I'm so excited to enjoy the Tastes of Summer after an awesome gastronomic journey in Spring. And Ikkoten Omakase kickstarts my Summer adventure with new, unique, delicious creations that feature the refreshing, bright flavours of summer. Lots of moments of "Wow!" And I get to enjoy the best Winter Melon and Tako here. Summer is looking so good now!
Cold Hokkaido Sweet Corn Chawamushi immediately wows the palate because the custard is so smooth and creamy, featuring this amazing sweet buttery umami, completed with floral hints.
Summer Fruit Fig opens up the palates with its sweet and mild taste, elevated by the light, refreshing fig jelly has an iota of savoury goodness that elevates the taste so much.
The Tako sashimi is surprisingly tender, with a good bite. This is made possible by special preparation of partially boiled the octopus to retain the raw core. This tastes so refreshing when paired with finely shredded sweet Awamori apple brushed with specially sourced Japanese Apple Cinder. This refreshing dish develops a nice warmness when paired with the crispy soy sauce and Japanese snow peas. Pickle adds the zest for a hint of excitement. I never know Tako can taste so good, until I try it here.
Kinmedai sashimi, when paired with different types of refreshing tastes from the Japanese yam stem, watercress, tomatoes, pickled cucumber, holds so many well-balanced bright flavours. The torched surface of Kinmedai tenderises the skin of the fish and adds an amazing sweetness of char to the buttery sweetness of the fish. The briny sweetness of the dashi jelly gives a lovely contrast to the refreshing, buttery taste.
Goma saba is specially prepared as alternative to the Sea Bass, and this dish really showcases Chef Brandon's creativity and talent. The fish was deep fried and paired with Chef Brandon's specially created buerre blanc sauce that was made with dashi. Yes, French sauce prepared Japanese style! Goma saba, which is farmed mackerel that is suitable for sashimi, is specially chosen because it can maintain its firm flesh after deep frying. This has a good contrast to the texture of the crispy batter and panko. The briny sweetness of the fish is perfectly balanced by sweet refreshing seaweed.
Takiawase is packed with different kinds of light sweetness: briny sweetness of Snow Crab, milky savoury sweetness of Scallops, vegetal sweetness of Japanese Summer Vegetables, earthy sweetness of Sweet Potato, all soaked in the mild savoury thick broth for a refreshing yet comforting taste. The Hokkaido Scallops is super plump and juicy, so is the Delicious Snow Crab. Winter Melon, being specially steamed for 4 to 6 hours, is so amazingly juicy while retaining a firm texture. Best Winter Melon! I never know winter melon can taste so good until now. I love this so much. Yes, I know I just said it just now for the Tako.
A5 Wagyu Miyazaki Beef is thinly sliced and seared with binchotan to yield this amazing taste of meaty sweetness imbued with the earthy aroma of char. Yet is tastes light at the same time. The first bite immediately evokes a moment of wow. The murasaki uni, which is in season, adds a umami rich creaminess to the dish, nicely punctuated by a hint of spicy pungency of the pepper plant. All these goes perfectly well with the Yamaguchi Matcha soba, which is prepared al dente. This dish also has the taste that is full of the feelings of summer.
Goma sashimi, a special and complimentary dish, is dressed with herbs to cut through the fish's strong briny sweetness, tastes sweeter with each subsequent bites.
Braised meat and crunchy sweet corn are such perfect match when paired with each other in the Donabe. The braised meat, made from specially chosen ribeye, really changes my mind about braised meat being soft and gamey. This braised meat has the tenderness while still having the slight firmness for a good bite. And it is incredibly meaty sweet, which is elevated by the refreshing, floral buttery sweetness of the corn. Paired with the rice, it is pure awesome comfort food.
Wasabon Pudding, made with a blend of brown and white sugar, showcases super silky smooth pudding juxtaposing perfectly with the caramel goodness of the burnt liquid sugar. This is very difficult to make, and the results is totally worth it because it is so good.
Long Island Iced Tea specially made by Chef Brandon. So smooth and so good.
Thoughts: Wonderful Refreshing Tastes of Summer!
86 Telok Ayer Street
