Ryo Yakiniku is Singapore’s first Muslim-owned yakiniku in a coffeeshop

After an agonising month of only being able to watch me feast on prata and crepe cakes during the fasting month, my colleague rejoiced when we were assigned our first night shoot together—that meant that we could finally eat together once he broke fast. Well, we thought the best way for us to celebrate this happy occasion was to visit Ryo Yakiniku, Singapore’s first Muslim-owned yakiniku joint in Tai Seng.

During our visit, we had the opportunity to speak with Didih, one of the founders of Ryo Yakiniku. Didih shared that the inspiration behind his store was actually the portable gas stove—the literal lifeline of their business. He received the portable gas stove as a gift during a birthday party, and it sparked his entrepreneurial spirit to start a Muslim-friendly yakiniku business. Together with the very person who gifted him the stove, they founded Ryo Yakiniku in 2021, and the business has been w...