Uya 四代目菊川 @ Wheelock Place - Another Unagi Specialty Restaurant In The Heart Of Orchard Road

Uya 四代目菊川 at Wheelock Place may be a newly established unagi cuisine restaurant in Singapore, it comes from a family with a long heritage. Co-founded by Yuhei Kikukawa, the fourth generation family head of Nakasho Shoten Ltd, a wholesaler of unagi for over 90 years, and also the owner of a chain of unagi and other Japanese cuisine restaurants in Nagoya. Scientifically known as Anguilla japonica, only Japanese Eels are used here. I learnt that the quality ones tend to be smaller, and are more highly prized in Japan for their relatively tender and fattier meat (with quality oil, more vitamins and minerals). Hence, you may fine the chosen eels are smaller in size than those commonly found in other restaurants.

These hand-chosen eels are then air-flown in twice a week to the restaurant where they are kept in clean, fresh and optimal conditions in a tabeta, a custom-built facility which continuously circulates clean and temperature-controlled water.

Hitsumabushi 3/5

If it's your first time trying out a unagi cusine, Hitsumabushi ($48 Large) would be the recommended option. Originally a Nagoya meibutsu (local specialty), the unagi will be grilled with their very own special tare made from a 4-generations old recipe and meant to be taken 3 ways. Eat it as it is, add the condiments provided such as wasabi, finely sliced negi (green onions) and shredded nori or make ochazuke with the dash broth provided.

The tare used coats the unagi with just the right amount sweetness and surprisingly, I like the 3rd way of eating, especially with the addition of their Mi Sansho. Ground sansho pepper, a native pepper to Japan with a sharp herbal flavor, brings a ripple of tastes to the ochazuke while it cuts through the fatty flavor of the eel. Perhaps my unagi has been sliced too thinly or the batch of unagi in season belongs to the leaner size, I didn't get that fatty and moist texture that I was looking for.

Grilled Eel with Salt 3.5/5

Grilled Eel with Salt ($33 Medium) allows you to appreciate the eel's natural beauty. I like the light crisp on the surface, while the meat stayed fluffy and moist.

Rare Wagyu Rice Bowl 4/5

The menu also offers other popular Japanese dishes such as Chirashi Don which is not surprising given that the other co-founder is Shin Foods PL, the company behind the highly popular the Koji Sushi Bars. What brought satisfaction to the table that evening was actually this Rare Wagyu Rice Bowl ($27). The luscious unctuous meat, smeared with tare sauce, was rich and full bodied, which make the pearly rice again one of the best creations in the world. The clear soup served along contains yuzu, which cleans the palate well at the end of the meal.

Grilled Eel Liver 3.8/5

I don't really take liver but I actually finished the entire Grilled Eel Liver myelf! The charred exteriors formed a skin around the liver, almost like tiny liver sausages. Coated with tare sauce, the charred smokey sweetness of the exteriors complements the gamey liver which makes it so delicious.

Eel Bones 3.5/5

What brings excitement to the table, other than the eel liver, would be this Eel Bones ($9), also known as Eel Hone Senbei. Hone means bone in Japanese, and Senbei are traditional crackers. The crunchiness that it delivers, is just as much as pork crackling but half the calories!

Compared to my very first unagi cuisine experience, this at Uya pales in comparison. I have not tried enough to compare either, hence it could be simply because the cuisine is too delicate for me to appreciate. That said, the ambience of this intimate space wins, for you get to enjoy your exquisite unagi bowl in a less hurried mood.

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.


Uya 四代目菊川
Wheelock Place
501 Orchard Road
#02-15/16
Singapore 238880
Tel: +65 67321096
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 930pm
Fri-Sat: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take exit E. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Hans Im Gluck @ Orchard Road - A Fairy Tale-like German Burger Chain Opens In Singapore

Situated in the heart of Orchard Road is Hans Im Gluck, an established German Burger Grill and Bar from Munich which has launched 49 outlets across Europe and hereby marking Singapore as the franchise’s 50th outlet globally. Originating from a wonderful story of Hans Im Gluck which is meant to teach readers the true origin of happiness, diners will be instantly transported to an enchanting dining experience akin to dining in a whimsical fairy tale forest with its carefully curated interiors - the lush greenery and floor to ceiling birch tree trunks sprouting in between tables to create a green haven away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Burgers are their forte. The casual gourmet burger restaurant specialises in an extensive selection of quality European gastro burgers - with over 30 beef and chicken burgers served alongside salads, as well as vegetarian and vegan burgers to cater to those with dietary restrictions. Also, the restaurant brings in its own range of housemade sauces, as well as multi-grain and sourdough buns, which come frozen from Germany and are made exclusively for the chain, in order to ensure consistency and quality. I liked how all burgers come with an option for customers to choose their choice of bread from Sourdough, Multigrain or go Naked, which basically translates into a bun-less burger, perfect for those on a carb-free diet.

1 PFUND SUSSKARTOFFEL-FRITTEN 4.5/5

The 1 PFUND SUSSKARTOFFEL-FRITTEN ($9) comes in a generously portioned sweet potato fries which boasts a crispy exterior, with a sweet potato fragrance within its soft airy insides. Though good on its own, pair them with the different sauces available and you will finish all one pound of these addictive sweet potato goodness in no time.

HANS IM GLUCK 4.2/5

The HANS IM GLUCK ($17) features a beef burger which comes with parmesan cheese, parma ham, rocket leaves and balsamic glaze. The subtle sweetness from the balsamic glaze complemented the savouriness of the other ingredients quite well, while the beef patty leans towards the tougher side as they only do their beef well-done. Furthermore, the restaurant opts for fresh Australian beef, which averages at 20 per cent fat-to-meat ratio. This explains why the patty lack the juiciness one usually expect for their burgers.

KLASSIK 4/5

Another beef burger from their menu, the KLASSIK ($14) claimed as the 'mother of all burgers', also came with a nicely seasoned beef patty, as well as the standard set of toppings such as fresh lettuce, red onions, sun-ripened tomatoes and their signature HANS IM GLÜCK sauce. Boasting a good balance of flavour and texture, their rendition of European beef burgers are generally less greasy and more healthy than the American-style burgers.

VOGELWILD 3.8/5

The VOGELWILD ($14) features a grilled chicken breast burger with sour cream chive sauce and crispy fried onions. A healthier option as grilled chicken breast is used, the meat was a tad dry on its own. However, the dressings provided a creamy tanginess which lends a refreshing flavour to the burger in between bites.

ABENDROT 4/5

One of the vegetarian burger options from the menu, the ABENDROT ($15) comes with parmesan cheese, grilled vegetable tartare & rocket leaves. Crunchy and flavourful, this meatless option is still satisfying as the rich flavour of the grilled vegetable tartare works wonderfully on the palate.

JUGLANS 4/5

Their Vegan options are no less impressive with the JUGLANS ($15) which comes with cranberries, sprouts and walnuts. The vegan patty has a nice crispness on the exterior while the interior retains a succulent texture. Its accompaniments provide a good balance of flavour to the vegan burger.

HENNE 4/5

The HENNE ($15) is a grilled chicken breast burger which comes with avocado cream, sprouts, orange and mustard sauce. However, with the option to go naked (without burger buns), the dish resembles a salad. It may look like a mess of leafy greens, yet it fares notchers higher than the regular salad bowls with its luscious avocado cream and mustard sauce adding a zesty kick to the entire dish. Fresh and yet retaining a nice crunchy texture, it is no less satisfying than the regular burgers and perfect for those on a carb-free diet.

OMAS GEHEIMNIS 4.5/5

End the meal on a sweet note with their selection of desserts, such as the OMAS GEHEIMNIS ($12) which features warm molten chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream & whipped cream. The soft moist molten cake oozes intensely rich chocolate lava upon breaking it open. The classic combination of the warm chocolate and cold ice cream never goes wrong, and is well executed in this case.

WOHLERGEHEN 4/5

The WOHLERGEHEN ($10) comes in a pile of mini Crepes drizzled with warm chocolate and served with a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream. The dish also came with some walnuts to add a crunchy texture to the soft mini crepes and creamy ice cream.

BESTER 4.2/5

The BESTER ($12) features warm glazed apple tart served with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. The apple tart leans towards the sour side with a subtle sweetness while the creamy vanilla ice cream on the side provides a good complement to the apple tart, with the addition of whipped cream for a lighter finish.

Hans Im Gluck presents a whole new slew of wholesome burgers which is of both quality and nutritious value, defying the common perception of unhealthy burgers that we get mostly from fast-food restaurants. Owner Mrs Hirschberger says: "European burgers are healthy and nutritious. Our burgers are different from fast food. We want to offer gourmet burgers in a restaurant setting as proper sit-down meals." As a one-stop burger place to cater to different dietary preferences, it elevates its variety of handcrafted burgers into an exciting and healthy meal – with virtually unlimited options and something special for everyone.

Words and photos by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Hans Im Glück
362 Orchard Road
Singapore 238887
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 11am - 12midnigh
Fri-Sat: 11am - 1am

Direction: 
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Follow the underpass too Shaw House. Walk to ground level. Turn right onto Orchard Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]