Charcoal Grill Shinpachi opened at NEX #B1-80A on 15 August 2026. It is the first shop outside Japan for Shinpachi Shokudo, a chain with more than 100 outlets at home. AsiaOne, Eatbook, and The Smart Local all clocked the same address under Serangoon MRT. Hours are 11am to 10pm daily. Sets start at $8.90. The shop is not halal.
Himono fish and a two-layer charcoal grill
Shinpachi's pitch is teishoku, the Japanese set meal of a grilled fish, rice, miso soup, and pickles. The fish is himono. That means the kitchen guts it, soaks it in brine, and dries it before it hits the fire. AsiaOne notes the drying step pulls out water and concentrates umami while keeping the flesh springy. 8world's food desk described the grill as two layers. The first steams the fish through. The second sears the skin until it is gold and a little crisp, with binchotan smoke. You can watch that through the glass at NEX basement 1, which is useful if you are deciding between mackerel and salmon belly in the queue.
Eatbook counted more than 10 imported fish types on the Singapore menu. The opening-weekend deal is over. On 15 and 16 August the three bestsellers were $8.80 each, about half off. Regular prices are what you will pay in September.
The sets worth ordering at B1
AsiaOne and 8world published the same price list. Use it as a starting order, then add rice refills if the shop still pours them.
- Saba Bunka Boshi Set, $15.90. Japanese Pacific mackerel, cold-air dried, served with grated radish and shoyu. This is the house signature.
- Hokke Set Half, $11.90. Atka mackerel. Flaky inside, crisp skin. The half portion is the one reviewers keep naming.
- Salmon Harasu Set, $18.90. Fatty salmon belly. The charcoal pulls the oil to the surface.
- Three Sardines Set, $8.80. 8world listed this as the cheapest fish set.
- Saba Mirin Boshi Set, $12.90. Mackerel in mirin and soy.
- Sawara Saikyou Set, $15.90. Spanish mackerel in Kyoto-style sweet white miso.
- Akaou Kasu Zuke Set, $15.90. Japanese red snapper in sake lees.
- Unajyu Set, $35.90. Eel with pickles and sansho. The splurge plate.
If someone at the table does not want fish, AsiaOne lists a Chicken Shoga Yaki Set from $9.90 and a Grilled Beef Tongue Set at $28.90. Those are the escape hatches, not the reason the queue exists. The reason is a $12 to $19 fish set that would cost more in a Japanese hotel coffee shop, sitting one level below Serangoon's bus interchange.
How to use it as a Serangoon dinner
NEX is the northeast's largest mall, on top of Serangoon MRT where the North East Line meets the Circle Line. Mall hours are 10.30am to 10.30pm. Shinpachi opens 30 minutes later and closes 30 minutes earlier. Basement 1 is already dense with Japanese counters. Monster Curry, sushi belts, and katsu shops sit in the same band. Shinpachi is a teishoku stop, not a two-hour izakaya. Eatbook's July preview used a placeholder photo from another shop. Go for the fish photos the brand and AsiaOne shot in August instead.
Weekend lunch will be the squeeze. Weeknight 6pm is calmer if you want the grill in view. There is no reservation note on the AsiaOne write-up. Walk in. Pay as a casual counter. The shop does not claim MUIS certification, so it is not a halal option for the table. For that, stay upstairs or cross to Compass One. For a weekday fish set under $20 with rice and miso, this is the new default at NEX.
Practical Details
- Dates: Opened 15 August 2026. Ongoing.
- Time: 11am to 10pm daily.
- Venue: Charcoal Grill Shinpachi, NEX #B1-80A, 23 Serangoon Central, Singapore 556083.
- Nearest MRT: Serangoon (NE12 / CC13), linked to the mall.
- Price: Fish sets from $8.80 for three sardines. Saba Bunka Boshi $15.90. Hokke half $11.90. Salmon harasu $18.90. Unajyu $35.90. Chicken shoga yaki from $9.90. Beef tongue $28.90. Not halal.
- Website: AsiaOne opening report with menu prices
