Sushi Kimura - Traditional, Simple, Dedicated, Amazing

This restaurant is no longer in operation.

Actually, I had dined at Sushi Kimura many years ago. But me not being in a good state at that time despite my high anticipation of the meal left me impressed but not amazed. So when I found out the latest news about this restaurant, I did wonder if the experience will be different given that I'm totally in my element now. And so I made a reservation, unsure of what to expect.

And guess what, the experience is absolutely amazing. I'm so happy with my choice to dine here again to truly experience beautiful subtle taste of traditional Japanese cuisine. I can say the food here really represents the best of traditional Japanese Sushi Omakase. I'm kind of the person who tends towards new flavours, but Chef Kimura and his team surprise me on how awesomely good traditional Japanese cuisine can be. And I love this kind of surprises too.

Using curated choice ingredients, such as Hokkaido Spring Water, special A-grade Tsuya-hime Organic rice, Organic premium Vinegar from Kyoto,  exclusive Shin Nori from Ariake sea, and skilled techniques plus dedication to culinary finesse, the inherent sweetness of every ingredient is fully showcased in the dishes. Every mouthful of the food makes me go, "Wow, this natural sweetness is unbelievable pronounced and good!"

As these amazing flavours are subtle and in harmony, I do think that one needs to come here in the right mood to immerse in the experience and appreciate these flavours, based on own experience.

The service here is amazing, being very attentive and gets everything exactly right. I definitely feel pampered here. This restaurant truly deserves the Michelin Star awarded for 7 years straight.

The silky tofu skin with its mild milky flavour is surprisingly very refreshing with ikura, yuzu jelly and wasabi added. I’m surprised that a seemingly simple dish can taste so good and complex.

Seasonal Chawamushi made from Hokkaido spring water hides a lovely ganache of briny sweet snow crab and is peppered with crunchy shitake bits for a good texture. This is the sweetest chawamushi with the savoury sweetness at the core. So tasty, so awesome.

Abalone here, with its trademark mild umami and bouncy texture, proves to be interesting and surprising in taste with an awesome savoury brininess to highlight the soft taste of abalone.

Chef preparing Assorted Sashimi and Seasonal Vegetables

Bonito sashimi is out-of-this-world-good. It features an amazingly light, paper thin, crispy skin completed with the aroma of char from charcoal grill. The juxtapose of this crispiness and the meaty texture is so brilliant.

Amber Jack is clean in taste, made exciting by the refreshing, sweet, crunchy pomegranate seed.

I remember I had said that Chef Kimura is excellent to preparing vegetable dishes, and the seasonal vegetables featured exactly proves this point. The fresh tomato is juicy, crunchy, sweet, going so well with the variety of flavourful vegetables, such as iceberg veggie.

The strip of flesh from the head of tuna is so juicy and creamy. The accompanying sea tomato and pumpkin make it even better. 

Jovial Chef Kimura preparing the sushi

I love the contrast between starchy rice and sweet briny meatiness of marinated, beautifully marbled Akami.

The mild vinegar really highlights the sweetness of the melty creamy chutoro. This is so fantastic.

Spotted grouper is clean in taste and has a bouncy texture, a nice switch in taste profile from the warm creamy chutoro. 

Yellow tail is very rich in taste. Probably the best yellowtail I ever have.

Otoro seared with special Aburi technique using Charcoal

Aburi Ototro is like steak with brininess with that awesome melt-in-your-mouth consistency and a light smoky aroma.

Saba is super briny and sweet.

King Squid is crunchy, bouncy and milky sweet.

Hotate, carefully grilled over charcoal, is toasty and full of flavours of the sea.

Miso soup is the most unique soup with the distinctive pungency of onion. Its taste is clean, clear and tasty. Tastes especially refreshing after the sushi. It looks simple, but I love the taste so much.

Luxurious Rice Bowl with lots of uni, ikura, onsen egg sauce and minced tuna.

Super Fuwa Fuwa Tamgo cake is so fluffy and moist, just like a cake.

Refreshing Shine Muscat, the grape varierty I coined as the King of Grapes, and Japanese Pear plus premium Matcha Pudding that is so clear and pure in taste.

Thoughts: Tradition at its Best

390 Orchard Road #01-07 Palais Renaissance

Omakase @ Stevens - Beautiful Perfect Experience

I knew I will definitely come back to Omakase @ Stevens when I first dined here. The Summer experience was too awesome and so, I’m all excited about what Chef Kazuki Arimoto has in store for the Autumn menu. And the experience this time here is just as magical due to the unique combination of the Flair and Complexity of French Cuisine with the Intricacy and Meticulousness of Japanese Dining.

Other things I love about this restaurant is the exploration of new tastes and textures, emphasis on Japanese premium ingredients and showcase of the ingredients in their original form. All these heighten the enjoyment of the experience.

And the service is as stellar as ever. I said it before, and will say it again: one of the best restaurants! This is of Michelin Star standard. 

Hokkaido Amaebi with Caviar, mild sesame oil and one of a kind Eggplant custard features lots of complex and well balanced flavours. The prawns have great texture, being springy with an iota of crunch. Beautiful look, beautiful taste.

First bite of Hassun is Hokkaido Uni stacked on top of Brioche and topped with clear seaweed jelly. So can a uni dish taste refreshing yet retaining its unique intense creaminess at the same time? Sounds impossible but Chef Kazuki Arimoto made it possible, and it is so awesome.

Miyagi Wagyu with Figs, Cheese Donut brilliantly takes the taste profile to another direction with a meaty sweet warmness that warms one’s core. It’s another unbelievable beautiful moment.

Things take an awesomely exotic turn with Ehime Hiougi Gai, Radish and Japanese chilli. Yes, you read that right, chillies straight from Japan, specially prepared from being soaked in salt water, buried in ice and then fermented to yield a unique subtle spiciness with tinge of bitterness, highlighting the mild milky briny flavour of the shellfish.

Kyoto Honshimeji is prepared with a special brewing method for the various varieties of mushrooms used to preserve their aroma.

It is the best mushroom soup. Pure, clear, light, complex, full of different earthy, savoury, meaty flavours, coupled with the sweetness of Angel Prawn and herbal bitterness of Ginko Nut, giving a lace of excitement.

Kocht Katsu Bonito, smoked in hay and touched up with Shiso, Smoked Oil, Onion Puree, is oh-so-savoury-sweet, with light pungency of onion and a touch of smoky aroma. Best bonito I ever have.

Hokkaido Samegarei Flounder is so succulent with crispy skin. Yuzu, Chrysanthemum, Junmai Daiginjo sauce does the magic to elevate the taste to gastronomic amazement.

Miyagi A5 Wagyu Meaty with miso Madeira is juicy and has a good bite with streaks of creaminess. It is so meaty sweet, a perfect match with the slices of truffle.

A mouthful of Donabe here, made from perfectly cooked Niigata Rice yielding smooth, starchy rice grains, immediately evokes that feeling of happiness. It is pure good comfort food, addictive, satisfying. Another rarity, Salmon from Japan, is milder in taste, tastes refreshing, aromatic, fresh and just simply different. If I want to eat Salmon, it got to be the Salmon here.

Ibaraki Waguri Chestnut, Wasanbo, White Bean Jam is epitome of excellent layering to create a surprisingly refreshing taste with creamy sweetness, pronounced earthy, nutty flavours. There is a rich taste of chestnut, yet it is light at the same time, especially with the ice-cream and amazing cloud-like meringue.

Best chestnut dessert ❤️

Delicate Petit Fours

Excellent Sparkling Sake. So good that I got 2 glasses of it!

Thoughts: Beautiful, Amazing, Delicate Experience. One of the Best!

30 Stevens Road #01-03

Miraku - Wonderful, One of a Kind Sushi Omakase

I’m back at Miraku again! Since this restaurant had actually made a very strong impression during my previous dining experience here. And yes, the experience here is still as unique, refreshing, engaging and enjoyable as ever. The chef even makes the effort to show the pictures of the rare fishes featured 👍🏻

I love all the dishes of Sushi Omakase.

Appetisers to explore different kinds of taste profiles

Minced Toro with caviar is creamy, sweet, lovingly contrasted by the thin monaka cracker and briny caviar.

Fish Roe with Bonito Flakes has such interesting texture, being bouncy with lots of micro pops yielding mild briny juices when biting into it.

Mantis Shrimp, a rarity, with vegetables, is full of briny sweetness and features a nice slightly chewy texture.

Aburi Tachiuo is so good, with the sweetness highlighted by the char surface with roasted aroma. Scallop is bouncy and mildly sweet. Chutoro is pure indulgence with its melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Yagara fish, another rarity, is clear in taste, with an iota of spicy, zesty goodness to perk up the taste. A very good start for the repertoire of sushi.

Kinmedai has a wonderful bouncy texture and clean taste.

Shima Aji is unbelievably sweet. And this must be the lightest Shima Aji in taste, which is actually awesomely unique. 

Akami shining like a red jewel, is zesty and sweet.

Japanese bluefin, another rarity, features a total different taste profile from the fishes before it, which is simulating for the palates. It features a stronger oceanic taste and surprisingly melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Shore fish, another rarity, is lighter in taste and has an unique, firm texture.

Black throated sea perch creamy sweet with roasty char aburi is strength of this place

Akagai is very crunchy and sweet. I love this change in texture and taste profile of the array of sushi featured.

Otoro in aburi form actually works wonderfully with its melty goodness and an additional complexity in taste.

Uni sushi is of course good! I’m so happy to see this!

Sukiyaki A4 wagyu, expertly and lightly cooked in broth to maintain the juiciness, has this super sweet meatiness and is so well balanced in taste. Chef even adds in an extra sushi ball for this at my request.

Totokaku Roll is super creamy and briny sweet, accentuated by the crunchy zesty pickles. An excellent treat to indulge in.

Black Persimmon is super sweet. Best persimmon!

Thoughts: Exciting Experience!

12 Gopeng Street ICON Village #01-01~04