Showing posts with label omakase. Show all posts
Showing posts with label omakase. Show all posts
Rakuya at East Coast: Affordable Omakase to put you in high spirits. That, and Sake!
Labels:
date night,
East Coast/ Joo Chiat,
hidden finds,
must go,
omakase,
sake,
will visit
·
If you've heard rumours about a joint up in the East that does a 8-course Omakase at just $48 (also available at $88 and $128 options), chances are that it is newbie, Rakuya. And boy, do they do it with pizazz.
Fat Cow launches new Omakase menus
Labels:
donburi,
japanese,
must go,
omakase,
orchard,
special occasion,
sushi,
tanglin,
will return
·
For the first time in all my Fat Cow experiences, I sat at the sector coined as the 'lounge bar' for my meal and as I must admit that being denied of the mysterious nature of traipsing down the unassuming corridor to enter the gorgeous dining open dining hall, did remove from the novelty of the Japanese steakhouse experience. But then again, I was here for the new Omakase menus with a pronounced shift of focus to the nigiri sushi, hence the change of atmosphere was one that was required and almost mandatory in a sense, that it put the illustrious yearnings of wagyu beef at bay.
[BALI EATS]: Urchin Grill & Raw Bar does poncey with major appeal
Labels:
Bali,
food tasting,
Indonesia,
must go,
omakase,
restaurants,
seafood,
special occasion,
travel,
travelling,
will visit,
wine pairing,
wines
·
On a weekday night during the off-peak season at Urchin, it's a silent, empty place of polished floorboards, stiff back chairs and mahogany wood stained atmosphere. Similar to other establishments winging the Seminyak stretch, the ill-fated predicament seems commonplace. A waiter appears and injects some life into the dry as dust persona, introducing us to the tasting menu we would be navigating. Albeit, alone in the expanse of the spacious dining room. Urchin defers from most other restaurants, no death-defying design stunts, devoid of tropical-vibe inducing paraphernalia.
I had no qualms, of course. Settling in prompting with a comp basket of sexy warm sourdough flanked by a small dish of Kombu butter that had seen too long a time in the freezer.
Morsels: Timeless cuisine fostered by Asian heralded techniques
Labels:
dempsey,
fusion,
hidden finds,
modern,
omakase,
restaurants,
romantic,
special occasion,
will return,
wine pairing
·
Areas like the lush Dempsey Hill have had its fair share of ups and down over the last decade. It spruced up nicely in its food and beverage conquest, attracting voracious appetites and roaring conversations in its hay-days with distinguished overseas brand backing. Think Jones the Grocer with its cool, softly lit gorgeous lofty interiors and fresh stacks of pancakes. However, the slowing economy took a huge hit and expatriates who were the majority denizens of Dempsey started making rarer appearances in the enclave. All of a sudden, things too a turn and these giants slowly moved out of the leaving a void to be filled. Not long after, new life style quarters Como Dempsey happened and the precinct teamed with life once again. Taking the plunge, was Petrina Loh, Chef/Owner of Morsels (previously located in Mayo Street) who moved her small plates restaurant into a more intimate 40-seater, 1000 sqf space just at stone's throw from Long Beach Seafood.
Having not patronise her previous outlet before, I was pleasantly surprised by the cottage like intimacy of the dining space adjoining the open kitchen. Wild ferns frame the bar while wicker chairs and wooden table tops up the 'rustic' quality one experiences once you slide pass those full length barnyard type doors. At the point, you'll wonder if you've inadvertently stepped into someone's home, lifting your eyes to look out for quilted corners.
Southpaw Bar & Sushi: The art of pairing food with whisky
Labels:
hidden finds,
japanese,
omakase,
restaurants,
whisky,
will go
·
Sat next to car repair workshops and hardware shops, Southpaw Bar and Sushi is a hidden gem and the island's latest attempt at diving deeper into our cups and pairing plates with heavier pours of whiskies and bourbons. With our restaurant scene awashed with wine and beer dinner options (the latter being a rarity as well), Southpaw is a lovely respite for jaded tipple pairing punters.
Whisky drunk neat always it the perfect mean to bookend a meal, the idea of a sit -down dinner pickled with spirit forward imbibes; maybe an ounce or so to invigorate the palate en route to the appetiser and a heavier sherry casked pour to complement the dessert. But that's where the fun stops, the resolution with the fish course or aburi salmon not something that can be fathom by most. Southpaw is where you find a solution to that wratched gap in the market. And why not? Why don't great whiskies bump the Bordeaux from beside those de rigueur plates of beef?
FORT by Maison Ikkoku: 12-course omakase and a bevy of cocktails. What diet?
Labels:
affordable,
barfood,
cocktails,
fine dining,
fusion,
hidden finds,
japanese,
might return,
omakase,
romantic,
special occasion
·
It's been awhile friends since I last penned down my biased thoughts and discrimination. Here's one to roll off the short week...
Maison Ikkoku, as I've touted before, is an institution. And even more so now that it has occupied the grounds at the Singapore Pinacotheque De Paris; a luscious sprawling minimalistic cocktail den splayed in cool colors of violet and blues to lure the passive drinkers. Here at FORT, Executive Chef and Senior Master Mixologist, Ethan Leslie Leong applies his cocktail (perceptibly expensive as I've noted in 2013 : read here) techniques with a balanced selection of food, delicate soups, salads, maki and other signature dishes made from scratch within the same fundamental grounds. A pretty impressive feat if you've take a look at the make-shift bar counter doubling up as a fully functional kitchen.
For just $68++, one can sink your teeth into a progressive 12-course omakase with no obligations of cocktails at all, though one must admit, the lures are evident, especially when only bar-seats are available. And if you should choose to, trust that you'll be in safe hands with resident mixologist Matteo Cadeddu working his magic behind the bar - his dabble in alcoholic libations fuelled by memories and inspirations from his homestead; Italy. Take for example the Bloody Memory he fixed me, fortified with bottarga - a salted. cured fish roe, shaved over the fiery concoction. Eccentric but oh, so good!
Akari Japanese Dining Bar: Winter Kaiseki Set
Labels:
affordable,
downtown,
japanese,
mbfc,
must go,
omakase,
raffles place,
sashimi,
seafood,
special occasion,
will return
·
One of my best meals this year had to barely fit into the schedule of things. Coming to a close shave with the end of the year is Akari's Winter Kaiseki Set meal; conceptualised by Chef Hirotaka Murata of Nkano, Tokyo. A quick glance at his credentials and you'll be assured that you're in for rollercoaster ride of epic gastronomical revelries.
The best part would probably be the price tag that doesn't threaten to cast a looming shadow over the meal. Let's be practical here, but sitting down to the idea of a $500 tagged omakase meal does bear a weight of unreasonable expectations and impending misery should things go sour. Akari Japanese Dining Bar is offering two kaiseki set course choices, priced at $100++ and $150++ per pax respectively for a 9-course kaiseki menus. Set to mystify even the most regular of Japanese food gourmands, Chef Hirotaka Murata provides several twists and turns throughout the flight with seasonal ingredients and winter-bound flavor pairings.
The Snack Culture Company: 9 Course Omakase @ $49 (I Kid You Not!)
Labels:
affordable,
degustation,
family friendly,
fusion,
hidden finds,
kallang,
modern,
must go,
omakase
·
Unintimidated by the strong restaurant F&B concepts spotting the vicinity, out sprouts The Snack Culture Company which suffers from more than just a bi-polar disorder. It's concept comes across as a tad confusing as I first pulled into the restaurant. The white walls and customised grid like system showcasing a whole array of edibles and snacks (hence the name) which can be selected and crafted into gift boxes. In the day, the shop converts itself into a sandwich type tuckshop, offering tasty snacks suitable for office workers on-the-go and as the light dims down in the early evenings, that's when the magic happens.
The $49 dollars 9 course omakase. I kid you not. It's real and I'm smitten.
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