Kemuri - Wonderful Refined Izakaya Experience

I always want to go back to Kemuri after an awesome meal here. And so here I am, enjoying quality traditional Japanese cuisine with additional interesting twists. The menu changes quite a bit, and the food is still as good as ever. And it is a treat to see the chef in action at the robatayaki grill station.

The negitoro here is super sweet and smooth, and as I bite more into the roll, the warm earthy zest and savoury goodness of vinegar rice takes over, creating a lovely transition in taste profile. Tastes so satisfying, especially with a good crunchiness of the finely chopped pickles to contrast with the texture of the minced toro.

Corn mousse is so amazingly good that makes me go, "wow" at first spoonful. The floral buttery umami of corn, makes it taste like uni of vegetable kingdom, and punctuated by the herbal bitterness of the flowers for an even better and more complex taste. I love this.

The Charcoal Grilled Mushroom is surprisingly very good. It tastes so warm and earthy, whiole the texture is  soft and tender. Soaking it in light yet concentrated chicken broth is a very different way of presenting mushrooms and it totally works. Feels so comforting to savour this.

The Charcoal Grilled Tiger Prawn is plump and juicy, full of briny sweetness, topped with a hint of char. The tangy taste of lemon accentuate the sweetness and make the taste more varied. Another highlight is the cauliflower paste, which has slight vegetal earthiness, adding dimension to the taste of the prawn. The slight grittiness within the smoothness of the paste makes every bite of the prawn more interesting and enjoyable.

Charcoal grilled A5 Kagoshima Wagyu Sirloin is so tender, so juicy, so meaty sweet. The richness is balanced by the miso paste, wasabi and salt. And best of all, the meat got the sweetness of grilled meat and the light sweet aroma of straw. Every bite of this is a bliss.

Mozuku is very smooth and zesty, best enjoy at the start, to whet the appetite.

The warabi mochi here has this unbelievable liquid like, soft texture, with an iota of chewiness. This makes for such awesome mouthfeel. The earthy aroma of kinoko makes the sweetness of the dough even better and more varied. One of the best warabi mochi.

Thoughts: Absolutely Enjoyable Hearty and Authentic Japanese Meal

5 Koek Road #04-02

Wheeler’s Estate - Wheeling Good Times

Since I started to have a liking to chilling at alfresco restaurants with live bands, I decided to go to Wheeler's Estate, which is pretty near to my lair, to possibly add an restaurant to my list of favourite restaurants with live bands. After a visit, yes, this restaurant goes into the list! And this place is one of the few places where I can get to via direct bus, so this is now my top choice for dining with live bands.

I had said it before in another post that listening to live bands feels so different. The lively vibe, the real time interaction, the vibration of the music, the presence of the performers make it so much more immersive than listening to the jukebox.

The food here has good variety from pizzas, pastas, mains to appetizers, and all these feature crowd-pleasing, hearty tastes that we all enjoy.

Purple Rain showcases that slightly tangy Cranberry Juice can actually tastes smooth and floral due to the Mint Leaves and Lychee Syrup added. This is good!

A5 Wagyu Beef Skewer with Garlic Chips, Shaved Red Onion, and Lemon Wedge is da bomb of the night. Each piece is so juicy and tender, completed with meaty sweetness and a hint of char. Higher price tag, but totally worth it.

I have to admit that after savouring the skewers, the Ribeye Beef tastes very ordinary and its tougher in texture. Still can be enjoyed, but after the A5 Wagyu skewers.

Galiciana Queen Scallops is Salt Baked Zamburina Scallops soaked in Garlic Herbed Butter, completed with Pickled Pepper at the side. So briny sweet, so zesty, so savoury, these scallops are packed with good robust flavours.

Grilled Octopus is also briny sweet, laced with balanced robust flavours of Chimichurri, Lemon Capers and Butter Sauce. Another hearty treat.

Thoughts: Absolutely Cool Place to Chill, Dine and Enjoy Live Music

2 Park Lane

Surprisingly Good Haul from Takashimaya Japan Snacks & Sweets Fair

I’m going to Takashimaya to buy a Dior lipstick only, but I end up spending some time admiring the beautiful Japanese cutlery at B1 and buying quite a number of Japanese snacks from Japan Snacks & Sweets Fair at B2 😆 

Getting a matcha cake is like last of my intentions when I walked around the fair. But I end up getting this Matcha Jelly Cake because the super-moist-looking texture proves to be too tempting for me to resist. And it turns out to be such an awesome buy. The moment I open the box, I smell the sweet aroma of matcha cake and almonds. The texture is so amazing and unique. No wonder this is sold out as I brought the last box.

I have alway wondered about the taste and texture of freshly made Daifuku. So when I see a Japanese chef making the Daifuku, I immediately get two matcha ones to try. Yes, freshly made Daifuku dough is so soft and pillowy. The generous amount of matcha jelly added within the dough has that oomph of the astringent flavour of matcha. Best to enjoy with sips of tea in between because the thick matcha can be overwhelming on the palates with subsequent bites.

I also got the cheesecake selection from Cheese Garden by Goyotei. All of them are good. Goyotei Cheesecake has the buttery smoothness laced with a hint of nutty, savoury tang of cheese. Basque Cheesecake is smoother, softer with vanilla undertones. Shirasagi Cheesecake is unique with a well-balanced of textures between the creamy airy sour cream on top and the smooth cheese cake. Créme d'Anjou is wow because this is like whipped cream cheese, packed with subtle flavours, from savoury goodness, hint of zest and mild sweetness. Pineapple cheesecake is the one that surprises me the most because of how good it tastes. I never expect pineapple to work in such perfect harmony with cheesecake, this pineapply cheesecake shows that it is possible. The fruity sharp tangy sweetness of pineapply punctuates through the creaminess and richness of the cheesecake to add excitement and lightness to the taste, elevating it. 

Yokohama Pineapple Cake piques my curiosity on how it measures up against our local pineapple tarts. So I got a box to try. Pastry crust wise, it is more grainy and less buttery. But its filling of pineapple paste made with Okinawa Brown sugar is a wow. The caramel goodness of the brown sugar adds depth and excitement to the taste and also balances the sweetness of the pineapple taste.

Finally get to put my cute Ishikawa Hello Kitty porcelain plates to use!

Country of Origin: Japan

Where to get these: Takashimaya Japan Snacks & Sweets Fair

Ikkoten Omakase - Amazingly Crafted Omakase that satisfies all the Senses

After the awesome Spring menu, I'm all for more specially crafted gastronomical surprises from Chef Brandon at Ikkoten Omakase. It is such a joy to enjoy the premium ingredients being prepared, cooked and paired in rare ways that please and surprise the palates. There's also the awesome pairing of different textures to make things varied and exciting. And I discover the best croquette and sukiyaki here!

Specially curated and crafted appetisers 💖

First appetiser of Hotaru with Spinach, Oba, Miso and Tomato is so surprisingly refreshing yet earthy and mildly briny sweet at the same time. This tastes like the breath of fresh air of spring.

Potato croquettes with slightly spicy sauce potato is like the best potato croquette I ever have. The potato tastes so earthy sweet, and this sweetness is balanced by the spiciness and tanginess of specially homemade sauce, making it so exciting. The texture of the potato is so fine, contrasting perfectly with the crispy deep fried exterior.

Specially curated giant Hamaguri features a lovely milky briny sweetness, elevated by the creamy warmness and crispy texture from the burnt top, making for a unique taste experience.

Chef Brandon takes things up a notch even more by serving an entire Baby Sea Bream for sashimi course. And yet every mouthful of the carefully sliced fish tastes so different from each other because of the different pairing of sauces and condiments. Yes, one fish with ten different ways of enjoying it. Five are dotted with wasabi gel while another five with yuzu gel. These gels make the fish slices taste incredibly sweet in different ways. I love it with the spring onion that brightens up the briny sweetness of thh fish. Pairing them with cherry tomatoes or the herbs also works. Absolutely no soy sauce needed. And the fish is wrapped in kelp beforehand to impart the umami sweetness to the meat, making this course a gastronomic delight.

Intense sweetness of Ayu is lifted up by the refreshing cucumber sauce that makes the result tastes almost magical. The balance of flavours is so on the point. The deep fried enoki mushroom tastes so sweet due to the contrast from the sakura salt and edible sakura soaked in brine. The tempura bits add awesome crunchy bite to the texture.

I get to try Japanese version of popian where the plump scallop is being wrapped with seaweed and then coated with tempura batter before being deep fried to yield a thin crispy skin, which accentuates the juiciness of the super juicy and bouncy scallop. The briny sweetness of the scallop is elevated by the tangy, earthy specialty sauce, making for an exciting and complex taste.

The best sukiyaki comes in the form of Wagyu Dumpling and vegetables soaked in a savoury umami sweet broth. The broth is lighter than the usual sukiyaki sauce, but packed with more meaty sweetness, thus is perfect for sipping on. It feels so good and warm to sip on the broth served boiling hot in a claypot. The thin slices of Kagoshima Wagyu is packed with buttery meaty goodness, going perfectly with the texture of cubed vegetables packed within the wagyu slices.

I always look forward to savouring the Donabe here because Chef Brandon always adds new special ingredient to the donabe each time I come here. And every time, the donabe makes me go, "Ahh, so delicious, so flavourful, so satisfying!" Every starchy smooth grain is pumped with soft briny umami of the collagen broth and hamaguri, and the taste is lifted up by the abundance of chopped vegetables added. This is oh so good.

Special homemade Sakura Ice-cream is creamy, smooth, slightly earthy and completed with a hint of savoury goodness from the sakura salt. I enjoy this so much, especially with the buttery, earthy pine nuts that adds the extra oomph and crunch.

Super rare Sparkling Sake curated by Chef Brandon. It is so smooth, with soft bubbles to excite the palates. Best Sparkling Sake!

Another Sake specially curated for the course, and it goes so well with the meat.

Thoughts: Simply Fantastic and Exciting!

1-Arden Kaarla - Tea Party of the Dreams

Having high tea in the midst of a garden at 51st floor, and enjoying a lovely spread of dainty high tea specialities, topped with herbs from the in-house herb garden, presented on a mini garden landscape - this is a must-try experience.

Compressed Watermelon, which is Wasabi Cracker topped with Watermelon, Crasipy Strawberry, Oregano, Yuzu and Purple Verbena Bloom, is my absolute favourite here. A mouthful of this is a like burst of refreshing medley of different flavours from sweetness, zest, herbal, bitterness to savoury goodness. I immediately go, "Wow!" upon savouring this.

Edamame Hummus Tart comes in a cute boat filled with soft green Edamame Hummus paste, with Coriander, Hazelnuts, Black Sesame and Marigold Flower stacked on top. This is a lovely earthy treat full of flavours.

Spicy Tuna Maki Roll is packed with goodies, such as Tuna, Avocado, Shiso Leaf, Furikake, Mexican Tarragon and Spicy Mayo. So it has a well balance of vegetal zest, mild spiciness briny sweetness and umami.

Shrimp Tempura Maki Roll is also packed with goodies such as plump Tiger Prawn, buttery Japanese Omelette, briny Flying Fish Roe, exciting Wasabina Leaf and creamy smoky Aburi Mayo. Such satisfying flavourful treat.

Lemon Aspen Tart comes in a cute tart shell packed with creamy, zesty Lemon Aspen Curd, cute dots of Torched Meringue around the perimeter and herbal Thyme. The zest of the lemon is so well-balanced with the sweetness that makes it the golden standard for lemon dessert.

Mini Golden Lamington looks like a coconut gummy, but it is actually a rich mix of Raspberry Pâte De Fruit, Coconut Financier, Rosemary and Rum Mousse wrapped wth Dark Chocolate.

Mini Pavlova has Pavlova Shell, made from baked egg whites, packed with Lemon Myrtle Jelly, Freeze-Dried Crispy Passion Fruit and Mango curd. I love the refreshing mix of the flavours and aroma of the three fruits.

Hana Mochi Yuzu Mochi does not have Yuzu taste despite the name. The mochi is actually into a lovely cute shape of a yuzu instead, It has the filling of Passion Fruit and Sweet Red Bean Paste. The Marigold Leaf adds a lovely, contrasting, unique fresh vegetal taste to the earthy taste of the red bean paste.

Basque Cheesecake features Burnt Cheesecake, whose rich creaminess is elevated by the fruity tangy taste of Berry Coulis and Freeze-Dried Rasberries. Apple Mint further lifts up the taste of the cheesecake. Love this too.

Thoughts: Beautiful Garden of High Tea

Yuzu Fluffy Steamed Cake

I was just shopping for some natto and got a surprise find in the form of Yuzu Fluffy Steamed Cake! This cake from Ichioka Seika surprises me by how soft and fluffy it is, with the lovely ganache of Yuzu custard cream that is packed in generous amounts within the sponge cake. A bit of citrus tangy taste within the balanced sweetness, a delightful treat!

Place of Origin: Japan

Where to get this: Don Don Donki

66 Chambers (Sins and Seduction Event - The Red Room) - Epitome of Self Expression

Yes, I’m back at 66 Chambers for another Sins and Seduction because this time, they offer something different in the form of the Red Room: a room restricted to kink enthusiasts and the truly curious only.

I specifically go for this event as observer, as 66 Chambers always welcome. I’m surprised by how respectful and structured the interactions are here.

Actually, I totally enjoy this event as compared to the first such event I had attended, despite the fact that the only primary difference being the addition of Red Room only. One of the reasons is that this event attracts quite a number of kink enthusiasts, who are so friendly. And I actually feel so at ease interacting with them because of their expressiveness, openness, respect of boundaries and emphasis on communication, which is a must in kink context. There is no hidden agenda and no need for reading the room when communicating with them, thus making the interactions truly enjoyable for observers like me, who is purely looking to know and understand more ways of expression.

Yup, I don’t attend these events to find anything, which many people find unbelievable.

I find out some fascinating and intriguing nuances about kink community that totally satisfies the Enneagram 5 in me. So yes, I love to attend more events with the kink community involved, as observer.

Besides the kink enthusiasts making this event awesome, another primary difference is my mindset when going to this event. Last time, I was reactive and performative, wondering what to do, waiting around for things, like mass dancing for example, to happen, thus I felt underwhelmed when nothing big happened. Yes, there was some chatting with people, but the interaction felt strained to me because being reactive and performative at that moment, I was not into the conversations, taking all the energy out of me when I tried to respond accordingly instead of spontaneously.

Now I go with the mindset to curate my own experience based on the space 66 Chambers provides. I start talking to the kink enthusiasts and people that I find interesting, exploring different drinks on the menu, enjoying the music, dancing when the music feels right and watching some kink individuals expressing themselves. I totally enjoy myself and I do feel that curating one’s own experiences in this bar is what this place is all about.

Even the staff is way more friendlier with me this time (it was very crowded last time, so understandably, they need to focus on crowd management). Because of this, I get to talk to the bartender a bit and he recommends me the Gas Chamber. And an awesome recommendation that is. It is a fiery drink, literally, infused with aromatic smoke. The bartender will light the drink up on fire and then pour the drinks and flames all together into the shot glass. It feels so hypnotic and intriguing to see a stream of blue flames flowing down from the wine glass and into shot glass. Then I get to inhale the aromatic smoke that the drink is infused. Lastly, I down the drink in one gulp to taste its entirety of intoxication, smoothness, aroma and sweetness. It’s oh so good. I love it. Given the theatrics and great taste, this drink is a must-try.

Thoughts: Mind Opening Experience