Ikkoten Omakase - Pure Indulgence and Delights

Back again at Ikkoten and using premium seasonal ingredients from Japan, Chef Brandon has more awesome gastronomic surprises in store for me ❤️

Hassun starts with refreshing, savoury goodness of smooth silky Japanese tofu skin with uni and homemade sauce. So good that I scoop up every drop of the sauce saturated with the essence of tofu and uni.

Pregnant Squid features the mild milky sweetness of the squid, highlighted by the intense umami of the roe. The juxtapose of the texture of springy, tender squid and that of powdery roe is excellent.

Sweet refreshing juicy Japanese kumquat is the best when savoured after the briny sweet squid. This contrast in taste is excellent.

Special Inari prepared is the best Inari I ever have. So tasty and so satisfying.

Special Premium Sake Cup, specially brought out for me to use 💖 The beautiful pattern of light casted though it, reminiscent of light shone through foliage and onto water, is one of reason why it is so special.

Special Sake Cup must be paired with special Sake, which is Nanbu Bijin, a specially curated sake from Chef Brandon's personal collection. This is sweet and the smoothest sake I ever have.

Hokkigai has this mild briny sweetness elevated in refreshing complexity by the pickles. The texture is crisp, springy, tender with a good bite.

Ootoro with shoyu jelly and a medley of refreshing herbs plus finely shredded vegetables is one of the best otoro I ever have. The otoro, with its natural sweetness, tastes even sweeter when its richness is balanced by the goodies added.

Signature Negitoro Sushi is sweet umami heaven. So naturally sweet that it’s unbelievable. The crispy monaka adds such a good crispy texture to the mashed tuna belly.

I also love the luxurious feel from the generous amount of gold powder sprayed.

Chargrilled Shirako Chawamushi is one of the best shirako dish I ever have. The special grilling process totally eliminated the typical fishy smell of shirako and added a layer of char taste, yielding this wonderful medley of briny creaminess and sweet bitter aromatics of smoked meat.

Winter Shrimp Root Yam with Amadai is another winner too. The fish is specially deep-fried to get super crispy fish scales, going so well with the oh-so-sweet, sweet potato and crispy lotus root. The homemade tangy cream sauce goes perfectly well with the fish.

Bonchotan Charcoal Grilled Miyazaki A5 Wagyu goes so well with lightly pungent Housemade Black Garlic Sauce. So meaty, so juicy, so flavourful.

Signature Donabe Meshi with rock fish is pure starchy goodness.

Yubari Melon and Strawberry wrapped with Cream in mochi skin is sweet bliss!

Thoughts: Still one of my favourites among my favourite restaurants for a very good reason 😉

86 Telok Ayer Street

Omakase @ Stevens - Astounded All Over Again

Omakase @ Stevens has always been one of my favourites among favourites, as evident by how I make it a point to come here every season. I always so look forward to coming here because Chef Kazuki always has lots of gastronomic surprises in store for patrons.

This time, the Winter menu is as magical as ever that it feels like loving in love all over again.

Hassun of Hokkaido with Karasumi (premium Japanese dried caviar) and Shiso is a beautiful marriage of sweetness and pungency with so many nuanced flavours spellbinding the palates. It also has a unique warmth that makes me feel a kind of bliss when savouring this. Such excellent, amazing start.

Another form of bliss comes from Miyagi Wagyu with Egg Yolk Sauce. It is unbelievably refreshing for a meat dish due to the cream, and when I dig deeper into the egg shell, I’m greeted with beautiful surprise of meaty intense sweetness that gies perfectly with the cream. The fine cubes of lotus root added yield perfect texture for this dish.

Foie Gras from France topped with Plum and Parmigiano is like the ultimate umami creaminess. So well balanced in taste, exciting and complex due to the kick from parmesan cheese. And I absolutely love the display.

Hokkaido Hotate with Caviar, Wasabi, Cucumber is the best hotate dish I ever have. The refreshing, slight spicy taste of wasabi, plus the mild savoury broth, all highlights the natural sweetness of scallop. The bouncy texture of scallop juxtaposes so well with the crunchiness of cucumber.

Hokkaido Shirako Tempura with Hollandaise Sauce is the best shirako dish. Yes, another best dish! This dish features excellent varied texture due to the crispy tempura. And the creaminess of ahirako is cut by tart taste of hollandaise sauce for a well-balanced complex taste. I never know shirako can taste so good until now.

Wando Awabi baked with mashed Cod Fish in Pie Crust is another winner. It showcases a good balance of flavours and texture to elevate the mild earthy taste of abalone, which is a perfect match with lovely taste of the buttery crispy pie crust.

Amadai, with the pure vlean briny sweetness of Hamaguri, meaty umami of Prosciutto and texture of Lily Bulb, is so comforting in taste. It is full of clear umami and the pliable juicy flesh of amadai soaks up the goodness of the broth for a more complex taste.

The beef cutlet here is the juiciest beef I ever have! So juicy yet retaining that lovely meaty good bite. Perfectly prepared. The Truffle, Chou Fraci, Black garlic elevates the meaty goodness of the beef further. I’m not a beef person, but I’m absolutely loving this.

Niigata rice is so starchy, smooth, fluffy with a good bite: hallmark of perfectly cooked rice. With creamy oysters, this dish is excellently savoury sweet, wowing the palates.

Tochigi Ichigo with Crèmet d'Anjou, a mix of fermented cream and meringue, and Biscuit Joconde, is redefining the taste of strawberry dessert. This is full of layers of nuanced flavours, where the tart taste of strawberries is softened by the richness of Crèmer d’Anjou to yield one amazing dessert.

One of the best, and well-thought-out petite fours. The chestnut macron is earthy in taste, followed by the refreshing gummy made from Japanese orange, and finally the dark chocolate tart that makes me go, “Wow!” This is the first time a petit fours incites that reaction out of me. The rich chocolate is complex in taste and is molten in texture, which really surprises me.

Thoughts: This experience feels like Falling in Love all Over again, where I'm astounded and mesmerised by the amazing food

30 Stevens Road #01-03

Madame - Cool and Amazing Experience

Finders Keepers - Caviar Tasting brings me to Madame, a Wine and Spirits Bar at 69 Tras Street. I don’t know if the owner chose this shophouse because of the number, but I do know that I have such an excitingly good time here.

This bar is so full of character and that old world charm, completed with lots of stylish flair. Rows of spirits of all kinds fill up the dark wooden shelves behind the bar counter, partly shrouded in darkness and partly illuminated by the yellow lights, it has this mysterious intense vibe that feels different from other wine bars. With heavy curtains, lots of candlelights, classic European style murals, wooden furniture and yellow lights, the ambience is so cosy and nostalgic yet exciting at the same time.

The food here is European fare with some unique twists. It is very good for sharing, and being lighter on the palates, which is a good thing, it is perfect to go with the wine and spirits here.

The service is wonderful, which really matches the vibe here, making this bar one of the top choices to chill and have a good time in style.

I had caviar lots of times, but this Caviar Tasting, completed with mother of pearl spoon, is really an eye-or-tastebuds opener where I actually discover the subtle differences in the taste profile of different caviars through comparison. And the complimentary Delamotte champagne is the perfect palate cleanser to sip in between spoonful of gastronomic treats. I love this event oh so much. A must-try experience.

Russian caviar has the saline sweetness. Traditional caviar tastes so buttery when savoured with butter and the cute little piece of flatbread. Majestic caviar is more full-bodied, going very well with refreshing cucumber. In fact, a fellow patron told me cucumber is a good accompaniment to enjoy with caviar because it brings out the true taste of the caviar. Oscietra caviar, the most premium one, is creamy and complex,

Truffle Mushroom tartlet may look dry on the outside, but it is actually super moist and creamy on the inside. This tastes like creamy earthy heaven, where seasonings is kept light to let the natural sweetness of mushrooms shine. It also features good texture due to the strands of dried mushrooms and the buttery tart base.

Mac and Cheese Balls is crispy on the outside and creamily moist on the inside, and I love this contrast in texture. The taste is surprisingly, in a very good wat, slightly spicy, and packed with nuanced flavours that develop and intensify with each subsequent bite. So good and so hearty.

Old Cuban here has the strong taste of whisky perfectly balanced by the mint and zest to yield a refreshing yet intense cocktail. I’m not exactly a whisky person but I’m definitely into this drink.

Thoughts: Awesome Experience!

69 Tras Street

Ida’s Bar - Idyllic and Vibrant Lifestyle

I had just discovered the Dempsey of the South, which is Gillman Barracks! And Ida’s Bar is right in the middle of this quaint place of scenic nature. Walking to the Ida’s Bar during the cool evening or night is an enjoyment in itself, where I am surrounded by lush greenery and cool breezes.

Ida's Bar has this idyllic, rustic, nature-embracing feel with the lots of potted plants, clay potteries, rattan chairs, wooden furniture and lots of amber transparent bowls with candle lights. Given its alfresco nature, I can really chill at this warm, comfy place while enjoying the scenery of nature at Gillman Barracks. At the same time, the bar is playing vibrant Caribbean music to add liveliness to the atmosphere. Dining here is really one of the relaxing enjoyments in life.

The food is very good and ranges from unique surprises to lovely good old familiar classics, with a bit of twists.

The service here is very warm, friendly and helpful, making the experience a totally enjoyable one.

My favourite here is definitely the Iberico Pork, straight from the grill. It features this lovely familiar meaty sweetness with char, completed with juicy good bite. This is so good and satisfying to savour.

Potato Gnocchi here retains the starchy, slightly stretchy goodness that I love about gnocchi and add in some refreshing twists, such as the fluffy texture and the special sauce. The sauce is creamy, tangy with a hint of spiciness. This dish is full of exotic, balanced, nuanced distinctive flavours

Green Gazpacho is healthy, light and full of vegetal flavours.

Ida’s Semi Freddo Doughnut is a must-try here. It is so unique and blissfully good. The taste is creamy rich sweet with a hint of tangy taste. The texture is like ice cream, albeit finer, more complex flavours. Almond adds the savoury nutty kick and the contrast in texture, making it even better.

Love the floral theme of the cocktails here.

Thoughts: Awesome place to chill amid the lush greenery and enjoy good food

9 Lock Road

#02-21 Gillman Barracks