Kemuri definitely got my attention with a young new chef, Chef Yukiro Saito, on board and a newly revamped menu. In addition, the promise of Japanese charcoal grilled food sounds so tempting. I also miss soaking in the Izakaya vibe so this restaurant sounds like a good choice to get that. And somehow I have this feeling that there will be a subtle element of uniqueness and surprise in the food here.
And yes, the food here features that Izakaya flair and heartiness, with a touch of refinement. I totally love it. The charcoal grilled items have that lovely smoky aroma, meaty sweetness, hints of excitement from the sea salt and lemon, layered with something special. Example of something special is the Parmesan cheese grated over the Chicken Meatball. Lots of awesome first times here also, where I, for the first time, try the delicious chilled yam somen, most delicious chicken thigh meat and best cod fish served in Izakaya style.
Located in the “hidden gem” Cuppage Plaza, the interior of the restaurant is in a stark contrast to the surrounding. It presents a brilliant juxtapose of a modern stylish bar and a traditional Japanese Izakaya. The jazz music playing in the background, the upmarket grey stone dining counter and the studio-like black walls create this classy chilled vibe. While the open kitchen, charcoal grill station, flames, skewers and sake bottles radiate this feel of Izakaya.
And watching Chef Saito and his team hard at work preparing the food is an experience in itself.
Service here is wonderful and efficient, sealing the deal that this is definitely one of the places I will look forward to come back to.
The quintet of appetizers impresses me with the exploration of distinctively different taste profiles. Each appetizer packs a punch of flavours that is different from its predecessor.
First appetizer of raw Scallop is so sweet, made exciting by the savoury goodness and the incredibly plump juicy texture. This is my favourite of the quintet.
Chicken liver is unlike another chicken liver, being richer in taste and more silky in texture. In fact, this is like Asian style Foie Gras, which is full of thick, creamy savoury umami.
I love how the Duck Breast takes the taste profile in a different direction from Chicken Liver. It fearures this meaty sweetness that actually develops as I bite more into it. And being thinly sliced, it has good perfect bite to it.
Grilled Pacific Saury is full of intense briny sweetness.
Pickles are so refreshing, making them perfect as the last appetizer to cleanse the palates for the mains to come.
A quartet of sashimi that reminds of how much I enjoy quality sashimi.
Kanpachi is sweet and clean in taste.
Chutoro has this lovely melt in your mouth texture and is so buttery sweet.
One of the highlights of the meal and a crowd favourite is the Charcoal Grilled Giant Prawn. I like the theatrics of the chef sprinkling salt liberally over the prawn before grilling. The real highlight of the dish is huge, plump prawn, whose briny sweetness is balanced perfectly by the special wasabi cream sauce. It is a must to bite into the head to get the tasty bits imbued with the aroma of charcoal and taste of sea salt, both of which add a layer of unique sweetness to the meat.
This is a must-try here.
Chilled Yam Somen Noodle is oh so amazing that it feels almost magical. And surprising too. The incredibly thin strands of somen looks slippery, but when biting into it, I am wowed over by its vegetal crunchiness, similar to the texture of turnip. And each strand is soaked with the super refreshing, tangy, savoury goodness of clear broth. I end up finishing every bit of the somen and every drop of broth.
This is one dish that is worth a special trip to Kemuri.
I’m not exactly into chicken thigh meat, but I will gladly order the Flame-Grilled Chicken Thigh here. It is the best chicken thigh. It is so perfectly cooked to eliminate the smell of muscle and sinew while retaining the creaminess and juiciness of the meat. With the aroma of char deepening the robust meaty flavour, it already tastes so good on its own. Miso and chilli powder can be added for variation in taste and extra excitement.
Best Izakaya style Cod Fish comes in the form of Saikyo Miso-Grilled Gindara Cod Fish. This is super briny sweet, creamy and full of goodness of omega oils. The grilled skin makes it even better.
The Chicken Tsukune with Cheese feels so pillowy in texture. Lightly seasoned, the meaty sweetness actually develops with each subsequent bites.
Charcoal-Grilled Kagoshima A5 Wagyu Chateaubriand is super creamy with a good bite. The char adds intensity to the meaty sweetness. And the wasabi works brilliantly to refresh the palates and cut through the creaminess.
Claypot Unagi Rice surprises me with its presentation. Served with clear soup, this dish is surprisingly refreshing while still having that lovely warm, starchy goodness I love in Japanese rice dishes. The lightly seasoned unagi adds the punch in flavour, making this dish such a joy to savour.
Refreshing Yuzu Ice-cream. A good choice to refresh the palates after savouring all these grilled food.
Thoughts: Best Izakaya with lots of Surprises
