Kemuri @ Cuppage Plaza - Chicken-focused Yakitori Omakase in Elusive Japanese Restaurant

Kemuri might slip from your notice if you are not intentionally seeking its space. Nestled on the 4th floor of Cuppage Plaza, its unpretentious entrance is marked only by a modest doorbell. We were promptly ushered into the cosy 18-seater space upon ringing it, settling comfortably at 2 of the 10 counter seats.

Kemuri, the sibling establishment of the esteemed 5-time Michelin Plate recipient Kappo Shunsui, maintains its exclusivity by opening solely for dinner and presenting only an Omakase Menu ($99++/person) that is expertly curated by Chef Michio "Mitchy" Murakami.

The focus on chicken in its Yakitori courses is evident, showcasing top-tier seasonal ingredients imported from Japan. Complementing the Yakitori are appetisers, side dishes, rice and noodle dishes.

Assorted 3 Kinds Appetisers

Our course began with an Assorted 3 Kinds Appetisers consisting of a wedge of sweet fig, a slice of duck and asparagus wrapped in smoked salmon. The standout surprise was the utmost tender slice of duck.

Before starting on the Yakitori courses, we were introduced to 4 types of spice powders we could pair, including Yuzu Chilli, Japanese Black Pepper, Sancho Chilli and Seven Spices.

Tsukune 4.2/5

The Yakitori series kicked off with the Tsukune, delivering a delightful tenderness and well-balanced marinade.

Chicken Heart 4.5/5

Beyond the conventional chicken cuts, you can expect the more unconventional offerings, such as the Chicken Heart, which had a satisfying chew while being tender within.

Chicken Tail 4.8/5

This was one of the best Chicken Tail I've had in recent times. The skin on this was done wonderfully thin and crisp.

Salad of the Day - Chicken Salad 4/5

Before moving on to the next set of Yakitori, we enjoyed a refreshing palate cleanser of Chicken Salad with corn, edamame, chicken and a mildly tangy vinegar jelly.

Chicken Thigh 4.5/5

Grilled to a smoky char, the Chicken Thigh was juicy and tender, albeit a little salty

Lady Finger 4/5

A number of vegetables complement the poultry dishes. The crunchy Lady Finger was the first we had.

Chicken Neck 4.5/5

I’m not usually a fan of Chicken Neck, but Kemuri’s rendition was more than likeable with a light smokiness.

Grated Radish with Salmon Roe 4.2/5

I particularly appreciated the change-ups between the skewers, which kept the whole meal fun with variety. This Grated Radish with Salmon Roe came timely before the third series of Yakitori.

Chicken Gizzard 3.8/5

Of the various chicken parts, the Chicken Gizzard was among my least favourites due to its overly chewy texture.

Shiitake Mushroom 4/5

The simple-looking Shiitake Mushroom was grilled just right, with its juiciness locked in.

Chicken Drumstick 4.2/5

While the glaze was a little salty, like the Chicken Thigh we had, we still enjoyed the juicy Chicken Drumstick.

Uni Chawanmushi 4.2/5

The final non-Yakitori course of the night was the Uni Chawanmushi, smooth and tasty, elevated with fresh uni.

Chicken Soft Bone 4/5

Next was the Chicken Soft Bone, crunchy and seasoned with a generous hand of pepper.

Eggplant 4/5

The final vegetable feature was the Eggplant. I appreciated how lightly seasoned the vegetables were so as not to overpower them.

Chicken Liver 4.8/5

The Chicken Liver skewer claimed the top spot for me that night. The ultra-thin and crispy outer layer encased a melt-in-your-mouth inner texture. If not for how full I was at this point of the meal, I would have requested for another!

Chicken Wing 4.2/5

Our Yakitori course concluded strongly with the Chicken Wing. We thoroughly enjoyed the lightly charred, crisp exterior and similarly tender meat.

Duck Soba 4/5

The Duck Soba, a part of the meal with a choice between noodles and rice, featured soba noodles of decent quality. The standout was the impressively succulent slices of duck.

Minced Chicken and Egg Bowl 4.5/5

Between the 2 choices of mains, I'd definitely recommend the Minced Chicken and Egg Bowl more. The generous topping of minced chicken with the silky raw egg yolk was such a comforting combination. Make sure to give the bowl a good mix before digging in.

Our experience at Kemuri was memorable, particularly considering the price tag. Drop a WhatsApp message to them to make your reservation.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Kemuri
Cuppage Plaza
#04-02
5 Koek Road
Singapore 228796
Tel: +65 9772 4300
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Nearest MRT: Somerset MRT (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B, C or D. Walk to Orchard Road. Cross the road and walk to Cuppage Road. Walk down Cuppage Road. Walk to Cuppage Plaza. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Joie @ Orchard Central - Restaurant with Modern Meatless Cuisine in Orchard Central’s Rooftop Garden

Tucked on the 12th floor of Orchard Central is Joie, a restaurant that prides itself on bringing diners a modern meatless menu with Japanese-European elements. It shares the top floor with one other restaurant and the mall's rooftop garden, with views overlooking the bustling Orchard Road.

Joie offers a 4 or 5-Course set for lunch and a 6-Course for dinner. The prices are as follows:

4-Course Lunch
$38++ on Mondays to Fridays, except Eve of Public Holidays and Public Holidays

5 Course Lunch
$50++ Daily

6-Course Dinner
$78++ on Mondays to Thursdays
$88++ on Friday to Sunday, Eve of Public Holidays and Public Holidays

For this visit, we had two sets of the 6-Course Dinner and hence could sample more dishes as indicated individually below. Beverages are not included, but Joie offers quite a comprehensive list of alcoholic drinks and a more straightforward non-alcoholic list containing mocktails, coffee, tea and soft drinks.

Complimentary Snack - Spaghetti Sticks

We were first served with a complimentary crunchy snack of Spaghetti Sticks in two flavours, spiced and non-spiced.

Palate Cleanser - Passionfruit Sorbet

After that, we were treated to Passionfruit Sorbet, which was intended to cleanse our palates before beginning the course properly. However, it could have been less icy and a lot less sweet to provide a lighter and more refreshing start.

Starter - Chef’s Selection of Assorted Platter 3/5

However, we were uncertain if it was intentional, but the capsicum kebab was made with a mix of vegetables in their raw form, and the raspberry sphere was overly sweet with a flat burst of flavour.

However, we were uncertain if it was intentional, but the capsicum kebab seemed to be just made with a mix of vegetables in their raw form, and the raspberry sphere was overly sweet with a flat burst of flavour.

Side Dish - Bailing Mushroom on Paper Hot Pot 2.8/5

Our first side dish was the Bailing Mushroom on Paper Hot Pot. We appreciated the chunky yet soft-texted mushrooms here, but the accompanying soup was overly sweet, making it challenging to savour fully. A more balanced base would have enhanced the overall enjoyment.

Side Dish - Gratinated Champignon with Mozzarella 2.8/5

For our second side dish, we had the Gratinated Champignon with Mozzarella. I looked forward to it when I saw the copious amount of cheese and golden-brown crust, but I was disappointed with the meagre portion of button mushrooms. The bread meant to pair with the Belgian endives was, unfortunately, a bit stale.

Cold Dish - Tuna Cold Steak 1/5

We ordered the Tuna Cold Steak as our first cold dish, which had marinated watermelon with dill mustard dressing and a topping of pine nuts. The texture of the 'steak' was soft, but flavour-wise, it was cloyingly sweet.

Cold Dish - Vegetable Sashimi On Ice with Oyster-Leaf Shooter Glass 2/5

We've had vegetarian sashimi a couple of times before this and were excited to try Joie's carefully plated rendition - Vegetable Sashimi On Ice with Oyster-Leaf Shooter Glass.

Instead of the usual konjac for the sashimi, they've ventured to use other elements, such as coconut, huai shan and aloe vera. The platter featured 'salmon, octopus, jellyfish and abalone', arranged from left to right. It was served with soy sauce and an oyster-leaf shooter glass. Unfortunately, like the previous dishes, most of these items leaned towards the sweeter side. We would have preferred a better balance with more savoury elements.

Soup - Japanese Kunbu Broth with Hand Carved Tofu 1/5

Our first choice of soup was the Japanese Kunbu Broth with Hand Carved Tofu. We understand from the menu that it was meant to be a double-boiled Japanese seaweed consomme, but what we had was regrettably bland.

Soup - Infusion of Cepes & Truffle 3/5

The Infusion of Cepes & Truffle was a better bowl. The mushroom soup here had delightful bits of mushroom and carried a mild truffle fragrance.

Main - Truffle Risotto 2.8/5

There are 5 mains to choose from for the dinner course. The Truffle Risotto with a croquette on top, mascarpone cream, greens, and black truffle didn't quite meet our expectations. The risotto had a thick porridge-like texture, lacking the desirable al dente bite. Additionally, we would have appreciated the croquette more if it had been served hotter and crunchier to provide better textural contrast.

Main - Grilled Summer Mushroom Steak on "Pu Ye" Hot Stone 3/5

Our second main, the Grilled Summer Mushroom Steak on "Pu Ye" Hot Stone, fared better. Beyond the visual presentation, the "Pu Ye" hot stone was intended to keep the dish hot. The mushroom steak here highlights a well-grilled monkey head mushroom with a mild smokiness. While the deep-fried spaghetti was too oily, I would have liked more of the truffle mashed potato as it was smooth and carried a good amount of flavour.

Dessert - Yoghurt Pudding 2.5/5

The Yogurt Pudding dessert had a watery texture, lacked the expected tangy yoghurt notes and leaned towards the sweeter side.

Dessert - Homemade Cheesecake with Oreo 2.8/5

Our last dessert was their Homemade Cheesecake with Oreo. It was average, with a decent amount of cheese flavour.

Unfortunately, our visit to Joie fell short of expectations. While we valued the warm service, the food quality needed to align with what we anticipated from a casual fine dining establishment. Many dishes lacked flavour or erred on the side of excessive sweetness. We hope this was an isolated occurrence and hope to experience better in the future.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Joie
Orchard Central
#12-01
181 Orchard Road
Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 9663 0901
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Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit C or D. Walk to Orchard Central. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Ginger.Lily @ Hilton Singapore Orchard - Newly Refreshed Afternoon Tea Experience with Nikkei-inspired Delights

Embark on a four-part journey of Savoury, Sweet, Thirst and Take Me Home with Ginger.Lily's newly refreshed Nikkei-inspired Afternoon Tea menu. Thoughtfully curated by Director of Culinary Vijay and Executive Pastry Chef Cindy, they seek to bring diners to experience a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian flavours and ingredients.

A minimum of 2 diners per table is required, at $58++ per person for food only or $78++ per person for an additional glass of champagne. Included in the set is a choice of 2 hot teas per diner from an extensive range of 10 premium tea varieties.

If you prefer delicately flavoured teas like me, I would recommend Ginger.Lily's house blend, The Ginger.Lily. It is a specially put-together blend of tea leaves paired with goji berries and perfumed with mild florals and exotic fruits.

Welcome Drink

We were first served with a Welcome Drink of tangy-sweet pink guava and yuzu.

Nikkei-style Salmon 4/5

The trio of Nikkei Savouries started with an appetite lifter, the Nikkei-style Salmon. It had fresh cubes of salmon paired with crispy quinoa, cucumber strips and a generous pour of yuzu sauce.

Shishamo 4.2/5

Next, we had a fried piece of meaty Shishamo sandwiched between a lightly grilled mantou bun. It had a mild kick of heat from jalapenos and sriracha.

Sando 4.2/5

The last of this segment of savouries was the satisfying Sando, a well-fried chunky piece of Kurobuta pork laced with sweet tonkatsu sauce and black garlic aioli in bread.

Nikkei Nigiris 4/5

We were surprised to find out about this next part! Not only was it the first time for us to have sushi at an afternoon tea, but it was also carefully torched to finish by the chef at our tableside. The Nikkei Nigiris feature three pieces - the Foie-Gras, Maguro Chu-Toro and White Fish.

Nikkei Nigiris

While the sushi rice was a little more loose than we would prefer, we appreciated the freshness of each. The Maguro Chu-Toro was served with orange ponzu glaze and wasabi, while the White Fish had Shiromi chilli. My favourite was the melt-in-the-mouth Foie-Gras with a brush of ginger-flavoured teriyaki sauce.

Japanese Inspired Sweets 4.2/5

We moved into the Japanese-inspired sweets gorgeously presented in a layered turquoise drawer. Aside from the Red Tea Azuki Dorayaki and Scones, we were recommended to make our way through from the top to the bottom, progressing from the lighter to the more decadent flavours.

Matcha & Sudachi

Despite hoping for more intense matcha notes in the soft Matcha & Sudachi roll cake, it was a lovely, refreshing piece with tangy sudachi notes.

Japanese Mango Cheesecake, Muscat Anise Shortcake, Strawberry Miso Tart

Other featured sweets were the Japanese Mango Cheesecake, Muscat Anise Shortcake and Strawberry Miso Tart, which had an oozing filling of strawberry bits upon halving.

Mikan Cacao Pepper Choux, Sesame Finger Cookies, Hokkaido Potato Moelleux

The more assertive flavours are brought out in the unique Mikan Cacao Pepper Choux, nutty Sesame Finger Cookies and Hokkaido Potato Moelleux.

Scones 3.8/5

We ended off with an afternoon tea staple, scones. The Cranberry Scones and Vanilla Scones came in two pairs, accompanied by a side of strawberry apple jam, yuzu chocolate creme and clotted cream.

I found the scones a tad doughy, but I was particularly surprised to find myself enjoying the yuzu chocolate creme. I'm not usually a fan of a similar citrusy combination of chocolate and orange, but the yuzu here is distinctly bright and balanced off very well with the darker chocolate.

Nikkei Sour 4.5/5

I adored the new Nikkei Sour concocted in-house. It is part of a selection of Nikkei-inspired cocktails designed to pair with the refreshed afternoon tea pieces and their all-day dining. The Nikkei Sour is crafted using Matcha distillate and a Macchu Pisco base, boasting a light, fruity and citrusy profile.

Save a table for Ginger.Lily's afternoon tea at https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/sinorhi-hilton-singapore-orchard/dining/ginger-lily/. There are 2 seatings, with the first seating from 1pm to 3pm and second seating from 3.30pm to 5.30pm.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Ginger.Lily
Hilton Singapore Orchard
Level 5
333 Orchard Road
Singapore 238867
Tel: +65 6831 6273
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Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am to 1am

Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to ground level. Turn left onto Orchard Road. Walk down Orchard Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]