Ikkoten Omakase - Unique, Varied, Awesome Surprises

I'm always excited to visit Ikkoten and so here I am again! This restaurant is one of my favourites among favourites for the reason that Chef Brandon will ensure every visit is full of awesome surprises. He has like a treasure trove of rare Japanese cooking techniques that he will use to prepare the dishes to cater to my preference for unique, one-of-a-kind experiences. The perks of being a regular here 😊

This time, every dish is a "Wow" and the highlights of the dinner are never-tried-before Tofu Sauce, Smoked Sashimi and Special Hotpot with Wagyu. Who could have thought that Tofu Sauce and Smoked Sashimi actually exist and taste so awesome?

A meal here definitely turns my day from a good one to a fantastic one. This restaurant is one of those where the awesome experience gets even better with each repeated visit.

Japanese Persimmon, drizzled with tofu sauce and sprinkled with pine nuts, makes my eyes widen in pleasant surprise because it doesn’t feel like fruit. It is more like a savoury snack packed with floral sweetness of fruits. Amazing that the earthy savoury tofu sauce and nutty goodness of pine nuts can totally transform this fruit. And the persimmon is of perfect texture: slightly firm and absolutely juicy.

By the way, I scoop up every bit of the tofu sauce since it is so good.

Silky smooth Cold Chawamushi with Edamame Puree surprises me with the unexpected light touch of that lovely umami tempered with a hint of vegetal freshness. Now then I know edamame and egg custard is a match made in heaven.

Smoked Shima Aji tastes so magical, so complex and so briny sweet! The first bite is unbelievably amazing because it’s like nothing I had tasted before. The smoked hay aroma, fruity, earthy sweetness of carrot sauce and the pungency of ginger flower do their magic to transform the Shima Aji to the best Shima Aji I ever have.

Clean taste of flounder sashimi is accentuated by the vegetal pungency of shiso oil and the beautiful purple shiso foam made from flowers. When paired with spongy Japanese Yam Stem, the sweetness of flounder accentuated by the unique refreshing pungency of the stem. And it’s getting best of both worlds when savoured with both shiso foam and Japanese Yam stem.

Tempura Amadai is definitely another highlight of the night. Its meat is so creamy and its deep fried skin with scales is so crispy. The smoothness and umami of nori butter adds a splash of intensity to the taste of the fish. And the strands of Iapanese seaweed are crunchy and refreshing, thus refreshing the palates between bites of the briny sweet fish.

Spinach Ohitashi is such welcomed dish that comes after the rich Amadai dish because it is refreshing, tempered with doses of briny sweetness. The sweet crab meat goes perfectly with the gelatinous tangy yuzu jelly. I love this too.

Since I want to try Wagyu in a different style, Chef Brandon prepared something special for me: Wagyu Hotpot! The A5 Wagyu, dipped in umami-rich broth served boiling hot in claypot, tastes so meaty and incredibly sweet. It’s so different from other Japanese hotpot due to all the goodies added to the broth, making the meat tastes even sweeter, and the slightly thicker cut of meat, yielding a lovely creamy good bite in the texture. Such warm, comforting and luxurious dish.

The Handroll is meaty and delicious.

The Hotate is plump and sweet.

The squid has a good smooth, crunchy core and milky briny sweetness.

Chutoro is so buttery good. It’s melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

Smoked Hamachi is intense and unique in taste. A must-try here.

Yuzu miso to refresh the palates.

Negitoro, with truffle and a layer of lux from the gold dust sprinkled, is so sinfully good! Lots of creamy briny sweetness, made complex by the intense earthy aroma of truffle, does wonders for the palates.

Sweet Kyoho Grape sorbet tgat interestingly tastes like Hichew Candy.

Goma Mochi has the prefect texture with slight chewiness and pillowy soft feel.

Thoughts: One of the Best and Most Special Meals!

86 Telok Ayer Street

Omakase @ Stevens - Most Beautiful Taste of Summer

When dining at Omakase @ Stevens, I always feel like I have been taken a gastronomic trip around Japan of different seasons. One of the things that I love about Chef Kazuki's seasonal menu is that he always incorporates the distinctive taste of each season into his dishes. It is not only about savouring the best ingredients of the season, it is also about feeling the season through the sense of taste and smell.

Which is why I’m back here, all ready to enjoy the summer menu. And yes! The taste of summer in the dishes is amazingly distinctive, refreshing and exciting. What makes it even better is that this menu, saved for the signature Donabe, is totally different from the last summer menu. So I’m always in for a beautiful surprise every time I come here.

And it is such a joy to see the chefs mix the sauces, prepare the broth, cut the meats and meticulously assemble the dishes on the spot at the open kitchen counter. No wonder that this restaurant is one of my favourites among favourites and a must-visit every season.

Hassun fearures unique renditions of Hotate, Corn and Wagyu that absolutely astound me at first bites.

The Hotate here like scallop that I have never tasted before. Tthe Gazpacho is clear and light, tastes somewhat exotic with a hint of sharp pungency of wasabi and herbs. And it actually highlights the lovely mild sweetness of the hotate. Best Hotate? Yes! And I finish up every drop of the Gazpacho.

The Corn here is like corn that I have never tasted before. Yes, the milky floral buttery taste of corn is very pronounced here, which is a mark of high quality corn, and this takes on a new dimension when paired Japanese curry and Corn Flower. It is sweet and savoury at the same time. Another wow moment. The delicate handmade springroll shell adds the crispy texture that juxtaposes so well with the corn puree and cute dots of sauce.

Wagyu Rillettes here is like the beef that I never tasted before. The tender moist shredded wagyu is so beautifully savoury sweet, packed with meaty goodness. Japanese Cheddar and Japanese Mustard inject bits of excitement to round up the taste. I love this too.

Zuwaigani from Hokkaido wrapped with Japanese Amela Tomato and topped with Caviar is so magical in taste. Yes, it feels like a beautiful dream when savouring this beauty. different types of sweetness manifest in harmony gastronomic dream come true refreshing sweetness milky sweetness hint of coolness Moist texture

With a plethora of carefully cut ingredients being carefully laid out onto top of the silky smooth somen, this is the definition of the taste of summer. It is so refreshing yet luxurious at the same time. The mild tanginess of the stock, the hint of light pungency, creamy sweet umami of Uni and the lightness of the somen work beautifully together to create the best somen.

The sea bass here is the best sea bass I ever have. It’s an eye widening moment. When I take the first bite of this fish with moist pliable texture and super crispy skin. Yes, this juxtapose of textures within the fish is chef’s kiss. There is a hint of excitement and doses of creaminess to balance the light sweetness of the fish. The squid and adds a good bouncy texture while zuchini adds a refreshing element.

I’m not a fish person, but I totally look forward to the fish dishes prepared by Chef Kazuki.

The Wagyu from Miyazaki features a perfect and fine texture. It has this incredibly juicy, meaty sweet core that contrasts perfectly wiih the thin deep-fried crispy exterior. And the Hatcho Miso and Medeira deepen the complexity of the taste of the Wagyu. The additional truffle add-on layers on an earthy taste to make the taste higher up on the “wow” factor.

Smooth and starchy Niigata rice, packed with light mild briny sweetness, completed with mushroom and wagyu, tastes so good and satisfying. It is even better with truffle added. I love ii!

Doburoku Sake from Nara, Red Shiso sorbet and Moshio jelly come together to yield a refreshing, exotic, unique and delightful palate cleanser. The varied textures between the jelly, the sorbet and crunchy cheese crumble make this one of the best palate cleanser.

Miyazaki Mango is the best Mango, definitely. It is oh-so-sweet, bursting with sweet floral aroma. The pretty swirling pastry shell features this warm core that is perfect marriage with the tangy sweet taste of summer due to the lovely combination of Mango, Coconut and Passionfruit.

The most thoughtful Petite Fours made that varies in texture and taste. They, of course, taste great!

Thoughts: Summer is so Beautiful, Refreshing and Spellbinding

30 Stevens Road
#01-03

Omakase @ Stevens Sake Pairing - Perfect Beautiful Experience of Wine and Dine

Back at Omakase@Stevens (actually I'm always so looking forward coming to this restaurant due to the previous intricate beautiful experiences here) and this time is Sake Pairing with specially curated sake from Wine to Style Singapore. I totally love it and enjoy myself due to savouring awesome, specially prepared food by Chef Kazuki and gaining more in-depth knowledge about sake, thus heightening the appreciation of this beloved Japanese drink.

The Scallop here is like the most refreshing scallop I ever have. With the perfect bouncy texture juxtaposing with the crispness of the filo pastry shell and the lovely mild briny sweetness balanced by the bitterness of the root vegetables and slight pungency of the specially made chilli sauce, this is Wow at first bite.

Hassen sparkling sake features fine bubbles and a refreshing taste profile that interestingly changes with the different snacks. It's sweet when paired with the Cream and Beef, has a nice bitter hint when pairing with the scallop and is mellow when going with the corn. A very exciting drink. 

The cream covering the beef with sauce in a cute little egg shell is creamy with a sweetness that develops and it is the perfect match with the savoury sweetness of the meat. The finely chopped chives refreshes up the taste for that hint of excitement. Lots of feelings of bliss arose from enjoying this dish.

Carefully roasted over charcoal in front of the patron, the Baby Corn from Japan has its mild buttery sweetness elevated by the complex savoury sweetness of the corn puree. This is oh so good. Best corn dish I ever have? Yes!

Kinmedai fish is like no other fish. It tastes so amazingly good and different. Paired with the Rouille and Bouillabaisse, a special kind of sweetness that is similar to that of meat is developed. it's a "Wow, Wow, Wow" moment. And the texture is perfect with crispy top and succulent flesh.

Hassen Blue Label is summer Ginjyo, which is refreshing to match with the theme of summer. It goes so well with the Kinmedai, elevating the sweetness of the fish.

Kyoto Beef is creamy, meaty sweetness with pops of excitement from the peppercorns. The meat is so wonderfully juicy with a good bite. Absolutely love this too.

Ibuki Urahayanagi is another special summer sake that is smooth with a hint of bitterness for richness and complexity. I actually enjoy drinking it on its own. And of course, it goes perfectly with the beef.

Signature Donaben showcases different layers of sweetness. And the starchy, smooth, fluffy, pearl-like rice has the perfect texture. And somehow Chef Kazuki manages to tame the strong taste of Masu, aka Cherry Trout, to be so well-balanced that I totally enjoy it.

Minami Jo Dewasansan Nama is a rare Unpasturised Sake that needs more care to maintain while featuring more flavours due to the yeast and koji preserved in the making of the sake. I totally love this too.

Miyazaki Mango, which is bursting with that juicy distinctive sweet floral sweetness, goes so well wth Passion Fruit and Pineapple, where different aromas, zest and sweetness are harmonised together. Who would have known! This is like a Fruit Fiesta, vibrant in taste and also balanced, complex at the same time. And awesome texture from the thin strips of pastry that elevates the dessert both in looks and taste.

Miyoi Lychee is a rare unpasturised Sake with lychee juice added. Made in an independent brewery in Osaka, this sake is so smooth, refreshing with an iota of sweetness.

Petit Fours of Raspberry Macaron, Plum Jelly and Seaweed Chocolate. One of the most distinctive, awesome Petit Fours.

Junzo-Sen Peach Nigori is unfiltered Sake with peach pulp and juice added. Full of sweet aromas and interesting texture, I love this too.

Thoughts: A Thoroughly Thoughtful Beautiful Experience.

30 Stevens Road
#01-03