Kagayaki by Ishigaki Yoshida - Fine Delicate Teppanyaki Feast

This restaurant is no longer in operation.

Masuda Beef is the best meat I ever have. It is so silky, tender and juicy, with light meaty sweetness. And this restaurant is the only one in Southeast Asia to serve this beef. I have to admit that being a seafood lover, I actually wanted to try Lobster set menu because this menu looks so good. But after pondering about it for 15 minutes, I changed my mind and went for Kagayaki Masuda Beef Omakase instead. Since I figured the exclusivity of Masuda Beef is worth it for me to take the plunge and deviate from my usual seafood choices.

And yes, it is worth it!

Even the layout of the place feels exclusive has this elegant zen vibe, with the long serene, elegant corridor leading up to the main dining room. In here is the Teppan counter where patrons can feast on both the sight of Chef Nobuyasu Kamiko preparing the food and the food itself.

The service here is one of the best. In addition to being friendly, meticulous and professional, the service staff seems to know exactly what I want before I even say it out. He immediately knows that me is me at the entrance (well, being a solo diner makes it possible to recognize me, I guess, but it’s the thought that counts). He also figures out that I want to takeaway the rice. I’m impressed.

Homemade Soba with Ikura features al dente soba with a good bite. Highly recommend to pepper each bite of the soba with the wasabi and bits of the bitter plant for a more dimensional and varied taste.

I like the firm and smooth texture of ginko. Its earthy taste is also a refreshing change from the briny taste of the soba.

Masuda Sushi with Oscietra Caviar is of course the highlight. No frills, just a thin, smooth, tender slice of raw beef on a mould of rice to let the natural mild sweet taste of the meat shine on its own. The intense umami of caviar adds splashes of excitement to this lovely taste. I think I’m going to enjoy the rest of the Masuda Beef Omakase.

Beef Consommé is clear broth that is full of earthy umami that really warms the soul and heart while sipping on it.

Beef Tartare is one of my favourites of the night because of the excellent juxtapose of textures of tender beef, bouncy caviar and crunchiness of the deep fried vermicelli. The multi-faceted taste is as beautiful as its looks.

Surprise of the night is the Spring Roll. I didn’t expect it to be this good. The cooked shredded beef is so juicy, silky, easy to bite and packs lots of flavours. An addictive snack to indulge in.

Sliced Beef Grilled on Teppan in "Shabu Shabu" Style. With the refreshing crisp taste of the shredded leek cutting through the meaty creaminess of the beef, the result is the sweetness of the meat becoming even more pronounced. Recommended to try a piece without the sauce to appreciate the mild sweetness. In fact, this is my favourite way of savouring the sliced beef.

If dipping in the white sesame sauce or ponzu, go easy on it since the meat had been seasoned already during cooking. Just dip a small tip of the slice for that spark of excitement.

Kagayaki Salad is simplicity at its finest. The veggies are so fresh, sweet, juicy and crunchy. The homemade sauce makes it even better. I also love the onion coated with thin deep fried batter. This variation in texture and taste in the fresh garden is a good twist to perk things up.

Raging fire at Ubame Tosa Bincho charcoal for grilling the steak.

Beautiful Marbling. And it even has a certificate as proof of exclusivity and quality.

Savouring this is like unlocking a foodie achievement. Seared over 60 degrees Teppan for an hour to seal in the juices, the steak is then cooked over the charcoal for a crispy finish. The taste and texture is so amazing: creamy, juicy, tender with a good bite, sweet and rich. It’s a moment of wonder and bliss that grilled meat can be this juicy. A must-try for foodies.

The ingredients to be used for the garlic rice. I like this presentation!

Satisfying bowl of garlic rice prepared on the Teppan right in front of the patrons. As usual, I request to takeaway the second portion to enjoy it at on empty stomach instead. The moment I take the first spoonful of the garlic rice at home, the lovely medley of flavours and aromas evokes that satisfying warm feeling. This is oh-so-good. Yes, I recommend takeaway if you feel pretty full after a helping of the garlic rice.

Fresh mochi made right on spot at the start of dining.

The premium homemade matcha gelato is so smooth and carries this mild vegetal grassy notes with sweet nuttiness. The mochi is perfect in texture: slightly chewy for a good bite, without sticking to the teeth. The black sugar within adds that awesome intense caramel goodness to the mochi. The staff even encourage to get more from the mixing bowl if I want 👍🏻

Watching the Teppanyaki chefs in action is always a joy, and this restaurant adds an additional layer of luxe,  exclusivity and homemade goodness to Teppanyaki dining. It is an experience like no others

Thoughts: Luxurious Teppanyaki Experience!

Teppan Works - Exciting and Awesome Meal

After realising that having Teppanyaki can be an awesome experience due to the real-time preparation of food and how delicious the food can be, if prepared the perfect way, I go on a search for authentic Teppanyaki restaurants, and I found Teppan Works. And what a good find this is, where I get to enjoy good food, some with unique twists, at a good price and have a good time interacting with the Japanese chefs and staff. Another important thing: I still smell great after a meal here despite sitting right in front of the cooking area.

 

I decide to order omakase to get an idea of what the food here is all about. And the trio of seafood impressively served is of the more premium seafood: scallop, oyster and prawn.

Yes, I still remember that particular incident at a French restaurant under a prestigious group where I ordered a seafood dish with add-on price and only got salmon, salmon and more salmon plus a piece of octopus. Oh well ...

Okay, back to happy times at Teppan Works here. The scallop is briny and very creamy in taste. I can dab the seafood with a bit of ponzu sauce with grated radish or their special tartar sauce for extra kick in the taste. Talking about the special tartar sauce, it has nuanced flavours and vegetable bits in there for the extra bite, making this probably my favourite tartar sauce. The lightly grilled oyster is very creamy too, smooth, succulent and has light taste of iodine with umami. The prawn completes the lovely creamy dream by being creamy and sweet while being firm in texture for a good bite. The very light layer of char elevates the taste of the prawn to be oh-so-good and totally satisfying.

I get to choose one obanzai, aka starter dish, from an array of them nicely presented on a huge wooden tray. All looks so good! It's hard to choose. And they are not usually seen at other restaurants, so I want to try them all.

After much deliberation, I choose smoked duck, and I'm so happy with my choice after the first bite of this. Velvety smooth in texture, easy to bite, this gamey meat has a rich smokey flavour that tastes even better when eating it with the accompanying onion shreds for the pungent kick.

I opt for Dashimaki, the plain omelette, and what I get is a new gastronomic experience of savouring the silkiest, smoothest, paper-thin omelette, paired with the most unlikely sauce: Yuzu Chilli Sauce. The omelette is very good on its own, and when eaten with the refreshing, yet slightly spicy and tangy yuzu chilli sauce, it becomes amazingly good. This is a must-try when at this restaurant.

I add Pari Pari Avocado with Melty Cheese to my order due to curiosity. This is very flavourful, especially when Tasbasco sauce is added, at the recommendation of the chef. The soft avocado is served in one big chuck so that I can fully enjoy its veggie creaminess in big bites. I like it. And a shout-out to the thoughtfulness of the service staff who reduced the portion from original 2 pieces to 1 piece upon seeing that I'm solo dining. The price is of course halved 👍

The seemingly old-school chawamushi here also surprises me since it is served cold instead. When eaten with pops of the umami laden caviar, the flavours work beautifully together. The custard actually feels smoother when served cold, and the coldness preserves the taste and texture of the caviar. An awesome surprise.

The accompanying asparagus of the pork steak is crunchy and the tomato is juicy. The fried almond slices, my favourite yuzu chilli sauce and sea salt makes the pork a flavourful treat. The browned parts of the pork is very nice. Check out the video to see how the chef meticulously slices the pork. Though I have to say that I prefer thinly sliced pork over pork steak. This is more for steak lovers.

This is one of the best okonomiyaki I have. Lots of quality cabbages is packed within the thin layer of dough, which is exactly the ratio of cabbage to dough in a good okonomiyaki. What makes this even better is that the cabbage is very finely chopped, yet not mashed, to fully release the sweetness of the vegetable while retaining its crunchiness. I have no problem finishing this by myself despite its pretty big size.

The place looks like an izakaya with a unique brick wall on one side to give that rustic feel, making it a great place to just relax and enjoy some good food. The chef and service staff are super friendly and engaging. Lots of interactions ensured. I have a good time chatting with them while savouring the great food. It is so easy to feel at ease here. If you are up for a good chat, this is a good place (at the counter seats) to consider.

I definitely look forward to coming back here and recommend this place to my family and friends. And there are lots of other unique dishes that I like to try.

Thoughts: The perfect place to go for for good Teppanyaki with unique twists and just have fun.

42 Tras Street

Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar

Teppan Kappou Kenji - Best Teppanyaki Restaurant in Singapore

This restaurant is no longer in operation

The good part about traveling on BMW (Bus, MRT, Walk) is that I found lots of quaint restaurants of interest when passing by them. And I managed to suss out quite a number of very good restaurants through this way. This is in a way very fun, having the element of adventure and the "oh yes, I made the right choice!" feeling when the restaurant turns out to be good. Teppan Kappou Kenji is exactly one of those restaurants. I only know about this place through noticing it while on my way to Tras Street. A meal at here and I want to say, "Oh yes, I made the right choice!"

Live Scallop Cook with Soy Sauce and Butter is carefully and lightly grilled to perfection, having the light char for smoky flavour while retaining the moisture of the scallop. The scallop is so plump and juicy. soaked in the light clear sauce and paired with the umami laden creaminess of sweet uni, this is oh-so-good. And the sauce is so good and clean in taste that I start to drink it like it is soup until it is finished.

By the way, I like the clay furnace the scallop is served on, so I took extra photos and even a video showcasing it in its full glory.

Avocado with Herbs and Cheese is a very interesting dish. The chef sprinkled the cheese on the hot plate to form a mini cheese pancake. After both sides are nicely browned, grilled avocado, herbs, sakura ebi and sauce are added on them. When served, I rolled this up and take bites off it. I like it that there lots of different textures and subtle flavours at work here. A hearty treat.

I wish my photo does more justice to Japanese Lobster from Mie Prefecture (Isejingu Hono) than it does now. It is so unbelievably good that I find this photo of mine is not highlighting this fact enough.

As I had said before umpteen of times in my previous posts, lobster is particularly hard to prepared well as compared to its cousin, The Prawn. I had been to countless restaurants where the lobster just simply falls short: meat too tough, too bland or too stinky.

BUT the first bite of the Japanese Lobster here has me swooning in delight. You know the anime scene where flowers and sparkles appear when the character had taken the first bite of some awesome food? Yes, this is what happened to me ... in my mind. The lobster meat is incredibly soft with a bit of bounce in the texture. Simply perfect. The flavours are harmonised layers of the nuanced briny sweetness of the lobster, the light char, light clear sauce, creaminess plus umami of the uni, and the intense flavours of roe and tomalley–guts of the lobster to be precise. It works, it works so beautifully. A must-try at this place.

Queen Crab is seasonal item. I like it that the crab meat and roe was nicely scooped out and cooked before packing them back into the crab shell for my enjoyment, so I do not have to get my hands dirty. The nice oceanic flavours of the crab meat is zested up by the slightly sweet and sour clear starchy sauce. A nice dish to enjoy.

The interior is nice, having wood frames and panels juxtaposed with bricks to create a kind of Japanese yet rustic ambience. And I love it that the Teppanyaki hot plate is clean and shiny–yes, I'm fussy about this kind of thing, that's just me. The Japanese lady in charge of service is very friendly, helpful, accommodating and enthusiastic. And I appreciate it that when I want seasonal fruits, she actually tells me the fruits available so that I can make an informed choice on whether I really want it. The other staff are pretty new at their jobs, at least they are trying their best. By the way, the door is opened by sliding it sideway. I fiddled around with it for quite a while before being able to make my "grand" entrance.

This restaurant really overturns my previous impression that Teppanyaki is oily, and too heavy on taste due to use of thick salty sauces or too bland due to too little salt added. The food here is expertly grilled to perfection, clear taste, light on palates yet full of subtle flavours. If I want to enjoy Teppanyaki again, this is definitely the place I will go to. Oh yes, I saw the thinly sliced pork being grilled in front of me, it looks delicious, I want to try that next time.

Thoughts: The ultimate place to enjoy Teppanyaki.

99 Tanjong Pagar Road
#01-01
Singapore

Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar

Miyako Teppanyaki & Grill - Love the Sheer Variety of the Set Meals

Closed

After trying out almost all the restaurants in Nihon Street's line-up and being impressed with them, naturally, we got to check out the new kid on the block: Miyako Teppanyaki & Grill. What impress me about this restaurant are the variety of set meals available and the changes, vast improvements to be exact, done to the menu based on feedbacks. Now I can say that this place is officially a true part of Nihon Street's family, where nice Japanese food that does not break the bank can be found. And Japanese also patronizes this restaurant, which goes to show how good the food here is.

The decor of the restaurant is pretty much along the line of nice mid-range Japanese restaurant. While neither striking nor exceptional, it has that cosy ambience that is great for family outings and gatherings for friends or colleagues. And it definitely helps that the place is spacious.

The donburi set meals available during lunch time are very value for money, and I decide to try Soft Shell Crab Don since it is not like one can get this kind of don everywhere. Well, I guess I make the right choice. The generous portion of soft shell crabs are fried to an amazing texture where it is soft, with a little bit of crispiness. I like to munch on the crab legs for the slight crunchiness while I love to eat the main body because of the creamy flesh hidden within. And I also like the specialty sauce drizzled over the crab.

As for the set meals, which are also available during dinner, I am surprised by the huge variety there. For grilled fish sets alone, there are seven of them already, imagine that. From the usual suspects of salmon and unagi to the rare ones of yellowtail and snapper, fish lovers are spoilt for choices.

Since I prefer raw fish over cooked one, I opt for the Scallop & Prawn Teppanyaki set instead, and oh boy, am I glad I choose this. The fresh scallops and prawns are skillfully grilled to the point that the meat has a bit of charred surface, for that lovely aroma of grilled meat, yet retaining the succulent texture. The scallops are juicy and springy though easy to bite—well-prepared scallops should be like that. And the huge prawns are creamy, I like it so much that I even end up scrapping the incredibly creamy, flavourful hepatopancreas from the base of the prawns' heads. Yes, I highly recommend savouring this part of the prawn, don't let such a gem go to waste. The seasonings is light, enough to enhance the taste of the seafood without stealing the limelight. Another highlight is the fried garlic slices that are served with the set meals. The muted pungent flavour of fried garlic goes so wonderfully with the meat. The accompanying vegetables are kind of ordinary though, they are more for a well-rounded diet.

My companion orders the Chicken Steak Teppanyaki Set, and his verdict is that it is awesome when paired with Japanese sauce, which is available upon request. I have tried it, and I find that the meat is very well seasoned, and like the seafood, grilled to perfection. It does not really need the sauce in my opinion, the scattering of pepper on top is enough to make it tasty.

The salad is Japanese tangy salad sauce drizzled over fresh, crisp raw vegetables. It is a decent appetizer to whet the appetite, and I like it that they are generous in pouring lots of sauce over the veggies. And the slightly translucent, starchy Japanese rice here passes the standard I expect from Japanese restaurants. Yes, I am very picky about the quality of rice. The rice got to be good for me to patronize any restaurant again since it is what makes or breaks a hearty meal.

Kushiyaki of the day: yakitori, complimentary from the order of 300ml of sake served in a Japanese styled bucket of ice, is also another winner. The meat is very flavourful due to the faint hint of charred meat, well-seasoned meat and a coat of the savoury sweet yakitori sauce. This does get me hyped to try other kushiyaki items in the future.

Salted caramel ice-cream is a nice treat to end the meal. I always like the taste of molasses in caramel, but I do find that caramel, in general, is too sweet to my liking. The salted caramel ice-cream here gets the proportions right as it is not overly sweet, thus I do find myself enjoying it a lot. And a bit saltiness makes the ice-cream taste so great!

Service here is impressive since the friendly staffs are attentive and respond promptly to requests.

With the set meals priced at pretty wallet-friendly prices, plus the good food, I am set on visiting this restaurant again soon.

My Thoughts: It is one of my Favourite Haunts!

This restaurant is no longer in operation.