JIN Fine Dining @ Amoy Hotel

I was very excited when I know I am going to dine at JIN Fine Dining by Chef Thomas Kok, one of Singapore's pioneers of Japanese food. I have heard about Chef Thomas from fellow foodies but has never met him in person. I am glad I got to meet him. Chef Thomas is really a very nice and warm person, it felt that I have known him for years.

Starter Platter 4.5/5

Starting off the dining is this exquisite Starter Platter that comes with Pitan Tofu, Marinated Squid, Tamago with Eel, Jelly with Vegetable and Seaweed. It felt like I am having amuse bouche that showcases the culinary philosophy of Chef Thomas towards Japanese cuisine.

Red Snapper Sashimi 4.5/5

Next up is the plate of Red Snapper Sashimi paired with Truffle. It seems like there is a new trend of using truffle in Japanese cuisine. It demonstrated the constant evolving of food incorporating other ingredients or techniques. The pairing of red snapper sashimi with truffle turned out surprisingly good. The combination gave a new experience in appreciating the raw fish.

Eihire, Fugu Mirin Boshi and Tatami Iwashi 4/5

The Eihire (grilled stingray fin), Fugu Mirin Boshi and Tatami Iwashi (dried sardine sheet) are the perfect trio to go with a beer. Even Chef Thomas could not resist the temptation and joined me with her beef as we nibbled on these snacks and caught up with some conversations.

Sashimi Platter 4.5/5

Freshness at its best is this Sashimi Platter of Toro, Cuttlefish, Scallop and Hamachi. It felt like summer has come early with these freshness blooming like flowers in my mouth.

Ikura Chawanmushi 4.5/5

The sight of the Ikura Chawanmushi itself already opened my appetite. Chef Thomas shared with me that the ikura is specially imported from Hokkaido as they are not too salty. Indeed it was not as salty and provided a nice harmony to the comforting steamed egg.

Grilled Fish 4/5

The whole fish was lightly seasoned with salt and grilled to perfection. It was moist inside with a thin crispy exterior skin. The salt further accentuated the sweetness of the Grilled Fish with a aromatic smokiness. Chef Thomas Kok taught me to pour some soy sauce onto the radish and eat it together with the fish. The method further complemented the enjoyment.

Stewed Saga Beef 4.2/5

One of the best beef from Japan is from Saga Pertecture where the cattle are breed in a clean air and water surrounding in a no stress environment. The premium beef has to pass strict criteria. It must be equivalent to the Japan Meat Grading Association's top grade of 4 or 5, and have a Beef Marbling Standard (BMS) rating of 7 or higher out of the maximum of 12. Saga Beef is tender because the red meat is interspersed with fine veins of flavoursome fat. The Stewed Saga Beef was slow cooked for hours to achieve that rich, melted in the mouth texture.

Aburi Sushi 4.5/5

What is more satisfying towards the end of the omakase dinner is the Aburi Sushi of Scallop, Toro and Salmon Belly. I like the fact that the ratio of the vinegar rice to the ingredient allows the fresh ingredients to be appreciated while not feeling too full.

Hamaguri Clam Soup 4.5/5

The Hamaguri Clam Soup was light and refreshing, natural flavoured from the sweetness of the huge clam. Perfect to wrap up the meal, washing down the greasiness. It is like having a cup of tea after a satisfying meal.

I have totally enjoyed my dining experience at JIN Fine Dining. It may be a bit pricey but you are paying for the quality with most of the ingredients freshly flown from Japan. For a value for money deal, if may want to check out the special 8 course omakase set, Chef Thomas is offering to ieatishootipost readers. I understand it is still available when I last checked with Chef Thomas.


JIN Fine Dining
Amoy Hotel
Far East Square
74 Telok Ayer Street
#01-02
Singapore 048462
Tel: +65 65366258
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 7am - 10am, 1030am - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1)Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk down Telok Ayer Street towards the direction of China Square Food Centre. Turn left into Pekin Street. Walk to destination at the end of the street. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Three Bistro @ Marina Square

Conveniently located at Marina Square, Three Bistro is a modern restaurant, bar and wine space which offers a wide range of western fusion food ranging from salads, pizzas to hearty main courses and desserts. Wine lovers will be delighted to know that Three Bistro actually offers a good selection of wine that is rarely found elsewhere in Singapore.

Take for example these three bottles of wine below. Notice the Chinese letters on the bottle? They are, in fact, French wine that are harvested and brewed in China. One of them has even clinched an award at the Hong Kong International Wine Tasting Competition!

Classic Mushroom 3.5/5

Our dinner started rolling with some warm comforting soups. Those who love truffle oil would love this rendition of Mushroom Soup ($6) as the chef is rather generous with the serving. However, a drizzle of truffle oil might just suffice as it overpowered the mushroom flavour.

Seafood Soup 3.8/5

This Seafood Soup ($8) resembled a fishermen’s stew with plenty of fresh fish, squid, in a perfect backdrop of sweet and sour tomato base that would rally up anyone's spirits on a rainy day.

BBQ Chicken Pizza 2.8/5

The pizza base is gratifyingly crisp and the combination of chicken, pineapples and bbq sauce in this BBQ Chicken Pizza ($10.50) sounded like a Hawaiian dream come true. And this dream would realize in reality if fresh honest ingredients were used and a little more effort were channeled to craft the dough.

Pan Seared Salmon with Tofu 3/5

The Pan Seared Salmon with Tofu ($12) left me in confusion because the components seemed to be isolated from one another. The pan-seared salmon in teriyaki sauce and the deep fried golden tofu were tasty on their own but there was just too little chemistry between the two, as well as the green smear of sweet wasabi custard, to inspire any beautiful love story.

Baby Back Ribs 2.8/5

Arriving in two hunky slabs, the Baby Back Ribs ($23) definitely got me salivating over the tantalizing looking BBQ sauce. I would love to have basked in the porky glory if the flavour had penetrated through the meat. They were overdone, resulting in an arduous task of chowing through the meat.

Duck Confit with Honey Vinaigrette Dressing with Creamy Mash Potato 3/5

Some chefs do it the crisp way; some chefs do the traditional braised way. Like it or not, the Duck Confit ($25) here belonged to the classic camp where the skin is soft and supple. The meat was fairly tender but could have retained more moisture. This would have been a good interpretation of a classic confit if the dry mash potato hadn't been "modernized" by the truffle oil.

Lamb Shank 3.5/5

Some people might find this Lamb Shank ($27) slightly gamey but I thought the meat was a good sign of long braising, boasting of the lovely silky, almost sticky texture. The side vegetables such as carrots and onions were also cooked down to a pleasant sweet mash. Perhaps a little touch of herbs and spice would do the trick to coax out the nuances of this dish.

Cod Fish, served with Tomato Salsa and Cream of Anchovy 3.5/5

Perhaps due to the choice of using oven-baked technique, the skin of the Codfish ($27) remained chewy, a pity because the great storage of fats could have been harnessed to produce an aromatic crisp fish. Nonetheless, it was a very healthy dish that is extremely light on seasoning, slightly too light to register on the palates of an average man. The cream of anchovy was also absent that day. That said, this is pretty ideal for ladies who are watching their diet.

Panna Cotta 3.5/5

Back to the desserts, the Panna Cotta ($5.50) has a unique consistency of a milk jelly pudding and the sugar content is well regulated.

Chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream 3/5

Meanwhile, the Chocolate Brownie ($6.50) also made quick entrance, albeit at the mercy of the delicate ice cream that was melting in mid-way. This brownie might not be out-of-the-world delicious, but efforts still have to be credited to the chef who made this instead of outsourcing to external bakeries. It had a dense, nutty texture, which would be elevated to a next level if served warm.

Currently, the concept of the food at Three Bistro appears inherently fuzzy to me, though I sincerely appreciate the effort that goes into styling up some dishes here. If more energy is directed towards the balance of flavours and textures in each dish, I think Three Bistro would stand out as one of the quality all-day dining and chill-out spots in the CBD district. Live band music performance is also available during the evenings from 730pm go 1030pm on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Written and Photograph by Li Tian, a passionate foodie behind Singapore-Japan Food Blog “Dairy & Cream”. Has an eye for pastries and desserts.


Three Bistro
Marina Square
6 Raffles Boulevard
 #01- 07/08
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 63388644
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thr3ebistro
Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 10am - 11pm
Fri-Sat: 10am - 12midnight
Sun: 12noon - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take exit B. Walk to Marina Square via Marina Square Link. Walk to the destination. Journey time about 5 mins. [Map]