The Nomads @ Telok Ayer Street - A Re-Imagination Of Central Asian Cuisine

The Nomads is a new contemporary Central Asian dining concept located along Telok Ayer Street. It features a chic dining area complete with a custom-built grill pit, a speakeasy-style private dining room and thoughtfully crafted menus that bring diners to a gastronomic trail along the Silk Road. Besides the a la carte menu, there are 3 tasting menus and an exclusive private dining room communal menu.

Smoked Herring 4.2/5

For my visit, I had The Odyssey of Fire Tasting Menus ($148) which comprises of 17 courses that highlight a wide range of signatures and seasonal items. The gastronomic journey started with the Smoked Herring. The smoked herring sits inside a delicate filo pastry filled with horseradish mash.

Caviar & Kaya 4/5

A playfully take of the kueh pie tee is the Caviar & Kaya. Housed inside the crispy shell is poached Argentinean prawns and housemade kaya, crowned with glistening beads of Kristal caviar. Pop it inside the mouth to get that perfect burst of sweet and salty flavours.

Lamb Samsa Cones 4.2/5

The Lamb Samsa Cones is a modern take of the lamb samsa, traditionally served in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as a baked pastry filled with meat. The cone coated with coffee sugar is filled with lamb tartare of fresh Mottainai lamb short loin. A thoughtful creation allowing the sweetness of the coffee sugar to complement the light and naturally sweet meat, plus a little playful touch.

Nomads Nan with Hunter-Gatherers Butter 4.5/5

The Nomads Nan is a traditional Kazakhstan-style bread made using a secret family recipe whereby flour is fermented overnight with yoghurt to intensifies the flavour. This is best enjoyed with the seaweed butter and foie gras butter.

Maitake Mushrooms 3.5/5

You can smell the smokiness of the Maitake Mushrooms from a distance, seasoned with earthy Khmeli Suneli spices and grilled with tahini and sesame seeds.

Carrots in Soil 3.5/5

Bite into the different coloured Carrots in Soil that is sweet and crunchy. The charred heirloom carrots are coated with coffee crumble for a bittersweet finishing.

Salat 4.5/5

The Salat is an adaptation of the grilled fruit salad from Kazakhstan. It is light, crispy and fresh that comprises of juicy pears glazed with cherry vinaigrette, seasonal greens and crystallised walnuts, served with anchovy sauce and frozen raspberries.

Scallops 4/5

An interesting combination of koji cured Japanese Scallops, spiced burnt corn and crispy lentil crackers, is the Scallops dish. It is unusual to put the three ingredients together, and they complemented one another excellently.

Squid Laghman 4/5

The Squid Laghman is a native noodle dish from Xinjiang Uyghur. The squid noodles are lightly charcoal kissed to tender. It is paired with capsicum and pine nuts in the hearty bone marrow and Sichuan peppercorn sauce. Hence it is a little bit spicy.

Sturgeon 4/5

The lean and meaty Sturgeon which tasted like chicken breast is grilled with soy butter emulsion and dill oil and served with crunchy grains.

Beshbarmak 4.2/5

The Beshbarmak, a national dish of Kazakhstan, is literally translated to "five fingers" because it typically can be eaten with the hands. The modern version at The Nomads finds pieces of tender wagyu cheek in spiced broth, pickled shallots and garlic. On top of that, it replaces the noodles with dehydrated potato sheets.

Beef Tongue 4/5

The Beef Tongue is braised for 48 hours in a master broth until tender with a slight crunch, served on The Nomads Nan with a decadent burnt whole grain mustard cream, spiced beef jus and shaved almonds.

Pomegranate 4/5

Freshen up your palate in the Pomegranate which serves as a palate cleanser.

Foie in Ash 4.2/5

It is like having foie gras skewer in the Foie in Ash. The chunky foie gras is coated with charred breadcrumbs with a side of cherry gastrique.

Hunter's Plov 4.2/5

A staple along the Silk Road is the plov, a rice dish that is whipped up with whatever ingredients on-hand. The Hunter's Plov at The Nomads is inspired by the Uzbekistan version. It comes in a bowl of A4 wagyu striploin, bone marrow, pickled heirloom carrots, tea quail eggs, brandied raisins and Carnaroli risotto.

Almaty 4.2/5

Moving to the desserts, the Almaty comes in the form of a dainty tart of smoked apple ribbons with dollops of Gorgonzola cheese and cinnamon yoghurt and a scoop of celery sorbet.

Medovik 4/5

Last but not least, there was a second dessert to end the tasting menu on a sweet note. The soft and fluffy Honey Cake is paired with sour cream ganache, blood orange, rose crystals and refreshing yoghurt sorbet.

The 17-course tasting menu may sound a lot, but each serving is rather bit size portion. As for the gastronomic journey, the cuisine along the Silk Road is very foreign to me. While each individual dish is thoughtfully crafted, the diversity of the culinary influences may work either way. To some, it may be confusing without focus, for others, it may be an exploration adventure.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Nomads
70 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 048458
Tel: +65 69777057
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Torii Izakaya @ Duxton Road - Newly Opening Modern Japanese Izakaya With Superb Food & Drinks

Nestled in the bustling enclave of Duxton Road, newly opened Japanese Izakaya restaurant - Torii Izakaya offers all the charm of an authentic Izakaya while incorporating modern elements to their traditional cuisines and drinks. Torri prides itself in the quality and freshness of the ingredients, using only high-quality beef and sashimi which is carefully selected and flown in from Norway and Hokkaido Japan to curate a menu that is set to excite taste buds for Japan food lovers.

The Torii 4/5, Wild Night 4/5

Of course, what is a meal without some drinks to bring out the food flavours? As for the drinks list, it is largely sake and whisky-driven. The sake collection is carefully sourced from around Japan, regions such as Kyoto, Fushimi, Niigata, Myagi, and more, so take note, sake enthusiasts.

Go for The Torii ($16) concocted with bourbon, yuzu juice and ginger ale for a sweet-sourish cocktail choice. Or the Wild Night ($16) for those who want a little more zing in their drinks, with wild berries syrup and green tea spiked with whiskey. The petals atop are not just for decor purposes but are edible as well. We'll be back for more - and the fact that all the cocktails are priced around $16++.

Broiled Crab Chowder 4.2/5

We started off the meal with the Broiled Crab Chowder ($12) packed with generous amounts of soft shell crab and crab meat in a creamy briny broth, sprinkled with just shallots and olive oil to lend a nice aroma to the dish. We love how the soft shell crab still retains its crispiness throughout, which also adds a textural dimension to the crab chowder.

Bonded Unagi & Foie Gras 4.5/5

One not-to-be-missed dish is the Bonded Unagi & Foie Gras ($16), where both eastern and western influences come together to form a great bond between the two popular delicacies. Each bite has an umami taste and literally melts on your tongue. I would willingly pay to have this again and again.

Torii Cocktail 4/5

Next, we had the Torii Cocktails ($15) which comes with fresh diced sashimi and creamy uni over sweet shrimps, complete with caviar and a special dressing that gave a subtle sweetness to the dish.

Torii Sashimi 4.2/5

The Torii Sashimi ($23) is definitely a steal, consisting of the freshest assortment of fish such as the raw salmon, sweet shrimp, kampachi, scallops, tuna belly, finished with a yuzu dressing.

Aburi Salmon Yuzu 4.2/5, Tiger Prawn 3.8/5

There is only a small selection of sushi rolls, with 3 maki choices. We got to try the Aburi Salmon Yuzu ($13) and Tiger Prawn ($11). We absolutely love the Aburi Salmon Yuzu, with a layer of perfectly torched salmon wrapped around another big chunk of salmon sashimi within. The addition of cucumber, pistachio nuts, and tobiko gave it a crunch. Complete with a slightly tangy yuzu dressing, each bite is simply sensational - packed full of the salmon freshness and umami-ness. The Tiger Prawn pales a little in comparison, but we still enjoy the combination of crispy deep-fried tiger prawn, creamy avocado, shrimp roe, and unagi sauce to give it an extra oomph.

Wagyu Bone Marrow 3.8/5

The Wagyu Bone Marrow ($15) is large and loaded with the gelatinous cream of the marrow which has a unique buttery taste and a rich, robust flavour. While the bone marrow fat was enjoyable, we wished there would be some sides to it to provide a contrast or cushioning to the sheer richness.

Stone Rice Bowl 3.8/5

The Stone Rice Bowl ($18) came in a piping hot bowl of shrimp, unagi, Japanese scallop, seaweed, tobiko, onsen tamago over a bed of Japanese rice. Take a quick snap and mix all the ingredients in the bowl, as it is best mixed and eaten hot.

Wings 3.5/5, Wagyu Sirloin 4/5, Garlic with crispy skin 3.8/5

Torii has over 20 skewer items on their menu. With a drink at bay, diners can pair it among the wide range of grilled items and eat to their heart's content. We had the Wings ($3) seasoned with just sea salt, and the tender Wagyu Striploin ($3). Each bite is imbued with a smoky depth and would leave you craving for more. The Garlic with crispy skin ($3) is not your commonly seen food items in the form of skewers, but once you start, you can’t stop.

Beef Donburi 4.2/5

One of my favourites is the Beef Donburi ($25). The tender beef slices have a nice smoky charred exterior, paired perfectly with the soft creamy foie gras, and the addition of truffle elevated the whole dish. Mix it all in with the onsen egg which binds everything perfectly together, and we could not stop till we have wiped the bowl clean. For a more premium experience, you can top up an additional $5 for an extra foie gras, or $18 for additional uni.

Kagoshima Sirloin A5 4.5/5

The highlight of the night is the Kagoshima Sirloin A5 ($68). The hefty price tag is justified by the stellar quality of the steak - tender, juicy slices with a slight nicely charred exterior that just melts in your mouth. It's a definite must-order here if you're hankering for some good steaks. We recommend topping up $7 for an additional pan-seared foie gras or scallop.

These lively casual bars are aplenty in Singapore, and there's nowhere better to kick back and have some Japanese bites full of umami goodness with some drinks to go along with. Torri Izakaya is the perfect place for friends who gather for a good time or office workers who are looking for some after-work drinks, tie-loosened, hair down. With a huge 68-indoor seater and 12-outdoor seater, it is also available to cater for events from commercial events to party celebrations.

Photos and words 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.


[Closed]
Torii Izakaya
32 Duxton Road
Singapore 089496
Tel: +65 62230093
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line), Outram park (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat & PH: 12pm - 230pm, 530pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Orchid Hotel. Cross Tanjong Pagar Road and walk to Craig Road. Walk along Craig Road and turn right onto Duxton Road. Walk along Duxton Road to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Outram MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk straight along New Bridge Road to Kreta Ayer Road. Turn right onto Kreta Ayer Road and walk to the end. Cross the road and turn left onto Neil Road. From Neil Road walk to Duxton Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20  minutes. [Map]