Aoi 葵 - Nice, cool Izakaya that has everything

Time to suss out hidden gems in Cuppage! Actually, Cuppage used to be my favourite dining destination. This dingy place houses lots of quaint Japanese eateries that it feels like treasure hunting in a forgotten cavern. After change of lifestyle that takes me to treasure hunting in Chinatown area instead, I don’t really have chances to visit Cuppage again.

A Watercolour Art event brings me to an evening at Orchard, and this is exactly the opportunity to uncover a hidden gem in the good ol Cuppage. This time I found Aoi 葵, a pretty new, but not exactly new restaurant.

There is buffet option with over 100 items to choose, which is very attractive, but yours truly opt for ala carte instead since I want to have a quick meal. The over 100 items are good ol izakaya food prepared in all possible Japanese ways, from cold appetizers, sashimi, maki, temaki, sushi, deep fried food, grilled food, steamed food rice, noodles to yakitori. The variety is very good, and the food is yummy.

The interior is reminiscent of modern, stylish Izakaya, having that cool yet cosy ambience. The service is very warm, friendly and efficient.

Hokkaido scallop with Foie Gras is such a rich, luxurious dish with flavours that mesmerizes the palates. Being seared lightly on the surface and raw in the core, the plump, juicy scallop retains the nice bouncy, creamy texture. Its briny sweetness is perfect match with the earthy umami of foie gras. I even finish the tomato slice underneath because it tastes so good after absorbing the essence of scallop and foie gras, with refreshing tobiko trapped within.

Nice tasty Negitoro Maki. It is full of flavours.

Grilled Squid, with the sweetness of grilled meat, is tender while still retaining a good bite. Very good texture, I enjoy munching on the body cut into rings. The tentacles are drier and harder though.

Nice Soft Shell Crab Temaki.

Nice zesty 8% alcoholic drink, Yuzu Shu.

I enjoy dining here due to the variety, tasty food, quaint vibe and cosy environment. A good place for gathering, especially with the buffet option.

Thoughts: Quaint, Cool Place

5 Koek Road

#03-01 Cuppage Plaza

Nearest MRT: Somerset

Tapas Club - In Mood for some Spanish Goodies

 

Tapas Club is a surprise find when roaming about the secluded area of Orchard Central. What attracts me to take the plunge to check out this place is the Tapas Eight menu, consisting of really small plates at less than 10 dollars, and the bold, striking European decor of the place. The Crab & Shrimp is the highlight of the meal. Two treasures of the sea combined with the shrimp lightly seared to release the flavours of smoked meat is definitely a winner. For this dish, I want to come back often to enjoy it.

Ham Croquette is crispy fried breadcrumbs wrapped around a creamy filling that hides a ganache of tasty ham. I love this too for the progression in texture and the variety in taste. Patatas Bravas is like the staple of Tapas, giving the satisfaction of eating carbs. Let’s face it, carbs does make one feel satisfied and full.

Garlic Prawn is a dish of Tapas Club instead of part of the repertoire of Tapas Eight. The prawns are very fresh and succulent. The spicy sauce filled with garlic flavour enhances, not eclipsed over, the delicate taste of the prawns.

I love the interior of the place. The European vibe is very strong, making one feel like being transported to anither part of the world. The splashes of red livens up the place and makes it look very chic. Service is good, a middle-aged female staff took the time and effort to explain to us on the differences between Tapas Club and Tapas Eight, and how to order. Though due to the limited number of staff manning a huge space, one may need to take some time to get their attention.

I love the concept of Tapas Eight. It allows me to try many dishes without overstuffing the tummy. And the dishes on Tapas Eight actually interests me more than the ones on Tapas Club main menu. I want so much to go back again to enjoy the tapas!

Note: There is no more Tapas Eight now. Oh well … I only have this post as memories.

Thoughts: Awesome small tapas dishes

Nearest car park: Orchard Central’s car park

Nearest MRT: Somerset

181 Orchard Road

Orchard Central #02-13

Singapore

Sushi Shiki Hanamaru - Awesome Chirashi and Crab Gratin

Closed

Losing an opportunity here may lead to finding a new opportunity elsewhere. This is what happened to us when we found out that our regular haunt, Misato is full house and we decided to walk through the tunnel to get to Orchard Central. That led us to Don Don Donki, where Sushi Shiki Hanamaru is also located, so we figured that no harm checking out what this restaurant is all about. And it is a good choice that we made since this restaurant is exactly what I need to fill up the void left by Kuroson—I seldom to go this place after my favourite dishes were scrapped off the menu.

My favourite got to be the Minced Tuna Rice Bowl. It is so sumptuous: smooth, starchy rice being topped with my favourite negitoro, which is minced tuna by the way, generous number of ama ebi that I love so much for its sweetness, flying fish roe that gives pops of surprise and variation to the texture, and surfer clam. This is oh so good. The seafood is so fresh. To top it off, this rice bowl is priced at an unbelievable price of fifteen dollars! If you are into raw seafood, do your tastebuds and wallet a favour to make it a must to order this rice bowl.

Crab Gratin is another must order. The umami of sweet succulent real crab meat, enveloped by butter and soft, fluffy, stretchy cheese, topped off with a thin layer of charred cheese hits all the right notes on the tastebuds. It is not often that we get to see Crab Gratin in most menus, so it is definitely worth it to try this when dining at this restaurant.

My companion’s comment on the platter of sushi is that the fishes and seafood are fresh.

Chicken Karaage is pretty good since the chicken is succulent. And actually, I like the accompanying salad a lot lol

The interior is pretty nice and cosy with hints of izakaya bar style despite the place being sort of open concept. It is a nice place to lounge at. Service is okay.

I am totally digging this place because of the rare items in the menu, fresh seafood, variety and totally value-for-money rice bowls. Though I have only been here once, I am putting this restaurant under “My Favourite Haunts” category already since I know I will be back often. It is good to know that I have one more good choice to choose from when I am at Orchard.

Thoughts: 👍🏻

This restaurant is no longer in operation.

Misato - Quality Japanese Cooked Food made with Love

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

Izakaya SHUN - Cuppage’s Best Kept Secret

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.

https://www.izakayashun.sg/

Hanashizuku - Cuppage’s Little Secret

Hanashizuku is one of those restaurants that I always pass by but never have the chance to check it out since it used to be opened for dinner only. I finally get around to try out the food there when it started to open for weekday lunch recently. And I guess I just suss out another well-kept secret hidden in the dingy Cuppage Plaza.

Ambience wise, this place is like an upmarket izakaya and bar due to the posh settings, yellow lights and the jazz music playing in the background. It is perfect for chilling out if one just wants to soak in the relaxed atmosphere and enjoy good food. Great for dates too, due to the romantic soft yellow lights and soothing music.

Starting with the salad of fresh crisp raw vegetables drizzled with sesame sauce, I like the thin shreds of radish that give an extra crunchiness and refreshing taste to this starter.

I order Bento of the Week, which features lots of small dishes for me to try out. The trio of salmon, akami and hanachi sashimi is fresh, with absolutely no hint of the fishy smell. Pumpkin with Sakura ebi is probably one of the best pumpkin dishes I have tried. I have no love for pumpkins, but the dish here changes my mind. Soft yet not mushy, the sweet pumpkin soaks up the unami of the thick, starchy broth that it is suspended in, and with the strong taste of the shrimp, the savoury flavours add dimension to the taste of the root vegetable and balances the sweetness of the pumpkin.

Crab Coquette makes for a hearty treat due to the creamy, lava-like crab filling enveloped by mashed potato coated with incredibly crispy breadcrumbs. And the shredded cabbage salad is a refreshing addition to this deep-fried item. This dish goes very well with the quality starchy Japanese rice sprinkled with seaweed and sesame. Grilled Salmon with Spicy Roe sauce is better than most cooked salmon dishes I had tried because of the creamy spicy roe sauce that neutralizes the strong aroma of cooked salmon. But I will prefer it if the sauce is spicier to further balance the strong flavours present.

Tempura and Sashimi set is really value for money. For $18.00 only, one can get three thick slices of salmon sashimi and an assortment of tempura items that feature very crispy fried batter.

Service is absolutely great due to the attentive and friendly staff. The service does a great part to make this restaurant feels like the perfect place to chill out.

After trying the lunch sets, I am eager to go back and try other interesting offerings on the ala carte menu, like the carpaccio dishes. So stay tuned to this page for updates!

My Thoughts: Very Nice!

Nearest car park: Cuppage Plaza’s car park
Nearest MRT: Somerset

5 Koek Road
#02-01 Cuppage Plaza
Singapore
Contact No: ‭6733 7498‬