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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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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]

Kiyoshi @ Amoy Street - Family-style Japanese Restaurant With Wholesome Dishes

Kiyoshi 清 at Amoy Street is a newly opened family-style Japanese restaurant which focuses on bringing light and wholesome meals to customers. On the menu, you will find sashimi, donburi, soba, yakitori and bento sets.

Tofu & Avocado Salad 3.8/5

Expect starters such as this Tofu & Avocado Salad with Sesame Dressing ($11.80), an ever-popular combination of avocado and tofu to provide the right amount of fats and protein for texture and nutrients all in one salad.

Yakitori 2.5/5

To spruce up its offerings, you can also find Yakitori items such as Yakitori Chicken ($2), Cheese Maki (Mozzarella Cheese wrapped with Bacon) ($3.50), Buta Bara (Pork Belly with Teriyaki Sauce) ($2.50), 'Black Angus' Ribeye ($7.50), Shishamo and Chicken Wings. Other than the Cheese Maki and Shishamo, which provided lip smacking savoury and fatty goodness, the rest of the items were mostly disappointing, ranging from undercooked, mediocre to overcooked, tough meats.

Salmon Kabuta Shioyaki 3.5/5

Fortunately, on the other hand, the Salmon Kabuta Shioyaki ($11.80) was on point. Simply grilled with salt and not doused with teriyaki sauce like many would do, the cartilage was quite well broken down, and the collar meat was moist and juicy.

Tekka Tataki 3.8/5

Tekka Tataki $14.80 was another dish that I quite enjoyed.  The homemade special dressing was citrusy and complemented the raw tuna well.

Salmon Mentai Roll 3.5/5

Salmon Mentai Roll ($12.80) is a crowd-pleasing dish which will satisfy your craving for a sweet and rich mentaiko sauce edged with alluring smokiness. Wrapped with fried ebi and shredded cucumber, these crunchy elements contrasted well with the mouth-filling salmon and creamy mentaiko mayonnaise. Your taste buds will be stoked.

Tempura Zaru Soba 3.5/5

For mains, we tried some soba and udon dishes. Tempura Zaru Soba ($18.80) was decent. It would be even better if the tempura batter for the Ebi was slightly thinner.

Salmon Ikura Cha Soba 3.8/5

My favourite dish would be this Salmon Ikura Cha Soba ($20.80) - the cold sauce went really well with the raw salmon, with bursts of umami-ness from the roes. One more slice of salmon will perhaps make this is more filling and wholesome.

Oden 2.8/5

Oden ($22.80) is a seasonal item not on the menu. It is served with Inaniwa Udon. To me, Inaniwa Udon has to be treated with care to preserve its smooth and velvety texture. In places which I had tried, it is usually served as the star of the dish, accompanied by elements of your choices. For this dish, presenting it in a clump on curly mess surely didn't do justice to this fine quality udon. As for the Oden itself, I appreciate that it is loaded with ingredients such as meatballs, fishcakes and cabbages, but the dashi tasted more like cabbage soup.

While it is is quite common to find a mainstream Japanese restaurant in malls, it has been quite some time since we last had an independent casual Japanese restaurant in this area. Kiyoshi 清 will be a good alternative for gatherings, especially for families on the weekend.

For orders, please call 6223 0995 or email enquiry@kiyoshi.com.sg or 93666 419. Order online on their website https://inline.app/order/kiyoshi/amoystreet. Minimum order of $30. Islandwide delivery is available at $11. Free delivery for orders above $100.

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.


Kiyoshi
75 Amoy Street
Singapore 069894
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line), Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 11am - 3pm, 5pm-10pm
Friday: 11am - 3pm, 5-1030pm
Sat: 5pm - 1030pm
Sun: 5pm-10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Amoy Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk down Telok Ayer Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

NOKA by Open Farm Community @ Funan Mall - First Rooftop Urban Farm-To-Table Japanese Restaurant

NOKA, which means farmhouse in Japanese on the rooftop of Funan Mall, is the sister restaurant to Open Farm Community. It is the first of its kind restaurant, offering a farm-to-table concept with its own rooftop urban farm. The farm spans over 5,000 square feet in partnership with Edible Garden City.

Plum Blossom Cocktail 3.5/5

My dinner started with the Plum Blossom Cocktail, which is a very refreshing and appropriate drink for Singapore's humid weather.

Refreshing Tomato Salad 4.5/5

We also have some salads, to begin with. First up is the Refreshing Tomato Salad ($15) which uses ox heart organic tomatoes from Malaysia and garnished with rooftop herbs. The clever use of the yuzu pepper vinaigrette perks up the sweetness of the tomatoes.

Organic Mushroom Salad 4/5

A tribute to the beautiful produces from the rooftop farm is the Organic Mushroom Salad ($18) using golden mushroom and kale from harvested from the farm to table. Holding the plate of salad together is the delicious fresh wasabi dressing.

Kampong Yakitori 4.2/5

We moved on to the snack bite menu, starting with the Kampong Yakitori ($12). The tender charcoal-grilled chicken thigh is so good that I am screaming for a mug of beer to go with it.

Cod Popcorn 4.5/5

You can throw the popcorn chicken aside, the Cod Popcorn ($18) will wow you even more. Soft in the inside and crispy on the outside, it is coated with a layer of sweet chilli sauce. The combination of the textures and sweetness makes it a very addictive snack bite topped with rooftop herbs, spring onion and roasted sesame.

Charcoal Calamari 4.2/5

Next is the black gold which is actually Charcoal Calamari ($15). It is another well-received dish with the dining group. Not forgetting the Japanese garlic aioli dip at the side, which enhances the whole appreciation of the black tempura squid.

Tuna Taku 3.5/5

If you need your carbo intake, there is the sushi bar that offers a variety of sushi. We had the Tuna Taku ($25) which consists of fatty tuna, tuna tartare, takuwan pickle, rooftop herbs, spring onions and rice cracker. It is satisfying but not something that will make you jump from your chair.

Koji Ton-Toro 4.2/5

For the mains, the Koji Ton-Toro ($38) stood out with its lemon garlic pepper sauce that goes really well with the tender pork jowl that has been marinated in rice fermentation culture. It is paired with kale and roasted potato at the side.

Black Cod Saikyo-Yaki 4.2/5

Cod marinated in miso is a classic combination which NOKA executed excellently in their own interpretation. What's unique with the Black Cod Saikyo-Yaki ($38) is the pairing with pulut hitam furikake and sea grape, giving the dish the additional boost in flavours and textures.

Oden 4.5/5

My favourite dish for the night has to be the Oden ($20). It is hearty, comfortable and most importantly, delicious. In the bowl, there is wagyu beef, daikon radish, satsumaage, itokon, tomato and okura. I think I can have this every day. I would recommend adding a bit of the mustard into the soup, lifting the flavour.

Wafu Parfait 3.5/5

Lime in the Coconut 3/5

To end the meal, we tried a couple of desserts. We had the Wafu Parfait ($15), Lime in the Coconut ($15) and Yuzu Cheesecake ($15). The desserts do look very pretty in terms of presentation. However, the flavours to be more vibrant to match up with the presentation.

Yuzu Cheesecake 3/5

As you probably have noticed, NOKA uses traditional Japanese cooking techniques for the farm-to-table concept. Besides the a la carte dishes we tried, NOKA also offers three-course set lunch at $45++ and omakase at $150++ per diner.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


NOKA by Open Farm Community
Funan Mall
109 North Bridge Road
#07-38/39
Singapore 179097
Tel: +65 68774878
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left onto North Bridge Road. Walk down North Bridge Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 mins. [Map]

SENS @ Holland Village - Newly Opened Japanese Restaurant Inside A Gourmet Grocer

Located at the basement of the new Raffles @ Holland Village is SENS, a Japanese restaurant within the gourmet grocer TASTE. It offers a wide repertoire of contemporary Japanese cuisine including sashimi, sushi, teppanyaki and omakase. It also boasts one of the largest selections of Japanese craft beers, sake and wines from breweries in different regions of Japan.

Sashimi Moriawase Mix 4/5

Dinner at SENS started with the Sashimi Moriawase Mix ($48.80) which comes with 5 different kinds of sashimi. On the plate, we had maguro, otoro, salmon, hamachi and ebi which is air flown from Japan. In short you can ensure of its freshness.

Aburi Salmon Mentai Roll 4.2/5

For those that does not take raw food, you can go for the Aburi Salmon Mentai Roll ($18.80) topped with mentaiko and roes. Pop one into mouth and enjoy a burst of different flavours and textures coming together.

Miyazaki Wagyu Tataki 4.8/5 and Beef Kaku Ni 4/5

A crowd favouruite was the Miyazaki Wagyu Tataki ($68.80) for both its great flavour and texture. The thinly sliced wagyu is lightly seared on the exterior while the interior is cooked to a beautiful pink. This gives it an extra layer of flavour on top of that flavoursome and juicy beef slices.

The other beef dish we tried is the Beef Kaku Ni ($16.80). The piece of beef literally fell apart as I tried to pick it up with my chopsticks. The melted in the mouth texture and its appetizing rich flavour calls for a bowl of rice to go with it.

Foie Gras Teriyaki 4.2/5

Not really quite Japanese but the menu does offer items such as Foie Gras Teriyaki ($16). I like the fact that the foie gras has a layer of caramelized sweetness that complemented the creaminess

Surume Ika 4/5

From the grill, there is the Surume Ika ($18.80) which is grilled perfectly to a nice bouncy texture coated with a nice caramelized sweetness for an elevated enjoyment.

Kurobuta Rosu Katsu 4.5/5

A worthy try at SENS is the Kurobuta Rosu Katsu ($17.50). The breaded deep fried pork loin has an interesting crispy crumbs on top of the juicy meat which tasted like tempura coating. putting it in another way it is like having the crispy KFC fried chicken except it is pork not chicken.

Niniku Chahan 3/5

If you are still not full, the Niniku Chahan ($8) may able to fill you up. Unfortunately I felt that he garlic fried rice lacked the garlic and wok hei aroma.

Yakitori Set 3/5

Perfect to go with some beer or sake is the Yakitori. We ordered a few different skewers such as chicken wings, meat balls, pork belly and mushroom to try. Maybe the chef wanted to showcase the natural flavour of the ingredients but I felt that a little bit more seasoning would be more enjoyable.

Overall food at SENS is above average. I would definitely go back for the miyazaki wagyu tataki, beef kaku ni, kurobuta rosu katsu, sashimi and sushi.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


SENS
Raffles @ Holland Village
118 Holland Avenue
#B1-12/13
Singapore 278997
Tel: +65 62625618
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Guan's Mee Pok @ Clementi West Street 2 - Another Mee Pok Master Has Moved Into The West

With Ah Hoe Mee Pok which is run by Mr Naoji's son at block 713 Clementi West Street 2 moving to Cantonment Road, another mee pok stall has moved in. It is non other than Guan's Mee Pok, who used to partner with Ah Hoe Mee Pok's founder, Eric Chia who is the is the master of Mr Naoji, the Japanese Mee Pok man that you probably have seen in different media platforms.

Guan's Mee Pok with Yakitori 4.2/5

A basic bowl at Guan's Mee Pok starts from Guan's Mee Pok with Yakitori ($5). The bowl of noodle comprises of chicken yakitori, minced pork, fried fish ball, tamago egg, fish maw and the al dentle noodle which was cooked to precision using a timer.

Meat Platties with Chicken Soup 3.5/5

Unfortunately the Fish Maw Soup was sold out so I decided to go for the Meat Platties with Chicken Soup ($4.50) instead. The clear soup was light and refreshing with crunchy greens. The meat patties was enjoyable but nothing much to shout about.

Guan's Mee Pork with Squid 4.5/5

For a more premium enjoyable, I had the Guan's Mee Pork with Squid ($9). Like the basic bowl, it comes with chicken yakitori, minced pork, fried fish ball, tamago egg, fish maw with the addition of poached squid. Besides the springy noodle texture, the chilli-vinegar sauce perfumed by the used of dried sole fish and pork lard, gives the noodle a coat of slurping goodness. You are also free to add more vinegar if you prefer a more acidic sharpness.

[CLOSED]
Guan's Mee Pok
Blk 713 Clementi West Street 2
#01-115
Singapore 120713
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 7am to 230pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Clementi Bus Interchange (Stop ID 17009). Take bus number 282. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

The Wall @ Tanjong Pagar Road - Take A Flight To The World Of Whisky

A new kid at the stretch of shophouses along Tanjong Pagar Road is The Wall. It is a Whisky and Sumiyaki Bar that seeks to make Whisky drinking friendlier, approachable and more enjoyable. In short even the novice can enjoy it. The best thing is it comes with a comprehensive full sumiyaki menu to go with the water of life - whisky.

Miso Nachos 4/5

Before starting on our introduction to the world of whisky, we settled in with some munchies. First we have the Miso Nachos ($8) which is actually salted bean nachos with minced beef. The saltiness of the miso elevated the flavour of the beef and this goes well with crunchy nachos.

Eihire  4.5/5

The Eihire ($15) is a very addictive snack. I could not help going back for more of the grilled skate fin. The more I chewed on it, the more the flavour perfumed the whole mouth.

After checking in to a few snacks, we board our Flight - East Meet West ($37) to discover the treasured flavours of fusion. The 4 whisky we tried are Auchentoshan Three Wood (Scotland), Les Moissons (France), Yamazaki Distiller Reserve (Japan) and Kavalan Single Malt (Taiwan). With an addition $12, you get 4 skewers (Chicken Wing, Chicken Thigh, Homemade Chicken Ball, Chicken Thigh & Leeks) to go with the whisky.

Japanese Eggplant with Miso 4/5

I always thought that eggplant is mushy but I have to say the Japanese Eggplant with Miso has changed my mind. It was actually crunchy with a nice coat of sweetness and smokiness.

Japanese Capsicum & Minced Chicken 4.5/5

One of my favourite items is the Japanese Capsicum & Minced Chicken ($6). The flavoursome stuffed minced chicken with cartilage gives it a nice crunchy texture while the yuzu peel refreshes the palate. Simple but yet a lovely combination of flavours and texture. You don't even know that you are having capsicum.

Grilled Squid 4.2/5

From the sea, we tried the Grilled Squid which is perfectly grilled retaining that bouncy texture. Dip it into the yakitori and grated ginger sauce for a lifted appreciation of the squid.

Warabi Mochi 4.2/5 and Teochew Heritage 4.5/5

If you find that whisky is too strong for you, the bar actually offers a concoction of whisky cocktails showing its versatility. I tried the Teochew Heritage ($22) which is inspired from the local almond jelly dessert. The cocktail really stood out instead of being gimmicky. It has the characteristic of the local inspired dessert and more important, it tasted great. Before touching down, I was served the homemade Warabi Mochi that was so soft and pillowy, just like the clouds I saw on my flight.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Wall
76 Tanjong Pagar Road
Singapore 088497
Tel: +65 62257988
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 5pm - 1am
(Closed on Sun0

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Orchid Hotel. At Orchid Hotel turn right onto Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road to the opposite side of Tanjong Pagar Road. Walk along Tanjong Pagar Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]