized muscles like a brisket with a salt and pepper bark and a 4 hour smoke. They then finish them in a beef tallow bath (or confit) to ensure they are tender and delicious. Delicious, and you don’t need too much of it because it was really fatty.

Smoked Pulled Pork

Typical pulled pork comes from factory farmed pork shoulders with a sweet sauce, theirs came with a tangy, savoury sauce that is reminiscent of Japanese sesame mustard sauce which Singaporean prefer.

Thick Cut Bacon

Nobody leaves a Texan BBQ without eating thick cut bacon. This is more like salted pork belly slow cooked in a smoker. They were quite generous with the portion of bacon, which I find a little too dry. Would do with a little more fats and caramelisation.

Crispy Fries Texan Loaded Style

And for a little extra, you can spiced up the normal crispy French fries with a Texan chilli recipe by ‘Leroy & Lewis’ straight from the Love Star State! This tangle of fries topped with chilli (without beans), jalapeños, cheese, and pickled onion was spot on.

Evan LeRoy and Sawyer Lewis are Michelin-star Texas BBQ chefs from Austin, and they preach the new school BBQ, which use the best ingredients in innovative ways but still distinctly Texan BBQ. Many of the items here are inspired by them.

There you have it, one of the better Texan BBQ in Singapore that would not break your bank account. The service was attentive, but do be patient as it was a really small outfit with very few front room staff (like all F&B in Singapore, labour crunch.) The food speaks for itself as the location has seen better days.

Kemuri Tex Jap BBQ
Balestier Plaza, 400 Balestier Road #01-41, Singapore 329802
Tel : +65 94666919 (Reservations)

Visited May 2025