It is a matter of time I will write this post since I had mentioned that I wanted to try the food at Misato after watching the viral video. And yes, I am glad that I finally do just that!
The restaurant is actually located at Centrepoint’s Gastro+ corner hidden at the left innermost corner of the building. It is no wonder it is a hidden gem, until the viral video, given its obscure location. Despite the flashy signboard, Gastro+ corner feels like a foodcourt filled with restaurants. The good part about here is that due to the efficient layout, it is very easy to spot the bling bling signboard of Misato when walking through the place. The setting of Misato is simplistic yet comfortable. Kind of what one expects from nice mid-range restaurants.
What makes this restaurant different are the gorgeous tableware from Japan and the unique menu featuring food made from scratch. In my personal opinion, the tableware used is considered as part of the dining experience in restaurants. In a fine dining restaurant, the tableware completes the chef’s creations and tells stories of what he/she wants to convey through his/her craft. In a mid-range restaurant, the heightened aesthetic value of the dishes engages the sense of sight and makes the dining experience more enjoyable. It also shows the extra mile the restaurant goes into presenting the dishes. Which is why I love gold flakes on desserts. With that said, I guess there is no doubt that I appreciate the lovely, exquisite Japanese tableware used in Misato. Time to whip out the camera!
While dining here provides a great opportunity to take photos, the focus is still on the food lovingly made. I am very impressed with how finely chopped their raw cabbage is. It is finer than the cabbage shredded by machine! With the cabbage strands this thin, the surface will be thoroughly coated with sauce when I dip them into plum sauce of the Cheese Korokke or mayonnaise, yielding very flavourful salad. And this meticulously prepared cabbage is just a side to the main star: the Cheese Korokke. Within the coat of crispy breadcrumbs is a thin layer of lightly seasoned mashed potato, peppered with small bits of ham and corn. And this sphere of potato holds a core of molten mozzarella cheese that transforms into strips of ribbons when one bits into it. Taste wise, it is subtle yet full of flavours. Texture wise, it is perfect. I love the combination of the stretchy quality of the cheese and the crispy exterior. A must order.
Okonomiyaki is another highlight of this restaurant. I have always maintained that a good okonomiyaki will have high cabbage to dough ratio. When savouring this Japanese pancake, I should be biting into a whole lot of fresh crunchy cabbage held together by a thin dough skin instead of a clump of flour. So I am happy to say that the okonomiyaki here meets my expectations. To top it off, the cabbage from Japan has a very mild sweetness and does not have that smell of overcooked cabbage that I always avoid. Using quality cabbage, topped with crispy pork belly bits, really helps to make this dish the king of okonomiyaki. But maybe next time, I will request for less yaki sauce on the top. While the sauce makes this pancake very flavourful and lots of it allows for pretty patterns made on top, plus the fact that I also love it at first mouthful, my tastebuds do feel overwhelmed on the second helping. This should not be an issue if sharing between lots of people though.
Zaru Soba is nicely presented on a bed of ice. I like the look of it and the coldness of the noodles served. The sauce is what defines this dish. It is literally bursting with umami. The sweetness of bonito fish is very pronounced in this sauce, making it a league above other sauces for soba.
Ebi wasabi donburi looks so tantalizing due to the dollops of ikura and flying fish roe stacked on top of each fresh prawn coated with crispy tempura batter and drizzled with horseradish sauce. A very flavourful dish saturated with umami. Also featured here is the awesome finely chopped cabbage that tastes great with the Japanese salad dressing.
My companion loves the nicely presented Chicken Karaage Don, and I give the thumbs up to the quality rice—I am super fussy about the rice. The fried chicken pieces are very succulent and juicy. Having tried chicken karaage from many establishments, I say the one here is very good, but unlike the okonomiyaki, is not the king of Chicken Karaage since it does not have a defining feature that makes it different.
Its Sanshoku Warabi Mochi is king of mochi though. Freshly made for the day, this is the first time I have tasted a mochi that is this refreshing. It is like cool spring water being moulded into mochi. The texture is soft, smooth and slightly chewy. I personally prefer the mochi coated with the mildest tasting soya bean powder since refreshing taste is most pronounced in this one. Goma coated mochi has this sweet, earthy flavour that actually accentuates the sweetness of the mochi. Matcha mochi, which is recommended to be tried last due to its strong flavour, features the exotic bitter flavour of premium matcha. What I like about the matcha used here is that the flavour is very pure and clean, unlike some matcha products that have hints of fishy smell. Use of premium matcha powder really makes a difference in this dessert with delicate taste.
The green tea here is exceptionally fragrant and smooth. I like the aroma of roasted rice in it. I recommend trying the green tea since it is like no others among competitors of similar price range. But take note that it is three dollars per pax.
Service ranges from decent to friendly. The service crew is without a doubt efficient. During my visit, in which the buffet option is scrapped off, I find that the waiting time is pretty reasonable, contrary to what I had read on other websites. So as long as I do not need to wait, I am all good with it.
Though the menu is not exactly extensive, I feel the variety is the winner here. There is surely something in the menu that one will fancy. So this place is great for gatherings to cater to various tastebuds. I do find myself wanting to try almost 80% of items on the menu. So I am definitely looking forward to go back to try the other dishes.
My Thoughts: Great Choice for Gatherings!
Nearest car park: Centrepoint’s car park or Cuppage Plaza’s car park
Nearest MRT: Somerset
176 Orchard Road #01-33E
The Centrepoint (Gastro+)
Singapore
Contact No: 6235 2822
