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Lunch @ Ki-Sho [Revisit]

March 17, 2018 in Japanese

After a re-visit to Saint Pierre, I decided to re-visit Ki-Sho next. And my string of re-visits should be surprising since it’s known (by now that) I prefer checking out new eateries. Just saying. Keke. But I guess one can say I was curious about Ki-sho’s lunch menu. And because Ki-sho only does lunch service on weekdays, I only managed to drop by when I applied leave to extend the long (Christmas) weekend longer. Haha.

I arrived at the restaurant punctually for my 1pm reservation. And from the lunch menu, I ordered:-

1) Taihaku, $250 comprised of:-

(A) Dish #1 (above) – Seaweed with ark shell, scallop and vegetables.

(B) Dish #2 (above, left) – Yellow tail (buri).


(C) Dish #3 (above) – Crab, tofu, sea urchin, mushroom, lotus root and salmon roe (ikura) with dashi vinegar jelly.

(D) Dish #4 (above) – Tilefish (amadai) with its scales fried to crisp and battered baby yam from Kyoto served in yuzu-plum sauce.

  
  
  
  
  

(E) Dish #5 (above) – It’s stated on the menu that the $250 course includes 8 pieces of nigiri sushi, 1 aburi otoro sushi and 1 aburi hida beef sushi. Mine had a slight variation since I don’t eat beef. For my 8 pieces, I was served lean tuna (akami), Spanish macakarel, striped jack (shima aji), spotted prawn (botan ebi), medium fatty tuna (chutoro), premium fatty tuna (otoro), charcoal-grilled (aburi) black throat sea perch (nodoguro) and sea urchin. As for the beef, it was replaced with tuna-yolk-urchin which I honestly enjoyed very much. However, it was disappointing that while I was seated at the correct half of the counter where head chef Kazuhiro Hamamoto stood, my sushi was made by chef Tohru san instead. I wasn’t aware there was more than 1 chef in-charge of the food, especially sushi making, since there was only chef Hamamoto san when I previously came for dinner.


(F) Dish #6 (above) – Rice bowl of chopped spotted prawn (botan ebi), tuna, salmon roe and sea urchin.

(G) Dish #7 (above) – Soup with sesame-soy tofu.

  

(H) Dish #8 (above) – Warabi mochi, matcha chocolate, wafer with ice cream within and musk melon.

Was I happy with my lunch at Ki-sho? Well… It was a good meal. But I ain’t going to lie. I arrived with the expectation that I would be served by chef Hamamoto as with my previous meal at Ki-Sho. So I was disappointed when I wasn’t. I guess I need to be very specific in my future reservations.

And because I was sitting beside a group who went for the $450 omakase, I left the restaurant regretting having not opted for the more expensive course. My neighbours were served precious ingredients like 1-week aged wild caught baby tuna (meiji maguro) and wild caught ‘lost bonito’ (mayoi katsuo). Of course, one wouldn’t know what seasonal ingredients the restaurant have for the day. But ah… I couldn’t help but feel it was such a waste. It’s not everyday that one get to eat such rare delicacy even if one goes for the $450 omakase. Sob.

KI-SHO 葵匠
29 Scotts Road, Singapore
6733 5251, Website, Facebook
Overall: 7.5
Opening hours:-
Food/Beverage: 8
Mon – Sat : 12:00 – 14:00 (Lunch)
Ambience: 8
Mon – Sat : 18:30 – 22:30 (Dinner)
Value: 7
Service: 7
* Closed on Sun

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[Revisit] Lunch @ Ginza Sushi Ichi | Sushi Restaurant in Orchard

December 5, 2017 in Japanese

After a satisfying meal at Shinji, it got me craving for more sushi. And because I am one who don’t like returning to the same eatery (too soon), I decided on 1 Michelin-starred Sushi Ichi. I mean, my last meal at Sushi Ichi was in 2014; Before they relocated and before they were awarded Michelin star. So yes, it was time to return to Sushi Ichi. =)

Through Chope, I made reservation for weekend lunch. And I thought I should also add that it was a solo affair. I guess I was reminiscing much of my solo Tokyo trips. Kekeke. Having had chef Yukinori Kawakami on my previous meal at Sushi Ichi, I made a request for him again.

With Sushi Ichi located in Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, it was easily accessible. Just a mere 5 minutes walk from Orchard MRT station!

And from the menu (pages 1, 2), I ordered:-

1) Lunch omakase, $250 comprised of:-

(A) Appetiser (above) – Sweet shrimp (ama-ebi), mixed mushroom with chrysanthemum, and octopus braised in soya sauce.


(B) Assorted sashimi (2) (above) – Jack fish and shell fish.

(C) Dish #1 (above) – Japanese belt fish served with chestnut tempura. I always thought belt fish had many bones cause of the one I previously had, but the one served at Sushi Ichi had none. Such a joy to eat! And the chestnut was very sweet. I enjoyed it very much!

(D) Dish #2 (above) – Striped jack (shima-aji), shabu shabu.

  
  
  
  
  

(E) Nigiri sushi (8 pieces) (above) – Assortment of grouper (kue), big-eye snapper (kinmedai), marinated tuna, baby white shrimp (shiro-ebi), seared premium fatty tuna (otoro aburi) and sea eel (anago), egg omlette (tamago), and rice bowl with sea urchin and salmon roe. Since I don’t count the number of sushi during my meal, it’s only when I am writing up my review that I realised the egg omelette and rice bowl formed part of the 8 nigiri sushi. Hmm…

(F) Roll sushi (above) – It was only from watching chef Kawakami san make the roll sushi that I realised red vinegar was used to season nigiri sushi’s sushi rice (shari) while white vinegar was used for the roll sushi’s. Interesting.

(G) Miso soup (above) – Soup with yam.

(H) Dessert (above)

While I was having my lunch, I couldn’t help but drool over what my neighbours were having. They had dishes like abalone, crab, etc. So when I was making payment, I enquired about the different menus. And the staff explained the quality of ingredients varied according to price. So for the lunch options, the premium ingredient in $100 Tubaki, $150 Botan and Lunch Omakase ($240) courses were lean tuna (akami), medium fatty tuna (chutoro) and premium fatty tuna (otoro) respectively. And for me who was eyeing my neighbour’s dishes, I would need to get the Dinner Omakase course at $430.

Would I recommend Sushi Ichi? Well… Honestly, it didn’t give me the ‘wow’ factor. But at least one would assured that Sushi Ichi won’t let one down (too much).

GINZA SUSHI ICHI
320 Orchard Road, Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, #01-04, Singapore
6235 5514, Website
Overall: 8
Opening hours:-
Food/Beverage: 8
Tues – Sun : 12:00 – 14:30 (Lunch)
Ambience: 8
Tues – Sat : 18:00 – 23:00 (Dinner)
Value: 7
Sun : 18:00 – 22:00 (Dinner)
Service: 8
 
* Closed on Mon

UPDATE: Restaurant was awarded 1 Michelin star by Michelin Guide Singapore 2018.

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Dinner @ Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck Restaurant

September 26, 2017 in Chinese

When 2 people happened to recommend Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck over a course of 2 weeks, that was a sign that I had better check out the restaurant. And the opportunity came when my colleagues and I were to arrange a get-together, and the cuisine had to be Chinese for the uncle colleague in the group. Keke. Thus, with everyone’s consensus, reservation was made for 5 for a weekday dinner.

Located conveniently in Paragon, one need not worry about finding parking lot if one chose to drove. Instead, one just need to worry about the expensive parking fee. zZZz.

And from the menu (pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11), my colleagues and I ordered:-


1) Fried century egg with shrimp paste, $12 (above) – This was like the Chinese’s version of scotch egg. Pretty good.


2) Chinese yam with blueberries sauce, $12 (above) – Served as a cold dish, this unfortunately tasted weird. We couldn’t make out of the unique combination.

3) Fried squid with pepper & salt, $12 (above)


4) Barbecue pork with honey sauce, $27 (medium) (above)

5) Stewed pork collar & lettuce with shrimp sauce in claypot, $20 (small) (above)


  

6) Braised spinach beancurd with assorted mushrooms, $20 (small) (above)

7) Steamed turbot fish with superior soy sauce, $15/100g (above)

8) Beijing style roasted duck, $88 (whole):-

  
  

(A) Style #1 (above) – Wrapped with pancake. Advanced order is required for this dish. And unknown to me, the chef actually stationed himself near our table to skin the roasted duck. I didn’t know because the action took place behind me. Sob! And it’s weird that we specially came for the duck dish but we were not too impressed by it. Uncle colleague said the meat texture felt slightly powdery.

(B) Style #2 (above) – And we chose to have the remaining meat fried with e-fu noodles.


  

9) Double boiled fish maw soup with shark’s cartilage, $30 (above) – One of my must orders at Chinese restaurant is double boiled soup. And I went with the fish maw soup as it’s also the restaurant’s signature dish. And the soup was thick and rich with a generous amount of ingredients. Really good. Strongly recommended.

10) Double boiled hashima with lotus seed, $10 (above)

Although we weren’t impressed by every dishes, it was a satisfying dinner for us at Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck Restaurant. Though I would strongly encourage one to look at the ‘advanced order menu’ before making reservation; There were a few dishes (like the charcoal grilled quail and crispy chicken stuffed with glutinous rice) which interested me but we couldn’t order as advanced order was required. Sob.

IMPERIAL TREASURE SUPER PEKING DUCK RESTAURANT
2 Orchard Turn, ION Orchard, #03-05, Singapore
6732 7838, Website
Overall: 7.5
Opening hours:-
Food/Beverage: 8
Mon – Fri : 11:30 – 14:45 (Lunch)
Ambience: 8
Sat : 11:00 – 14:45 (Lunch)
Value: 7
Sun : 10:30 – 14:45 (Lunch)
Service: 7
Mon – Sun : 18:00 – 22:00 (Dinner)

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