Sakaba Igokochi @ NEWest - Transformation from Omakase to Izakaya Concept

Igokochi, nestled in NEWest, has recently undergone a captivating transformation. From its origins as an omakase restaurant, it now embraces the spirited essence of a Tokyo izakaya. Inspired by Shinjuku's bustling back alleys and hidden gems, Igokochi beckons with its izakaya-focused menu and bar.

Peperron Edamame 3/5

Takara MIO Sparkling Rose Sake Limited Edition 300ml

Before delving into the dining experience, we indulged in the Takara MIO Sparkling Rose Sake Limited Edition (300ml), served chilled. Accompanying this refreshing libation was the Peperron Edamame ($7). While the edamame pods were flavoured, the seasoning remained on the surface, sparing the prized beans inside.

Salmon Yukke-Style Carpaccio 4/5

The Salmon Yukke-Style Carpaccio ($13) graced our table next. Thick, luscious salmon slices bathed in a sweet and tangy chef's special sauce. Adorned with ikura, the pearls of umami goodness, it elevated the salmon's rich, fatty flavours.

Beef Tataki with Dashi Ponzu 3.8/5

Beef Tataki with Dashi Ponzu ($16) followed suit, showcasing thinly sliced, seared beef drizzled with a zesty dashi ponzu sauce. Adding green onions and fried garlic provided an aromatic and harmonious finish.

Kombu-marinated Chicken Thigh Steak 3.5/5

The Kombu-Marinated Chicken Thigh Steak ($15) showcased dry-aged chicken marinated in kombu before grilling. The result was a tender, moist, and intensely flavoured chicken. While the distinct chicken flavour might not suit every palate, it was a bold and unique creation.

Pressed Sushi 2.5/5

Despite its creative intent, the Pressed Sushi left us with mixed feelings. We opted for the Scallop Pressed Sushi ($22) adorned with ikura and green onions. Regrettably, the ratio of rice to scallop was skewed, overwhelming the delicate sashimi topping.

Japanese Style Grilled Apple 4/5

We savoured the Japanese Style Grilled Apple ($8), accompanied by red bean, mochi, and vanilla ice cream for dessert. This simple yet delightful dessert offered a sweet conclusion to our meal.

At Igokochi, the transformation from omakase to izakaya has brought forth a medley of flavours inspired by Tokyo's vibrant back alleys. While some dishes soared, others left room for further refinement, promising intriguing culinary journeys to come.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Sakaba Igokochi
NEWest
1 West Coast Drive
#01-98/99
Singapore 128020
Tel: +65 6963 9430
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Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 1130am - 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17171). Take bus 154 or 201. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

G Izakaya @ Golden Mile Tower - Offering Both Izakaya And Omakase For Lunch And Dinner

G Izakaya at Golden Mile Tower is an izakaya and an omakase restaurant, offering an extensive menu of Japanese dishes for lunch and dinner.

3 Kind Sashimi 3/5

We started with 3 Kind Sashimi that was served thick cut. The portion was generous, suitable for 2 or even 3 pax.

Uni Sakura 3/5

Next was a dainty bite I reckoned more befitting as an omakase course - Uni Sakura. Sandwiched between 2 thin wafers are pieces of tamago, pickled radish, and uni. While I didn't find it a cohesive dish, I appreciate its creativity.

Tsukune 2.5/5

Butabara Yuzu Miso 3.5/5

Expect the quintessential skewers. We had Tsukune (chicken meatballs) and Butabara Yuzu Miso. I didn't enjoy the taste of the Tsukune somehow, but the latter fared much better with well-charred pork-belly fats flavoured with tangy and savoury yuzu miso.

Soft Shell Crab Tempura 4/5

The Soft Shell Crab Tempura was pleasing with airy batter. There was a light crunch in every bite, and the best bits were those that gave way to the sweet meat inside.

G Dragon Maki 4/5

One of the recommended dishes at the restaurant is the G Dragon Maki, scrumptious with fried King Prawn, salmon, and a spicy housemade sauce. The fiery savoury sauce brought out the sweetness of the prawns, and I enjoyed the overall mouth-filling texture.

Unagi Don 3.8/5

If you are here for lunch, there are also simple yet pleasing Dons such as Unagi Don at affordable prices. The Unagi was served glazed with tare sauce and slightly charred, adding a delicious smokey flavour layer. The meat was unctuous too. Hence the humble pickled shallots and radish slices were the perfect accompaniments to punctuate the dish with their acidity.

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.


G Izakaya
Golden Mile Tower
6001 Beach Road
#01-52A/B
Singapore 199589
Tel: +65 91835393
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Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 1130am - 130pm, 530pm - 930pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Nicoll Highway MRT station. Take Exit A. Take the overhead bridge to Beach Road. Turn right onto Beach Road and walk down Beach Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Nonbei Izakaya @ Southbridge Road (Chinatown) - New Izakaya Restaurant Inspired By Tokyo's Nonbei Yokocho

Nonbei Izakaya at South Bridge Road, located beside the famous Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown, is a new izakaya restaurant inspired by Tokyo's Nonbei Yokocho.

Ohitashi 3.5/5

We had the Ohitashi ($6) to kickstart our dinner. The vegetables marinated with dashi are crowned with a pile of bonito flakes.

Tamago Yaki 4/5

Both young and old will enjoy the Tamago Yaki ($10). The Japanese omelette is sweet, soft and fluffy.

Sashimi 5 Kinds 4.5/5

We were astonished at how reasonably priced the Sashimi 5 Kinds ($38) were. For only thirty-eight dollars, you get five thickly cut varieties. It is a steal. You can also top up $18 for Hon Toro.

Buri Kama Shio Yaki 4.2/5

Grilled to perfection is the Buri Kama Shio Yaki ($18). The grilled yellowtail collar has a thin crispy skin on the exterior, while the moist fish meat comes with a hint of smokiness.

Kushi Yaki 3.8/5

Since this is an izakaya place, we need to order some kushiyaki to accompany our drinks. So we ordered a couple of yakitori from the menu, such as the Tebasaki (Japanese Chicken Wings), Yakitori (Chicken Skewers), Tori Kawa (Chicken Skin Skewers), Asparagus Bacon (Asparagus wrapped with Bacon), Mukago (Japanese Yam), Ko Tamanegi (Charred Onion). Each skewer ranges from $1.50 to $3. My favourite is the tebasaki and yakitori.

Buta Kakuni 3/5

For the cooked item, we tried the Buta Kakuni, which has been cooked to tender and infused with fragrant soy sauce. Interestingly, some dining companions commented that it tasted like a particular can tinned braised pork brand, in a delicious homely familiarity.

Ebi Tempura 4/5

Comes with a light and thin crispy coat is the Ebi Tempura ($15) that will delight everyone with its sweetness and crunch.

Chashu Ramen 3.5/5

If you are still hungry after all the drinks and bites, the Chashu Ramen ($12) is something more substantial to fill your tummy. The chashu reminds us of the buta kakuni, which probably is the weak link of the bowl of slurping goodness.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Nonbei Izakaya
282 South Bridge Road
Singapore 058831
Tel: +65 81128028
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Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line), Maxwell (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 5pm - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight down Pagoda Street. Turn right onto Trengganu Street. Walk to the end of Trengganu Street and turn left onto Sago Street. Walk to the end of Sago Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Maxwell MRT station. Take Exit 2. Walk to destination. Journey time about 2 minutes. [Map]

Saketoshi @ UE Square Shopping Mall - New Modern Izakaya & Sake Bar That Accepts Cryptocurrency Payment

Saketoshi is a newly opened modern izakaya located at UE Square Shopping Mall, offering exquisite sake and classic Japanese bar bites. It also has an alfresco dining area for guests that prefer to enjoy their sake outdoor with the night's cool breeze. On top of that, the sake bar allows customers to pay their bills with cryptocurrency.

Amaebi Karaage 4.2/5

Ika Geso Karaage 4/5

We started with some Agemono to go with our drinks. The Amaebi Karaage ($15) is extremely addictively, sweet and crispy. The Ika Geso Karaage ($15) is also ideal for pairing with a couple of drinks. The portions for both bar snacks were huge too.

Japanese Oysters Karaage 3.8/5

Instead of fresh oysters, we decided to go for the Japanese Oysters Karaage ($24). Another deep-fried item that has a delightful exterior crisp locking the briny tang of the plump oyster within.

Saketoshi Cocktail 4.5/5

For a luxe enjoyment, the Saketoshi Cocktail ($39) consisting of caviar, uni and ikura tasted heavenly with all three ingredients coming together harmoniously.

Uni Seaweed Tempura 4.8/5

Elevate the experience at Saketoshi with the Uni Seaweed Tempura ($24 for 2pc), comprising fresh sea urchin perched atop a bed of seaweed tempura and juicy slices of otoro and garnished with a dollop of truffle caviar.

Scallop IKura 3.5/5

Scallop lovers will have a choice between the Scallop Ikura ($24) and Scallop Foie Gras ($48). The Scallop Ikura is deep-fried in a thin crusty coat, plump and juicy, topped with popping ikura. However, I thought it was slightly on the salty end.

Scallop Foie Gras 3.5/5

As for the Scallop Foie Gras, while I enjoyed the beautifully pan-seared foie gras and scallop, the combination didn't come together as a dish. Instead, they are individually delicious on their own, paired excellently with the mentaiko sauce.

A4 Wagyu Steak 4.5/5

One of the crowd's favourites is the A4 Wagyu Steak ($48) that is given a quick kiss on the grilled for the appreciation of the beautiful full flavoured tender beef. Customers can also have it with salt on the side to enhance the taste profile.

Aburi Engawa 3.8/5

Suppose you are still hungry and need something more filling. In that case, you can try the Aburi Engawa Donburi ($28), which features a flame-seared halibut fin atop Japanese pickles, ikura, pickled ginger and an onsen egg. The mild sweetness of the halibut is complemented by the crunchiness from the pickles, ginger and ikura for that extra textural enjoyment.

Saketoshi is unlike typical modern izakaya. Established by a group of crypto-investors, you can pay for your meals with cryptocurrencies at Saketoshi. In fact, its name is a witty play on the pseudonym for the elusive Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Saketoshi

UE Square Shopping Mall

81 Clemenceau Avenue
#01-14
Singapore 239917
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Nearest MRT: Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to traffic junction Clemenceau Avenue and River Valley Road. Cross the road. Turn left and walk to UE Square. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

SG Food on Foot - Best Eats In 2021

I didn't put together a list for 2020 as we were hit by the Covid restriction and was not able to dine-in most of the calendar year. Since the restriction has been somewhat relaxed for 2020, I was able to check out a number of places. With that, I will bring back the annual tradition to recap my food journey for the past one year. Here is my best eats for 2021.

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Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice

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One of my best discovery for 2021 is Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice near Mayflower MRT station exit 3. What caught my attention was a petite young lady behind the chopping board. It is a rare sight in the hawker scene. The stall, run by a sister and brother team, is inside a coffeeshop at block 158 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4. They are the children of Mr Lee Tai Keng, the founder of Five Star Chicken Rice.

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Firangi Superstar

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Firangi Superstar at Craig Road is born out of love and memories of the country India. Stepping into the restaurant is a cinematic journey, transporting diners to an Officer's Club, Old Railway Room, Elephant Palace and Jungle Lodge. Here, the food takes classic Indian cuisine in unexpected forms in Head Chef Thiru Gunasakaran's hand, giving it a modern approach.

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Joo Chiat Place Fried Kway Teow

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All of us probably has our own favourite char kway teow stall, and mine is Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee at Hong Lim Food Centre. I am glad to discover an underrated Char Kway Teow stall at Joo Chiat Place Fried Kway Teow. It is located in a corner coffeeshop along Joo Chiat Place. In my opinion, it is comparable to Outram Park Fried Kway Teow.

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Ju95

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JU95 is a modern izakaya restaurant located at Boat Quay opened for about 3 months. From what I understand, the kitchen is helmed by Chef Louis who supposed to follow a 2 Michelin starred chef to Belgium which was put off due to the pandemic. I am impressed with the food at Ju95. The dishes I tried are creative and tasty with touches of finesse, giving a modern take of traditional izakaya. Ju95 is one of the best restaurants I have eaten this year, and I recommend you check it out.

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Rempapa

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I have been following Chef Damian D'Silva heritage cooking when he had a stall at Timbre+ Ayer Rajah, followed by Folklore and Restaurant Kin. But, unfortunately, he didn't stay long at any one place. Hence I was glad to hear he is making a come back with a new restaurant - Rempapa at Park Place Residences at PLQ. Rempapa offers an all-day dining concept where the eclectic menu caters for different times of day - Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner.

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Revolver

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Revolver is the latest and hottest restaurant to be opened at the bustling Tras Street. The restaurant embraces the fire of Indian cooking sensibilities, world-class premium produce and carefully selected global spices to create a progressive and exciting dining experience. There is three tasting menus - Discovery Menu ($139++), Experience Menu ($179++) and Vegetarian Menu ($129++).

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Ristorante Pietrasanta

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I could not believe this was my first time visiting Ristorante Pietrasanta until it recently relocated to Connexis Tower, Fusionpolis. It moved from Portsdown Road to the current location, which is more accessible. It is so much accessible now located just beside the One-North MRT station. A must-have is the pasta dishes at Ristorante Pietrasanta. They handmade all their pasta daily.

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Tai Er Chinese Sauerkraut Fish

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Popular Tai Er Chinese Sauerkraut Fish, with nearly 300 stores in China, has opened its first outlet in Singapore at Changi Jewel Singapore. The restaurant is known for its Chinese Sauerkraut Fish seeing daily queues at the stores to savour the fish fillets in a spicy and sour broth. A must have is the Chinese Sauerkraut Fish ($48/$68/$88) that comes in a huge plate with the tender fish slices swimming in a pool of soup, brimming with red chillis, Sichuan peppercorn and pickled cabbage. If I am not wrong, they use tilapia fish for the dish. The combination of mala, spicy and sour flavours is super shiok. I can understand why it is so popular in China now.

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Teochew Fish Ball Noodle

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I have heard about an excellent Teochew fishball noodle stall at Crawford Lane. Still, I always end up going to the one Michelin-starred Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles. So finally, I got a chance to visit the area and took the opportunity to check out Teochew Fish Ball Noodle, located inside a coffeeshop at block 462 Crawford Lane. Between the mee pok and mee kia, we find the mee kia goes better with the concoction of sambal chilli and vinegar. Though the vinegar is not as punchy compared to Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles, you still get that sourish kick balanced with the sambal for that slurping goodness. Overall, Teochew Fish Ball Noodle offers a good bowl of fishball noodles. However, if you find the queue at Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles is too long, you may consider making a slight detour to try the fishball noodle just a few blocks away.

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Yang Ming Seafood

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Having seen a lot of postings from my foodie friends, I have to make my way to Yang Ming Seafood (扬名海鲜) at Bishan Street 11. The zichar place is located in a coffeeshop among the HDB estate. You will notice we ordered mostly seafood dishes because this is their forte. The highlight for the night has to be the Lobster Chee Cheong Fan ($88). It is a dish my friend shared with the owner what he had in Hong Kong, and after much R&D, the chef created this dish which becomes a hit with a lot of foodies. The highlight is the silky chee cheong fan accentuated by the fried shallot, fried garlic and premium soya sauce.

With this, I present to you my Best Eat In 2021. I also like to take this opportunity to thank all my readers and followers for the supports all these years. After two years of Covid, I hope things will get better and we can resume things back to norm. Last but at least, wishing everyone a safe, healthy and wonderful 2022.