It is just another day of getting our tummies happy when we head to one of our favourite haunts,
Cuppage Plaza, to visit one of the restaurants in our regular list. Little did we expect to uncover yet another gem in this dingy little shopping complex. We are just trying our luck and waiting for the famed
Kazu to open and then ask if we can get a table without reservation, it is at this moment that I notice a newly opened Japanese restaurant right besides Kazu, separated by a small corridor only.
After a quick search to find out that Izakaya SHUN is a sister restaurant of Kappo Shunsui, whose owner used to run a restaurant in Japan that was listed in Michelin Tokyo’s Bib Gourmand, well, I am all set to check out this restaurant!
The ambience is like that of posh restaurant bar with a bar counter, metallic tabletops, a mix of modern black plush chairs and those that have a touch of European medieval style and black walls with a brick wall at one end. And with the relaxing background jazz music, this is like the perfect place to chill and enjoy great food.
The menu is interestingly written in Japanese calligraphy style, but fret not, there are small and perfectly readable English words written below each item. The menu presented in this style sure adds on the feel of izakaya. Its offering is a mixed of everything from the usual chicken karaage to not-so-usual stingray fin. And after poring through the menu filled with Japanese words, we order Salmon sashimi, spicy pickled cucumber, snow crab’s cream croquette, chicken karaage and soba.
Otoshi, which is a small appetizer of ikura, comes up first. A great starter since each ikura is like a pearl of the essences of the sea: salty yet refreshing on the palates. The dash of yuzu added is the perfect accompaniment due to its light citrus flavour. I also like the firmness of the ikura here since like popping bubbles, it is nice to bite into it and then it goes “pop”. I also appreciate the thoughtful gesture of changing the originally intended salmon to ikura for our appetizers since we have ordered salmon and the chef does not want us to feel that the dishes are repetitive.
On our second visit, we are served unagi maki for otoshi. The starchy rice is smooth in texture and very flavourful. Pairs very well with the custard-like texture of the eel. I also like the crispy seaweed that goes with it.
While salmon is not the pedigree of sashimi, we opt to try it since it is our first time there and we want to try a more wallet friendly option. The cut is excellent, yielding slices with the perfect thickness. And served at the right temperature where the slices are cold enough to retain the freshness while is warm enough to release the flavours readily, the sashimi tastes so good! Now I am eager to try the other sashimi.
Spicy pickled cucumber is interesting in taste but the taste of preserved food is pretty strong, a bit too much to my preference since I am generally not really into preserved food stuff.
I actually prefer the kohada salad ordered on second visit. It is one of the most interesting salad I have tried. I like the strong taste of citrus generously added to the mix of slightly bitter leaves and finely sliced kohada fish. The contrast in textures between the leaves and soft flesh of fish actually works beautifully.
I love how chargrilled Pork from Miyazaki is lightly seasoned with dashes of sea salt and pepper to let the natural flavours of the pork shine through. And the seasoning is the perfect accompaniment to the flavours of charred meat. And the pork is perfectly grilled to have light hints of the coveted taste of charred meat yet featuring no burnt parts. The specialty chilli paste gives an extra kick to the taste.
A good source of carbohydrates to go with all the dishes will be the soba. I like the pretty generous amount of chopped scallions, spring onions and seaweed sprinkled on top of the soba. The hot clear soup is very flavourful, filled with the goodness of kombu and bonito. Drinking it on a rainy day hits the sweet spot. The soba is of al dente texture, which is my preference, but my companion will like it to be a bit softer in texture.
Cold soba is pretty good too.
I seldom see snow crab’s cream coquette featured in the menus, so I do not hesitate to order this one. Cutting through the mashed potato coated with breadcrumbs reveals the molten filling within. The filling is creamy with hints of umami. And the tangy coquette sauce created a nice balance in taste with the coquette.
As for the chicken karaage, my companion says it is the best. I do think that it is very good because the chicken is tender, succulent and juicy.
The young lady attending to us is very friendly, energetic, alert and attentive. I am really impressed. Just a note, the food will take a while to be served.
I totally enjoy dining at Izakaya SHUN because this place simply feels different from the others, in large part due to the dishes and the menu. The meal is supposed to be on me as I had promised. However, my companion loves the food here so much that he insists on footing the bill. He does get a shock from the price of the tea, which is $5 per pax!
So we conclude that it is better to order a second helping of house pour sake at $9 instead. That is what we are going to do the next time we come here again.
My Thoughts: Yes! I uncover another gem in Cuppage! More reasons to go to Cuppage.
This restaurant had underwent some changes, such as moving to Keong Saik and then moving back to Cuppage. Check their website for latest updates instead.
