JYPSY: Casual Japanese restaurant with nomadic island life vibes
Labels:
affordable,
cafe,
date night,
fried chicken,
fries,
hidden finds,
japanese,
large groups,
martin road,
must go,
robertson quay,
romantic,
sharing,
small plates,
sushi,
will return
·
Opened this July, JYPSY is PSCAFE'S newest cafe concept - casual Japanese restaurant peddling a nomadic island life which you'll find expressed in its immaculate decor of hanging ferns, traditional Japanese paper lanterns and wind bells. It's a gorgeous space that touts an equally breezy menu of sushi rolls, sashimi and more in sharing plate formats. Despite the upmarket vibes, price remains easy on the wallet.
Every section on the menu shouts for an extensive day-trippin' adventure. We kicked off lunch with Unagi and Pork Gyoza and the Nest of Fries ($11). If you're a huge fan of PS Cafe's Truffle fries, you'll be elated to know of its Japanese reincarnation here. Eating it (glamorously with cutlery) poses a challenge, as the impish golden crown would mostly likely end up in awkward cheek smears. Word to the wise, go in with your hands. Tempura strands of crunchy potatoes look ready to nestle a robin blue egg in it, but instead, it is dressed with a healthy slick of teriyaki balsamic and accompanied by a slick of wasabi mayo that adopts a Godzilla's spicy complex despite its innocent image. The Unagi and Pork Gyoza ($12) serve both functionality and fashion - the succulent parcels flanked by a rich, creamy, albeit herbaceous ginger scallion ponzu sauce which you'll proceed to wolf down with the aid of strands of fries.
One of my favourites (to accompany that flute of Dassai 50 sparkling sake) is the Karaage Cracker Chicken ($12): crispy fried chicken accompanied by shards of crispy sushi rice crackers. The true magic is in the pool of curry mayo sauce below that adds considerable layers of flavour complexity.
Something to write home about is their Bluefin Tuna Sashimi ($24) - each slice, the perfect thickness to best highlight the pleasantly rich rivulets of fats, is perked up by avurga caviar, baby shiso, wasabi and flecked with shichimi furikake. It's a dish that will reveal selfish intents. Trust me.
But some dishes like the JYPSY Rainbow Sushi Roll ($19) might make you doubt the sushi making skills of the kitchen. Presentation was haphazard and portion sizes, meagre for what it is worth. Others like the Smoky Unagi Fried Rice ($22), amounted to little more than a poshed-up regular unagi donburi.
Still, a prettily presented mound of Tofu Cheesecake ($10) sitting in a moat of yuzu curd and butter biscuit crumb - jiggled its way into our hearts.
If you're one to buy into the ultra stylish lures of a restaurant above its nosh, JYPSY is a chimera of trendy narratives. The dishes, some of which are met with more enthusiasm than others, are befitting of the dining room's eternally sunny quality. Staff know their food (and their wine), and are hugely warm and welcoming. You might want to make your reservations prior to visiting to avoid disappointments though.
Jypsy
38 Martin Road
Reservations: Here
t: 8188 6177
Operating Hours:
Tues - Sun: 11 30am - 4pm; 5 30pm - 11pm
(last order 10 30pm)
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