Showing posts with label Saba. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saba. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Kushi Japanese Dining @ Grantral Mall & Complex MacPherson - Offering Budget-Friendly A La Carte Japanese Buffet

Group

Kushi Japanese Dining has been a fixture in Singapore for the past 16 years, having moved locations a few times before settling into its current spot at Grantral Mall, MacPherson. Offering a budget-friendly à la carte buffet, Kushi boasts an extensive selection of Japanese dishes that satisfy all your cravings.

Sashimi Platter 1
Assorted Sashimi Platter 4/5

We began our buffet experience with the Assorted Sashimi Platter, which included maguro, sake, shiro maguro, tako, ika, meikajiki, and hamachi (limited to one serving per table). The sashimi was impeccably fresh, with the shiro maguro standing out as a rare find at many Japanese restaurants.

Pitan Tofu 1
Pitan Tofu 3.5/5

Chawanmushi 1
Chawanmushi 3.5/5

We also enjoyed the Chawanmushi, which was subtly flavourful, and the must-try Pitan Tofu, a unique and creamy dish that offered a different take on tofu.

Agedashi Tofu 1
Agedashi Tofu 4/5

Tako Yaki 1
Tako Yaki 3/5

Asari Miso Soup 1
Asari Miso Soup 4/5

Moving on to the hot dishes, we sampled the perfectly fried Agedashi Tofu, which was crispy on the outside and tender within. It's a dish we could quickly devour on our own. The Tako Yaki was decent but could be skipped if you're looking to save room for more sashimi. The Asari Miso Soup, with its plump and fresh clams, served as a refreshing palate cleanser, preparing us for the next round of food.

Kushiyaki Platter 1
Assorted Kushiyaki 3.8/5

Saba Shoyaki
Saba Shoyaki 4/5

Pork Belly Shogayaki 1
Pork Belly Shogayaki 3/5

Surume Ika 1
Surume Ika 4/5

Next, we tried an assortment of Kushiyaki, as recommended by our server. Each skewer was perfectly grilled, but our favourites were the Saba Shoyaki and Surume Ika. The saba was generously portioned, lightly salted, and deliciously flaky, while the grilled squid had a pleasantly charred flavour and was only available in limited servings. The Pork Belly Shogayaki was tasty, but we wished we had room to enjoy it with rice.

Tempura Platter 1
Assorted Tempura Platter 4/5

For Tempura, the Ebi stood out with its light, crispy batter, and the prawn itself was fresh and sweet.

Kitsune Soba 1
Kitsune Soba 3/5

Garlic Fried Rice 1
Garlic Fried Rice 3/5

Kushi offers options like Garlic Fried Rice, Kitsune Soba, and Mini Ramen if you need carbs. While they were decent, they didn't leave a lasting impression.

Shabu Shabu Pork 1
Shabu Shabu Pork 4/5

However, the Shabu Shabu Pork was a pleasant surprise. The broth was clean and sweet, likely from the vegetables, and perfectly contrasted with the heavier grilled and fried dishes we had been enjoying. This hotpot dish is a must-try if you want something to cut through the greasiness and refresh your palate.

Wafu Beef Steak 2
Wafu Beef Steak 3.5/5

For those looking for more beyond the buffet, Kushi offers a 25% discount on selected à la carte dishes. We decided to try the Wafu Beef Steak. You can request your preferred doneness, and the flavourful wafu sauce enhances the tender steak.

Interior 1

Priced at $54.90++ for lunch and $58.90++ for dinner, Kushi's buffet is exceptional value for money, offering a wide variety of quality Japanese dishes. The restaurant is clean, brightly lit, and nicely decorated, providing a comfortable dining environment.

Interior 2

For those planning a special gathering, Kushi also offers two private dining rooms, each accommodating up to 10 people, or 20 if combined, with a minimum spend required. Whether you're a fan of sashimi, grilled items, or hotpot, Kushi Japanese Dining will surely satisfy you.

Photos and words by Jaslyn. An avid cook who lives to eat and travel for food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Kushi Japanese Dining
Grantral Mall & Complex Macpherson
601 Macpherson Road
#01-27/28
Singapore 368242
Tel: +65 69040728
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Website
Nearest MRT: Tai Seng (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tai Seng MRT Station. Take Exit B. Turn right and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Wagatomo @ Guoco Tower - Chef Tomoyuki Welcomes The Arrival Of Spring With A Refreshed Omakase Menu

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Wagatomo at Guoco Tower is considered Chef Tomoyuki Kiga's new home following the opening of his butchery and sando shop - Gyu San. It is where Chef Tomoyuki pushes boundaries to create his version of modern Japanese cuisine, drawing inspiration from his past experiences with food and culture gathered over the years. Experience the arrival of spring with a refreshed omakase menu here at Wagatomo with the new line-up of seven courses that features Spring ingredients, which are all about lighter flavours and fresher profiles.

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Maguro & Green Pea Tartlets 3.5/5

The Spring Menu starts with Maguro & Green Pea Tartlets, with the tartlet base inspired by Kuey Pie Tie. Serving up two very contrasting profiles to tease your taste buds. One is a topping of spicy tuna sashimi spiced with togarashi aioli that brought a tinge of fiery kick. The other is a Japanese interpretation of the French Petit Pois, topped with sweet and crunchy green peas nested in a mashed green pea base.

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Tomato 3 Ways 4.5/5

The 2nd course celebrates the humble tomato - Tomato 3 Ways, made with Tomato Houjicha Consommé, Tomato Jelly, and Marinated Tomatoes. A mix of French tomatoes marinated in tangy amazu and cubed tomato jelly made from tomato water was served chilled with a tomato consommé. The tomato jelly didn't provide much flavour, but I liked the contrasting texture they gave to the dish. Sweet, savoury and tangy, it was a stellar example of a dish celebrating the beauty of a single ingredient.

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Maguro Tataki 3/5

The next course Maguro Tataki follows a similar flavour profile - Tataki in a sauce of vinegar, soy and sugar, garnished with Pickled Ginger Flower, Negi and garlic chips. While the flavours were pleasing, I would prefer a creamier dressing for the lean maguro.

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Haru Kakiage 4.8/5

Next is Haru Kakiage, which is served with a tentsuyu sauce and a yummy batter of Bamboo shoots, Asparagus, Onion, Burdock and Prawn Tempura. Concocted with dashi, mirin and soy, the sauce delivered an umami punch to the light batter. I love the chewy texture and crunch lent by the various ingredients.

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Saba Shio Yaki 4.5/5

Following is an individual portion of Saba Shio Yaki. Such tasty fish needs no seasoning, only some sea salt to bring out its sweetness. The grilled Japanese saba mackerel from Fukuoka is served with grated daikon with yuzu zest to cut the fatty flavour of the fish. The crisp skin that had been slightly seasoned with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt was delicious, with the flesh being firm and rich in taste.

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Beef & Negi 4.5/5

The Main showcases Wagatomo's signature beef Kamichiku 4% Miracle Gyu - Beef & Negi. The Kamichiku 4% Miracle Gyu chuck roll is grilled using an open grill fired by binchotan charcoal and oakwood, with the right doneness to render the marbled fat. The sweetness of the caramelised negi in brown butter and the savoury potato puree complement the robust meat well, with all flavours welded together harmoniously.

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Baked Ringo 4/5

The omakase ends with a divine Baked Ringo - Chef Tomoyuki reimagines an apple pie. Here we get an apple pie chutney encased in a baked apple, topped with refreshing green apple sorbet, alongside a cap of dehydrated apple with apple gel dollops.

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The Spring 2023 Omakase menu will be available from 6 March 2023 onwards and is priced at $96 per person, with a minimum of two pax to share required.

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.


Wagatomo
Guoco Tower
5 Wallich Street
#01-12
Singapore 078883
Tel: +65 83136622
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 1130 am - 230pm, 530pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to Guoco Tower. Walk to the open air square. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Monday, April 19, 2021

Kakurega (The Lair) 隠れ家 @ Smith Street - Brand New Yakitori & Sake Bar In The Heart Of Chinatown

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Kakurega (The Lair) 隠れ家, located along Smith Street of bustling Chinatown, is a Japanese Sake Bar housed in a three-storey high shophouse that allows you to relish a range of curated sake over scrumptious charcoal-grilled yakitori. The sake bar's ambience is cosy with neatly spaced private rooms.

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Eihire, Kawaebi Karaage, Kawahagi 4.5/5

For a start, we had a platter of Eihire - Sun-Dried Stingray Fin ($7.80), Kawahagi - Dried Leather Jacket ($6.80) and Kawaebi Karaage - Deep-Fried Kawa Shrimp ($7.80). They were absolutely delicious and immediately got my appetite going. Eihire may look kind of dry, but it actually had a very chewy texture that made it very moreish. In fact, they all were. Even the Deep-Fried Kawa Shrimp were crunchy and surprisingly meaty given their tiny size.

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Shime Saba Aburi 4/5

I would also recommend sharing a plate of the Shime Saba Aburi - Flame-Seared Cured Mackerel ($10.80). It looks kind of lonesome to be served as it is. I can imagine enjoying its meatiness and intense flavours over a few servings of sake.

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Gyu Tataki 4.5/5

From the Sumi-Yaki (Charcoal Grill), we had the popular Gyu Tataki ($18.80). A 230g Meltique Beef with Garlic Chips. The grilling was done perfectly, rendering its fats, and laced its flavours with a layer of smokiness.

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Hotate Mentai 4.5/5

Another dish that delivers is this Hotate Mentai - Scallop with Mentai Sauce ($6.80). The scallop itself was plump and succulent, and what made it so satiable was the the thick layer of mentai sauce that added a rich mouthfeel and texture to the sweet morsel.

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Apsara Bacon, Tori Momo, Buta Enoki 4/5

The spread of Kushi-Yaki at Kakurega is hearty and scrumptious. We had Apsara Bacon - Asparagus wrapped in Bacon, Tori Momo - Chicken Thigh, Buta Enoki - Enoki Mushroom wrapped in Pork ($3.80 each). Kakurega also offers Course Sets priced at $68 (Kaku-Classic) and $98 (Rega- Premium) for the best of Kakurega’s popular grilled items and Kushi-Yaki skewers.

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Chashu Ringo Sauce, Mozzarella Chizu Maki 4.5/5

One of my favourites of the evening is the Chashu Ringo Sauce - Pork Belly with Apple Sauce ($6.80). I love the refreshing tart sweetness of the apple sauce that glazed over the pork belly, giving it enough acidity to cut through the meat's richness. The smokey caramelisation on the chashu was divine. Equally mouthwatering is the cheesy Mozzarella Chizu Maki - Creamy Mozzarella wrapped in Beef Short Plate ($6.80).

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.


Kakurega (The Lair) 隠れ家
12 Smith Street
Singapore 058926.
Facebook
Website
Tel: +65 62230102
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line)

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

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

Monday, February 18, 2019

Gyoza-Ya @ Plaza Singapura - Exclusive Set Meals With Free Flow Of Japanese Salad

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Known for their affordable gyozas, Gyoza-Ya has recently launched a new set menu which is exclusive to both Plaza Singapura and Northpoint outlets only. From $14.80 onwards, there are 23 variations of the set meal to choose from, alongside with free flow of Japanaese salad.

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Saba Tonkatsu Donburi 3/5

For Donburi Set Meals, each donburi comes with 2 types of meat, a radish stew, 3 original gyozas, a soup and a free flow Japanese salad which is shredded cabbage with plum sauce. Crunchy and refreshing with acidity from the plum sauce, the salad went really well with my Saba Tonkatsu Donburi which is quite a classic pairing to begin with. However, my tonkatsu was tad too dry. The fattier saba fish fared better and the radish stew was surprisingly a highlight of the rice bowl.

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Gyu Kakuni Donburi 4/5

Compared to the above, you will probably get a lot more bang on your bucks and satisfaction with this Gyu Kakuni Donburi ($20.80). Both the gyu and kakuni were very well braised, hence they were tender and packed with umami. The gyu was in large slices with a balanced portion of fats and the pork belly were juicy without any porky taste. A scoop of tempura bits was served for some extra crunch.

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Tendon Set 3.5/5

The Tendon Set ($18.80) may not be the most affordable one but the 3 juicy prawn tempuras make up for it. Other than the prawns, I also like the use of Shimeji mushroom tempura instead of the commonly used Enoki mushroom. Its texture is meatier and when fried, in this case it seemed even juicier against the crisp batter.

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Mentaiko Gyoza

If that 3 original gyozas within the set doesn't fill you up, feel free to order other variations from the menu, such as the crowd pleasing Mentaiko Gyoza ($9.80) or the outlet exclusive Takoyaki Gyoza ($9.80).

Words and photos 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.


Gyoza-Ya
Plaza Singapura
#B2-50/51
68 Orchard Rd
Singapore 238839
Tel: +65 62668311
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Dhoby Ghaut (CC Line, NE Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sun: 1130am - 10pm

Directions:
1) Alight at Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. Take Exit D or E. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]