A Gastronomic Experience at Ginza Sushi Ichi @ Scotts Square Singapore

 

I was introduced to yet another Japanese gem by one of my friends when I was in Singapore with my partner in a form of a fine-dining establishment in Scotts Square which is an exact replica of its highly successful 1-Michelin-Star restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo. And this outlet is the first in Singapore to offer an exquisite degustation menu featuring top-tier Kyoto Kaiseki Riyori which is complemented with premium sushi selection. The restaurant also boasts good relations with its distributors that supply fresh and quality produce which is captured at the first auction daily at the Tsukiji Market with a four times a week delivery to Singapore.

The restaurant is small, with just a seating capacity of 24 with a private room that sits 8 people with its own L-shaped counter mae of Hinoki wood. The whole restaurant is very sleek and zen-like.

  Vinegar Mozuku Seaweed with Rice Pops and Shoyu

A dark brown seaweed usually served with rice vinegar in Spring eaten as an appetiser. Very refreshing and light with a jelly-like texture.

Chawanmushi

This is one of the best chawanmushi I've savoured. It's not the ordinary one but this has hairy crab and chopped okra topped with Shiso (perilla) flowers. So smooth and delicious.


Wayne was so nice to bring along three wonderful bottles of fine sake for lunch apart from the Yebisu beer we had as aperitif.

2001 & 2006 Isojima Daiginjo
2001 Hinokishi

 Kampachi (Amber Jack)

Served with crunchy wakame seaweed and ultra thin slices potato stem.

Thick Sashimi Scallop slices that is springy and fresh.

Best eaten with some fresh hand grated wasabi!

I like that there is interaction with the sushi chef at the sushi counter seating. Chef Ohno is really friendly and funny too. Throughout the meal, he explained every ingredient and also how we should eat the dish like which sauce to complement. I also enjoyed watching him prepare each sashimi platter and sushi so meticulously and so skillfully. His knife is like his best friend and he's darn good at slicing!!

Japanese Sea Perch (also known as Suzuki) served with Daikon (white radish), ponzu sauce and grated pink ginger. Then Chef Ohno peeled some succulent Japanese Imperial prawns and made us a delicious Kuruma Ebi sushi.

In between sushi dishes, we were served a nicely presented plate of Grilled Seabass served with fried taro and green asparagus with sesame seeds. On the right side, there's Kuruma ebi served two ways, egg plant and broad beans. We had to eat it from left to right.

The selections of sushi that the chef prepared for us was just "oishi!" There's Shima, Akami Tuna (with a little yuzu underneath for that lifting taste), Shimofuri (the prized tuna belly parcel between the chutoro and the otoro), Kisu (Japanese whiting), Kashugo Tai (Sakura River baby snapper) and Ika (squid) sushi. The ratio of rice to fish is perfect!

Mini Chirashi with Cod Roe

Beautiful presentation and delicious too!

Tuna Roll and Ume Roll

Dessert consists of a scoop of sorbet, fruits with jelly and Physalis.

The lunch took about 2.5 to 3 hours and patience is the key to enjoying an Omakase lunch menu. They have 4 lunch menus to chose from starting from Ume (4-course) S$60, Tsubaki S$110, Sakura S$170 and Omakase S$250 a person. We had a customised menu where our friend did the selection of dishes and the chef recommends his seasonal dishes as well. Dinner starts from S$210 to S$450 which was even more expensive than Waku Ghin. Their wine menu is very impressive too with famous labels of bordeaux and burgundy.

All of us had such a wonderful time indulging at Ginza Sushi Ichi thanks to the hospitality of Wayne. Since I didn't pay for the bill, I really have no idea how much it costs! All ladies with the chef and all men with a lady staff. How balanced!

Ginza Sushi Ichi

Scotts Square  (next to Hyatt Hotel)
No.6 Scotts Road, #02-02, Singapore 228209
Tel: +65 6299 0014

Website

Lunch: 12.30pm – 3pm on Tuesday only / 12noon – 3pm from Wed-Sun (Last Order @ 2pm)
Dinner: 6.00pm – 10.30pm (Last Order @ 9.30pm)
(Closed on Mondays)

Great Cocktails at Coffee Bar K @ Singapore

The funny thing about Coffee Bar K is that contrary to its name, this outlet does not specialise in coffee but their cocktails and whisky offering is great. I wouldn't have discover this bar if it was not for Emmanuel (who runs Auld Alliance, my favourite whisky bar in Singapore) who brought my partner, Thomas and me there after a night of whisky at his bar. it's nice to be able to visit a bar at 2am which is quiet and exclusive.

If you're looking for a real Japanese bar, this is the place! The level of professionalism and service here is impeccable. The low bar counter has a nice marble lit table top and I simply adore the leather armchairs that are attached with rollers made for easy pulling. There are also swinging hammock chairs by the window and some sofa seating outside (in the heat, no thanks). Once you are comfortably seated, the staff will bring you a hot towel and followed with a glass of water and some chips or snacks while you browse through their expansive drinks list.

The head bartender, Yutaka Nakashima is a veteran at Coffee Bar K having worked previously at both the Tokyo and Seoul outlets before coming here in Singapore. I awed at his memory and expertise. There are easily hundreds of opened bottles of spirits and liquer at the bar shelves and yet he can remember where each bottle he needs is located. I didn't order from the menu but instead I told him I would like a cocktail made with sake and he asked me if I like it sweet or not sweet and then the next second he starts making my drink. If I'm not wrong, there's at least a hundred over cocktails in the menu which expands to tens of pages. I'm quite lost on what to order!

I can imagine the amount of recipes that he has to memorize but he looks like he had all of it at the back of his hands. He knew how to make his cocktails and I must say that the drinks we had that night were really nice!

This bar is frequented by Japanese professionals and businessmen. There's only 13 seats at the bar counter and 32 seats at the tables. Seats are limited and there's an "entrance fee" of S$30 just like any Japanese bars. The entrance fee is excluding drinks and the drinks are quite affordable at around S$17 for some cocktails that we ordered. At 6pm-8pm which is their happy hour, the entrance fees will not be charged. It's really a great bar!!! What a great find!

Coffee Bar K
Ground Floor (Unity Street side beside Connoisseur Divan),
UE Square, 205 River Valley Road
 #01-76, River Valley, Singapore
238274 , Singapore

Tel: +65 6720 5040

Type: Cocktail bar

Price Guide: High-end

Recommended for: Cocktails

Blown Away at Waku Ghin @ Marina Bay Sands Singapore

One of the restaurants that topped my chart of places to dine in Singapore is Waku Ghin at Marina Bay Sands. My first experience at Waku Ghin, the only establishment by Chef Tetsuya Wakuda outside his world-famous Sydney restaurant on Kent St. was so impressive that I subsequently tried to make a reservation at this restaurant several times and eventually the day has come for me to finally experience a complete dinner there last week.

Beware of a long post ahead with many many pictures....

The reception area is also a bar where guests can have pre dinner drinks here before being ushered into the several dining rooms in the restaurant.

These photos are taken during the media invitation at MBS a year ago. Clockwise from top left: 1. A simple yet cosy dining room with a Teppanyaki grill. 2. An asymmetrical hallway leading to the dining rooms and the drawing room. 3. An-inch-thick wines and sake list to satisfy any connoisseurs. 4. The drawing room where the guests would be having their desserts and coffee or even a one-for-the-road before leaving the restaurant.

Hold on to your seats as you'll be blown away with the dining experience at Waku Ghin from the moment you sauntered into the dining room and till the last step you take out of those glass doors. The impeccable service from the serving staff right to the cooking showcase by the chefs are just amazing! Firstly, one of the staff will bring out a tray of fresh seafood which would be served on that evening and they will ask you if you are allergic to any of these ingredients. I eat everything!!!

There will be another staff pouring your choice of water and then you can order your choice of bottle. A sommelier then will serve you the wine/bottle of your choice in a very professional manner. Obviously for me, pictures are obligatory and I took all these photos with my humble iPhone 5. Thus please forgive the quality of the pictures on this post.

It's a celebration of my retirement from employment and also Thomas' first trip to Asia. Of course it has to be nothing less than a Salon 1997 (S$700+) for such a special occasion. My partner and I shared so many of our fond memories with Salon and thus it's our official celebratory champagne. Such a champagne is suitable to be served in wine glasses as the fine bubbles would soften and it could be sipped like a burgundy. The reason why I love this Salon is that the acidity and minerality is very refined, the bubbles are so delicate, it's zesty with hints of grapefruit but it's not too complex and it has a lingering finish.

Kobujime of Sayori with Nanohana and Japanese Strawberry
Made with diced strawberries and pomegranate which gives it an extra crunch texture and the slices of sayori (garfish) was delicate and mild in taste. A fresh and zesty combination that went really well with the champagne.

Marinated Botan Shrimp with Sea Urchin and Oscietra Caviar

Absolutely delicious and I love the crawling seaweed that is crunchy and chewy which decorated the dish. Try not to break the mother of pearl spoon.

Slow-cooked Tasmanian Petuna Ocean Trout with witlof and yuzu

This is something my partner and Thomas would be familiar with. The witlof are also known as Belgian endive and I have had lots of it during my last trip to Antwerpen last month. The Petuna Ocean trout tasted better than salmon due to the firmess of the fless, luscious marbling of the fats and a nice flavour.

The next dish is a very interesting dish which looked to me like a giant mussel. These are actually fresh abalones from Australia. You can still see them alive and breathing as the Chef Kok Hong placed them onto the hot teppanyaki grill. It's seared with grapeseed oil and served with a very nice refreshing soup base made from tomatoes, basil and rocket leaves and fregola which is a type of pasta from Sardinia almost similar to the Israeli's couscous.

Australian Abalone with Fregola and Tomato

I love the chewy yet tender texture of the fresh abalone as compared to the numerous dried abalones I've had at the chinese restaurants. If you would have tried this fresh abalone prepared in such a refreshing way, you would have looked at abalone in a different light. It almost had a texture like squids.

Braised Canadian Lobster with Tarragon

The secret lies in the art of cooking where it is cooked at a low temperature of 60°C in a copper pot to seal the juice in the lobster and then slowly bringing up the temperature again and showered with paprika, garlic mayonnaise, butter and tarragon sauce. It was indeed tasty, succulent and the sauce was not too rich.

From the recommendation of the sommelier, we ordered a bottle of the Waku Ghin exclusive label sake -Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo M byIsojiman Shuzo Corporation (S$500+) was indeed an impressive fine sake with underlying fine notes of rice and subtle sweet notes. What a great sake!

Charcoal-grilled Fillet of Tasmanian Grass Fed Beef with Tetsuya's Wasabi Mustard

The tenderloin from Cape Grim is charcoal-grilled at 600-700°C and thus sealing the meat and keeping it's moisture in the meat with a nice char-grilled outer layer. The meat was not cold at all and remained almost rare in the middle.

Japanese Ohmi Wagyu

The "Japan top three Wagyu" are Matsusaka Ushi, Kobe Beef, and Ohmi Beef cattle raised in the Kansai region of Japan. It's a full blood wagyu raised in the Shiga Perfecture with extreme care in environment and water. It's also one of the meat with such a nice fat viscosity and you can just admire its beautiful marbling. The best way to taste them is to have them lightly seared and it goes really well with the freshy made wasabi. I would have thought the meat would taste fatty but it doesn't at all. Such a tender slice that melts in the mouth.

Consomme with Rice and Snapper

How could one made such a nice combination with such simple ingredients?!! I almost wanted a second helping as it is so much like a comfort food for me! Aromatic and flavourful chicken stock soup.

Somen with Myoga and Junsai

This is a Japanese version of hand-pulled noodles made of wheat. It's cold and soup has hints of shiso and ginger.

Then Chef Kok Hong brewed us some fine green tea from Kyoto called Gyokuro. These variety of tea leaves are harvested in 2-3 weeks and they are still very young. There's no roasting and fermentation  and are picked by hands. The way to brew them is to keep the water temperature at about 40-50°C resulting is a very nice fragrant green tea drank in a room temperature.

After that, we adjourned to the drawing room where desserts are served and we can also have a coffee before we break the bank and pay the bill.

1.Salad of Raspberry with Wasabi and Granita of Honey and Vinegar

2.Chocolate Mousse Cake with Vanilla and Macadamia

Thomas, Chef Sia Kok Hong, Me and Luc

This is one of the best if not the finest restaurant that I have been too judging from the stellar experience I had here. Chef Kok Hong, the chef de partie under the guidance of Tetsuya is one of the shining stars of the restaurant as he made our dinner so enjoyable. The dinner is never boring as the chef is always interacting with his guests and we are also able to ask them questions about the food. Chef Kok Hong hailed from Malacca and he is certainly a man of extreme tidiness and cleanliness which is evident from his constant cleaning of the stainless steel teppanyaki grill eliminating even a speck of dust as he cooks.

At around S$400 a person for a 10 course degustation menu, it's certainly a very expensive affair. However, if you really want to impress and have the best dining experience, you can certainly consider Waku Ghin, listed as the 39th of the World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2012.


Waku Ghin

10 Bayfront Avenue

#02-02 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

Tel: +65-66888507

Watching Sunset on the Maldivian Dhoni

One of the activities which is a must-try is to watch a sunset on a boat. Of course when in Maldives, one should always experience a sunset cruise on the Maldivian Dhoni, a traditional Maldivian sailboat.

 I have the view of the dhoni everyday at breakfast table.

My bolleke was so sweet that he arranged this with our hotel at Naladhu Maldives as a surprise on Sunday evening. However, funny enough that our butler spoils the surprise by asking him about the cruise on Friday which made me laughed so hard! Of course this was not only the surprise he accidentally let out because he did that to all the other surprises - snorkeling and spa except the romantic private dining on the beach.

The Jetty at Naladhu where we waited for our Maldivian Dhoni.

Isn't the colour of the sea amazing?

Our Maldivian Dhoni arrived at 5.30pm. The boat looks so beautiful. 

It's even more beautiful when it is sailing above the crystal clear blue sea.

What I love so much about Naladhu is the sincerity and the warm gesture from the staff. Every arrival and departure of the guests bring a gathering of Carla (Resort Manager), exclusive concierge, butler and personal assistant at the Jetty to welcome and to bid farewell. They will be waving frantically at the Jetty until the speedboat is no longer be seen. I find it rather heart warming to see their effort in making the guests feel utmost important.

Canapes are served and a bottle of my favourite Ruinart Blanc de Blanc is popped open.

The Canapes which comes in an assortment of fried spring rolls, samosa, stuffed mushroom and brushetta are delicious. Sipping a glass on champagne, indulging in the delectable finger food and admiring the sunset sounds so divine. It's really a wonderful experience to unwind above such a beautiful deck. I feel like a Maldivian princess already. Thanks to my bolleke and the nice crew on the boat.

The sun sets really quickly at about 6-6.30pm.

They set out the sail and we drifted on the calm sea while watching the sunset. We spent almost 2 hours during the whole sunset cruise and by the time we got off the boat at 7pm, it's already quite dark in Maldives but the moon and stars lit up the clear skies. What a stunning view of the sky from this island. I could live here forever!!!!

Something romantic that we do for every sunset we watch together except that titanic pose which I did because I felt the setting was very appropriate. hahaha

Another beautiful day in Maldives.