Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Rockon Tokyo @ Tanjong Pagar - Serving Up Obanzai With Premium Sake

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Brought to you by famed sake sommelier Koki Miyoshi and head chef Sekiya Katsuyuki, Rockon Tokyo at Tanjong Pagar serves up obanzai, a traditional Kyoto home-cooked style, along with a selection of premium and rare sake. The menu revolves around seasonal ingredients that are presented in their best form without any MSG or preservatives.

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Homemade Cold Tofu 5/5

One of the best ways to experience this cosy little place (seats only 22 pax maximum) and its homely cuisine is perhaps by ordering the omakase menu (8 courses for $88). It will include a starter, assorted obanzai, a warm dish, seasonal sashimi, charcoal-grilled seasonal fish, seasonal fried fish, tamago kake gohan and a homemade honey lemon pudding for dessert. Starting with a Homemade Cold Tofu, its texture and taste seem to be telling me that this is how tofu should taste.

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Assorted Obanzai 4/5

On to the second course, we had the Assorted Obanzai. Each dish carries a distinct texture and flavour characteristic of its own. The Hijiki Seaweed, Beans & Tuna Salad ($6 ala carte) was very savoury with a starchy texture, probably from the addition of chickpeas. The Lotus Root Ohitashi with Minced Shrimp ($9 ala carte) highlighted the crunchy texture and sweetness of the lotus root by simply adding a sprinkle of minced shrimp. Lastly, the Octopus & Okra dressed with Japanese Plum Sauce ($12 ala carte) was pretty intense, bringing out the subtle flavours of the 2 key ingredients.

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Boiled Shogoin Turnip & Chicken Dumpling 4.5/5

One of my favourite dishes of that evening other than the tofu was this Boiled Shogoin Turnip & Chicken Dumpling with Special Lemon Oil. Akin to a good oden dish served with a nicely boiled turnip, its clear broth was delicious.

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Sashimi 4.5/5

It is hard to resist the fresh Sashimi that is imported from different parts of Japan depending on their seasonal catch.

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Charcoal-grilled Spanish Mackerel 4/5

We had Charcoal-grilled Spanish Mackerel which was in season. The skin was perfectly crisped, with the meat firm and sweet.

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Deep-fried Crab Dumpling 4/5

The Deep-fried Crab Dumpling was like a Japanese style crab cake. I like how thin and crisp the crust was, encasing a sweet and savoury crab filling.

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Rock On! Treasure Box 3.8/5

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Gout-O I.C.U 3.8/5

For the next course, we had an add on - Rock On! Treasure Box (+$90) and the Gout-O I.C.U (+$60). Rock On! Tokyo Treasure Box features tamago kake gohan with white/black truffle, uni, caviar, crabmeat and ikura while Gout-o ICU serves the holy trinity of ikura, caviar and uni. As lavish as they might seem, I very much prefer the original tamago kake gohan. Align with the essence of obanzai; the steamed Japanese rice comes served under a blanket of torched egg white meringue and egg yolk. I had a few spoonfuls of that on its own, and the simple taste of the fragrant white rice with the egg was highly comforting. The rich and savoury toppings had kind of masked the beautiful flavours of the rice and egg.

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Honey Lemon Pudding 4/5

Dessert was a Home-made Honey Lemon Pudding ($8). Its creamy texture was like a hybrid of a rich mousse and custard. Sweet and tangy, the caramelised sugar crust added a balancing hint of bitterness.

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You may add on 5 glasses of sake pairing for $60.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Rockon Tokyo
106 Tanjong Pagar Road
Singapore 088525
Tel: +65 97311136
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue- Sun: 5pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road. Turn right onto Tanjong Pagar Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

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