Senmi Sushi - Just Another Sushi Restaurant

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It is through the word of mouth about Senmi that I know of Emporium Shokuhin. But alas, this restaurant is the runt of the lot, offering nothing special as compared to its competitors.

The ambience is similar to the likes of Sushi Tei. Comfortable environment for dining, but there is nothing distinct about the venue. But then again, this hardly matters if the food is good.

The problem is that the food is just comparable to those of the chain restaurants. The menu features all the usual suspects of various types of rolls and sushi. And the quality is not a league above those restaurants. This contrasts greatly with another restaurant of Emporium Shokuhin, Takujo, whose raw seafood is so fresh. The salmon served in Senmi is pale in colour, which is not what I like to see in salmon. This is no different from those salmon sashimi I had at the common mass produced restaurants. I prefer quality salmon that has deeper hue of orange, and too bad that I cannot find it here.

The chirashi sounds interesting since the patrons can customize the toppings to add to the bowl of sushi rice. Though given the quality of the raw seafood, the end result is okay but not exceptional. The plus point of the chirashi is the pearl-like rice with fluffy, smooth texture.

Service is okay. Nothing special to make mention of.

This place is worth checking out if one is looking for a fairly decent Japanese restaurant serving Japanese food catered to the masses. But for unique dining experience, head to the other restaurants in Emporium Shokuhin instead.

My Thoughts: Not Bad

This place is currently not in operation.

Umi + Vino Seafood Wine Bar - Chic Hangout Place + Awesome Seafood Dishes

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If we talk about ambience, Umi + Vino is considered to be the best among the restaurants under Emporium Shokuhin's umbrella. Full glass panel walls and a bar counter with fresh seafood displayed on it, this place is definitely a great venue for dates. It is hard to fault this restaurant on settings. Service is a mixed bag, ranging from very good to okay.

As for the food, well, on the first visit, I only get to try the set lunch (there is update below on subsequent visits), so the fresh seafood may send me over the moon, but for now, I am not totally wooed by the offerings of the set meals. The oysters are without a doubt exceedingly fresh, but the raspberry vinaigrette is too sweet and not tangy enough to go well with the briny flavours of the oysters. Takujo gets it so right with the ponzu sauce for the oysters, so I am surprised that this restaurant, whose focus is on seafood, does not hit the sweet spot with the accompaniment condiments. My suggestion: skip the raspberry vinaigrette and add the lemon only to enjoy the freshness of the oysters.

The Clam Chowder looks very good, but the taste seems muted, with nary the taste of the sea. While the Mushroom Soup looks messy, to the point that I did not take a photo of it, but is bursting with the woody aroma of mushrooms.

The Roasted Chicken suffers from the same problem as similar chicken main courses of other establishments, and the problem is that the breast meat is too dry and tasteless. Few restaurants can get this right, and Umi + Vino is not one of them.

The Spaghetti with Hokkaido Scallops is done right. The scallops are fresh and succulent, being lightly grilled to imbue the springy meat with a hint of charred flavour. Well, it is hard to go wrong with quality scallops. The spaghetti is prepared to the style favoured by Asians: thoroughly cooked instead of al dente. So take note.

When dessert time comes, a tray of a beautiful array of cakes will be brought out for the patrons' pickings. I recognize those to be from Kohi-Koji. No complaints here since the cakes from this cafe are of great quality. Soft, moist texture paired with very creamy cream, they get thumbs-up from me.

Actually, given that the set lunches are only $26, they are value-for-money and worth a try. Though I cannot say I love this place to the bits. Maybe the seafood platter may convert me into a fan, until then, I say I prefer the other restaurants of Emporium Shokuhin.

Update: I visit this place for the second time, and I see huge improvements made, to the point that I tag this restaurant as one of the "Highly Recommend". In fact, this restaurant is my favourite, along with Burosu Honten, among Emporium Shokuhin's offerings.

Now this place have toned down the sweetness of the raspberry shallot sauce, so it tastes just right now.

Umi salad features crunchy fresh vegetables topped with tangy sauce and pine nuts, which make this a pleasant bite.

The grilled spring chicken is what surprises me the most. Tender, succulent chicken grilled to perfection, I don't expect the chicken to be so well-prepared in such restaurants, since the chicken dishes tend to be on the dry side in European themed restaurants.

Grilled silver cod is packed with fresh omega goodness. The smooth, oily flesh of the fish, peppered with the aroma of grilled meat, is a joy to savour.

One of the big highlights of menu is the lobster, prawn and scallop burger. The charcoal black bun is fresh and fluffy, which serves as a great complement to the super fresh seafood. Lobster is perfectly grilled to retain the delightful flavours of the sea and that slightly chewy texture. Scallop, as with the ones I have in the set lunch, is a hit. Prawn patty is more nuanced in flavour as compared to the lobster and scallop, but in its form, it makes for big hearty bites, which I enjoy. And I like the very flavourful sauce drizzled onto of the fresh raw vegetables.

I am impressed. Loving this place more. Definitely going back!

My Thoughts: It is one of my Favourite Haunts!

Well, cannot go there any more since this restaurant is currently not in operation. And there is not much reason to visit Marina Square anymore.

Gyuu* Yakiniku Grill - Quality Grilled Meats

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Not all restaurants at Emporium Shokuhin feature big price tags, and all have pretty value-for-money set lunches on menu. And Gyuu* is one of the restaurants to prove this. While I do not have the chance to try out the ala carte items, I am impressed with the set meals here.

The place is very spacious, which is very important here since I do not want the smoke from neighbouring tables drifting to my side. The decor is simplistic, but is chic enough to provide a conducive environment for gatherings of non-rowdy nature and even dates.

The grilled pork set showcases thin grilled pork slices that are thoroughly soaked in the tasty marinade and have their inherent robust flavour of meat unlocked by the excellent grilling technique. The quality rice of pearl-like texture complement the meat perfectly. As for the chicken set meal, the taste of the chicken is milder than that of the pork, but it pleases my palates nonetheless due to the extra subtle taste of grilled meat, with the moisture retained for good bite.

The service staffs are pretty jovial, which is all good with me. And they serve the food fast.

This is definitely one of my favourite restaurants to go to for a wallet-friendly good meal.

My Thoughts: Nice!

This restaurant is currently not in operation.

Takujo Japanese Dining - Pretty Enjoyable Dining Experience

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Emporium Shokuhin is now officially one of my favourite haunts due to the various dining concepts available in which I am impressed with the food at quite a number of restaurants there. Takujo, the upmarket Japanese restaurant happens to be one of them. While the setting is posh and classy, tending towards Western style, it is the food here and the attractive price tag that seal the deal.

The French duo of oysters is so fresh—no strong stench of iodine, just a hint of it—and creamy, completed with a slight nutty flavour and a dash of umami. The freshness of the oysters here can very well compete with that of the best oysters found in Singapore: Culina. To top it off, the tangy ponzu sauce and dashi served with the oysters make for an exciting duet, where the taste buds are teased by a myriad of simulating flavours. I never knew ponzu sauce goes so well with oysters. When the service staff asked me if I need Tabasco sauce for the oysters, I was thinking, "The ponzu sauce is so good already, who needs Tabasco sauce for the oysters?" This is one dish highly recommended.

The set lunches make for very satisfying meals. The tempura prawns served in the tempura is bigger than the usual tiger prawns, which are considered as pretty big ones as compared to other varieties already. And best of all, the flesh of the prawn is very fresh and creamy, yes, creamy, not springy. I feel like I am in tempura bliss when biting into the crisp thin batter, which has no hint of oiliness, and the succulent meat. The price is hardly jaw-dropping at less than thirty bucks, given the generous serving of huge prawns.

Sashimi and sushi set is another crowd-pleaser due to the fresh seafood served. I love it that premium seafood are included in this set. The otoro is melt-in-your mouth quality and totally has none of the fishy smell typical in most otoro, chutoro and akami. In fact, only few Japanese restaurants serve such good quality otoro. To add it on, there are hotate and negitoto maki, which are higher grade of seafood as compared to the common ones like sake and akami—I do not mind them, especially if served as accompaniment dish but I do deduct points if there are too many of these in Sashimi and Sushi sets. At a price tag of thirty plus, this is a real steal.

Negitoro with uni don is decent. I like the sweet uni perching on top the blanket of negitoro—minced otoro and chutoro to be exact. But I prefer the Negitoro don in Ginza Kuroson since I find that the negitoro in Takujo has more water content, less fat and chopped spring onions. The one here still beats its competitor in Hokkaido Izakaya.

The service here is a mixed bag. While the staffs are friendly, but they lack the attentiveness. When seated at a corner, I had the toughest time getting their attention, due to the layout of the place and the staff neglecting to keep a lookout for any waving patrons in need of attention. Burosu Honten has even more blind spots, but I have slightly less trouble getting the attention of the staff there.

If I am in the mood to spend a bit more, meaning non-budgetary mode, and have cravings for tempura, oysters or sashimi, this is one of the restaurants that come straight to my mind.

My Thoughts: Nice!

This restaurant is currently not in operation.

Bloomsbury Bakers - The Marriage of Local and British Influences

It is impossible not to fall in love with the place the moment I stepped in front of this quaint bakery. The colourful ribbons and pom poms displayed behind the tall glass panel exude that British charm and simply show how meticulous the owners are. The interior is just as charming, with bouquets of dainty flowers adorning the shelves and tables, handmade decorations lining the walls. I want so much to fall in love with the cakes also, especially when the cakes here are very unique, being infused with local touch and flavour.

Well, there are some cakes that I love, but there are some that do not quite blow me away. The hits are namely Avocado Cheesecake and Orh Nee. I always like avocados in my food since this fruit is mild in taste yet creamy in texture, thus going well with a variety of ingredients. But this is the first time I had heard of Avocado Cheesecake, and I knew I got to get it when I saw it at the counter, despite the not-so-pretty green colour of the cake. I was not disappointed. It is very creamy, and the refreshing taste of avocado adds an extra zest to the usual cheesecake taste while complementing the light cheese perfectly—going hand-in-hand to create a new taste instead of trying to overshadow each other. This is a must-try. Though I did not take photo of this delightful cake since given the fragile structure of the cake, it was not in a photogenic mode when I reached home.

As for Orh Nee, it is as good as it looks. Based on a traditional Teochew yam dessert, this cake is considered the fluffier, lighter, and hopefully, less artery-clogging, version. I actually prefer this cake to the traditional Orh Nee due to lightness of the cake. The earthy flavour of the yam reminds me of one of my favourite cake, Mont Blanc, a Japanese chestnut cake from Flor. This is another must-try from this bakery.

As for the Earl Grey Lemon and Lavender, the great texture of the cake, being buttery yet light, and the taste of wholesome taste of the combination of butter cake sponge, slightly heavy cream and lemon makes it an awesome tea cake that is comparable to the one from Lynda Ann, one of the cakes I have been having a craving for it. If there is no lavender added to it. While I love the luscious scent of roses in my cakes, lavender just does not cut it for it. Its smell is too strong and reminiscent that of cosmetic powder, and cosmetics don't invoke thoughts associated with food. The lavender essentially ruins this cake for me. Sometimes, less is more.

Pulut Hitam looks absolutely great with a delicious-looking layer of coconut cream smoothed on top the black glutinous rice. In fact, this is the first thing I ordered from the counter since I love pulut hitam dessert. The exceedingly fragrant coconut simply goes so well with sticky black rice that presents a stronger earthy flavour than other variants of rice. However, this combination does not translate well to the tart. That distinctive nutty flavour in thin layer of coconut cream tastes too diluted to act as great complement to the rice. And the aroma of the baked pastry shell clashes badly with the strong taste of the rice. It is like two strong wielders of earth power fighting it out, not giving it, shattering the whole dimension in their battle. I even find Pulut Hitam from Pine Garden to be better as the cake is like the solidified form of the dessert, without trying to be unique.

The service ... is meticulous. I can see that from the way the service staff carefully packed my cakes. But no smiles or anything. So no extra points in this department.

Despite the misses, there are still hits that make me want to try the other cakes in their repertoire. And I appreciate how the bakers try to push new boundaries to create interesting cakes. But I do have the tendency to go to my usual favourites instead when I have the time.

My Thoughts: Not Bad

Nearest car park: Blk 30 at Bendemeer Road
Nearest MRT: Boon Keng

30 Bendemeer Rd #01-889
Singapore
Contact No: 62993450

Ryugetsu Hokkaido Pudding

Fresh Hokkaido cream packed onto the smooth velvety custard pudding. They taste great on their own, i.e. the cream has the light, ethereal subtle milky taste while flavour of the eggs in the custard is very distinct. When eaten together, they complement so well together, adding an extra silkiness to the texture and balancing the overall taste.

Hidden at the bottom of the beautiful, dainty porcelain jar is a layer of molten caramel. The slightly bitter, charred taste of the caramel adds a whole new dimension to this confectionery, bringing it up to more than just another very nice pudding.

Country of Origin: Japan
Where to by this: Takashimaya Hokkaido Event

Burosu Honten Gyoza and Ramen - Best Ramen in Every Way

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I know I used to say Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen was the best ramen. But that was before I had tried the ramen at Burosu Honten Gyoza and Ramen. The ramen at this place wins hands-down in terms of ramen texture and the amount of ingredients added.

Actually, this is the last of the Emporium Shokuhin restaurants that I visited since the place looks kind of unassuming, like that little humble izakaya hidden in a corner to be forgotten. Well, looks can be deceiving, and the crowd, in the midst of the quiet Marina Square, hints at what this restaurant have to offer. And very good ramen that is.

One of the highlights of this restaurant is that the patrons can choose to have their ramen prepared according to their preference, meaning there are options on the texture of the ramen, the taste of the broth—ranging from light to heavy and the spiciness. So you can order your ramen exactly the way you like it. Even though I chose the light broth, it is still very tasty, saturated with seafood flavour—since I chose Ebi Ramen. Add a tad bit of spiciness for kick, the soup blew me away the first time I tried it.

The ramen is very springy, soft but not soggy—perfect texture, I must say. Not many places can get this right, not even Tonkotsu Kazan. And I love the generous amount of ingredients added, ranging from three huge prawns, fish cake, pickles and finely chopped spring onions. The prawns are very fresh and succulent, not surprising, considering that Emporium Shokuhin has live seafood section. Oh yes, I had also tried the Kani Ramen, and I'm so pleased to see huge chucks of fresh real crab meat sprinkled on the top of the ramen. So do they taste good? Well, of course!

My guy tried the Tonkotsu Ramen and the one with Black Garlic, and he absolutely loved them ... and still loving them now. I like the unique flavour of the broth with Black Garlic, it is a ramen with a twist.

The service of some staff there is exceptional. Not all are fantastic, but I think that they are still good, with consideration on the price range of the food there.

Among all the restaurants in Emporium Shokuhin, this one got to be most wallet-friendly. And it is the one that impresses me the most. Then am I going back again? The truth is my guy and I visit this restaurant so often until some of the staff recognize us already.

My Thoughts: It is one of my Favourite Haunts!

Well, cannot go there any more since this restaurant is currently not in operation. And there is not much reason to visit Marina Square anymore.

Tsukeru Shabu Shabu - The Broths are the Stars here

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With the attention on Japan Town on Wisma Atria, I decided to check out Emporium Shokuhin—another Japanese-themed dining concept—instead. I definitely prefer the layout and ambience of the latter since the whole place really centres around the Japanese cuisines and products. The first dining concept I opted to try out is Tsukeru Shabu Shabu as I was in the mood for some steamboat.

Ambience wise, it is pretty posh with ample spacing between each table, with a wash of Zen influence over the furniture and setting. The most attention-grabbing centrepiece of the place is the marble table decked with beautiful bowls of condiments. Ponzu sauce, garlic oil sesame sauce, mustard, minced garlic, parsley and more, the sheer variety of condiments is a sure-fire way to the hearts of steamboat lovers. I personally recommend ponzu sauce and garlic oil—in separate bowls—for the Japanese Shabu Shabu experience. And the food tastes so good when dipped in these. The ponzu sauce gives the kick through the taste of tangy yuzu while the garlic oil imbues the food with the aroma of roasted garlic.

Beef lovers can try out the buffet since Wagyu beef is in the selection. But since my guy and I stay away from beef, we opted for the set meals. Good selections of various types of vegetables are included in the set meals, with addition of dumplings, eggs and of course, meat. I do find the pork belly to have that strong porky smell, so it is not my cup of tea. The chick is good though, being tender and smooth in texture.

But the highlights of this restaurant, saved for the condiments, got to be the soup bases served in individual pots. The clear kelp soup is brimming with the umami goodness of the sea, which will please most people. As for the ginseng chicken soup, it is more subtle in taste. I love it nonetheless due to its herbal flavour.

All in all, this place is a nice alternative to Hai Di Lao and worth it for steamboat lovers to visit at least once for the experience. I did visit it more than once.

My Thoughts: Nice!

Note: This restaurant is no longer in operation.