After I had an absolutely memorable and awesome Kaiseki at Ikkoten, I, naturally, put her sister restaurant, Kura Oyster and Highball, into my wishlist. While the dining experience here is very different in terms of food, presentation and mood, I enjoy myself a lot here too because the Japanese Tapas here are delicious and unique. Think Deep Fried Cheese, Snow Crab Gratin, Smoked Duck, Lobster Bun, Wagyu Beef Tartare, Stingray Fin. In fact, the food here is probably one of the best among modern casual bar restaurants.
The vibe of the restaurant is modern, industrial, cool and stylish with all the high chairs at the open kitchen counter and high tables. Really feel like one of the hip and cool when dining here.
Service is good and friendly. They also take the effort to let me know I can order more Japanese Tapas if I want instead of ordering too much at the start. Nice thoughts there.
What’s a trip to an oyster bar without trying the oysters there? Provided one likes oysters, of course. So I got Ponzu Jelly Oysters. And oyster of the day is Murotsu oyster, whose taste is creamy, briny, with lace of iodine. The refreshing light taste of ponzu jelly cuts through the richness and slight bite of the fresh oysters for an interesting and pleasing overall taste.
The cherry tomatoes are so juicy and sweet! The vinegar they are soaked adds a tinge of kick to the sweetness. I love this as an appetiser to start with.
Miso Smoked Duck with leek is oh-so-good. The tender meat with smoky gamey flavours, highlighted by the savoury earthiness of miso, is such a joy to savour. I love this so much.
Another highlight is Kanitama Mentaiko Gratin. The real crab shell is packed with silky, briny sweet snow crab meat. The mentaiko adds moisture and creaminess to the crab meat for extra richness. The macaroni hidden within finishes with a nice satisfying feel. A must-try here.
Camembert Cheese Furai is definitely something special. It is awesome in terms of texture. Stretchy warm gooey cheese juxtaposes perfectly with crispy deep fried breadcrumbs. In fact, the nutty flavour of the cheese is even more pronounced when in its melted form 👍🏻
Sweet Potato Fries is a must try here. The fat fingers of carbo goodness is fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. It has that earthy mild sweetness, juxtaposing perfectly with the light spices of curry powder. My suggestion is to eat it while it is fresh out on the table to enjoy the texture.
Pork Belly Yakiniku is delicious, being silky and flavourful.
Photo courtesy of meine schöne Freundin, Sissi ❤️
This is one very well-prepared Garlic Rice. Each fluffy, moist yet slightly firm grain is lightly imbued with the essence of garlic and has that lovely starchy quality. I end up scraping the plate to try to finish every grain of it lol
Love the Matcha Mochi too due to the clean and refreshing taste and slightly chewy texture.
I actually Japanese Highball over Jim Beam since it is milder in taste.
Dining here is quite an adventure due to the unique Japanese tapas. I also like the portions so I can try many different dishes at one sitting. A place I definitely recommend to chill out and enjoy some good unique food.
Thoughts: Love Japanese Tapas here!
84 Telok Ayer Street #01-01
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer or Raffles Place
