Kushikatsu Tanaka Singapore @ Clarke Quay - Japan's Number 1 Kushikatsu Chain Fires Up New Grand Menu

I first visit Kushikatsu Tanaka at Clarke Quay when it opened its door in January 2018. Back then, the menu is focused on its signature kushikatsu, the Osaka-style fried cutlet skewers. Recently it has expanded its menu, rolling out a fresh new line-up of authentic Japanese izakaya items as well as yakiniku.

Great for sharing over a couple of drinks is the izakaya dishes such as the Salmon Sashimi ($10), Pork Kakuni ($10), Chicken Skin & Aspara Amakara Itame ($10), Ika Butter Yaki ($8) and Tako Butsu ($10). My favourite is the stir-fried chicken skin and asparagus in a mildly spicy soy-based sauce, followed by the sliced salmon sashimi in yuzu mustard sauce. The other items are as good too. The pricing is also very attractive, ranging from eight to ten dollars.

Cheese Imo Mochi 3.5/5

Cheesy Fried Potato 3.5/5

The new menu has a Cheese Special section. If you love something more cheesy, you can have the Cheese Imo Mochi ($6) and Cheesy Fried Potato ($6). The potato mochi is pan-fried and then topped with sweet teriyaki sauce. As for the cheesy fried potato, it is drizzled with nacho cheese sauce.

Okonomi Yaki 3/5

Salmon Belly Teriyaki 3.5/5

It's not just about small plates at Kushikatsu Tanaka. Some items are more substantial and filling such as the Okonomi Yaki ($8) and Salmon Belly Teriyaki ($12). Besides vegetables, there is also pork in the okonomiyaki. Initially, I thought the salmon belly teriyaki looks like unagi, this is because it is drenched in a sweet teriyaki sauce. This literally melted in the mouth due to the use of the fatty cut.

Yakiniku 4/5

The highlight of the new menu has to be the Yakiniku. It comes in 3 different offerings. The Yakiniku Rib Eye ($17), Yakiniku Age Beef Tongue ($22) and Yakiniku Mori ($26). If you want variety, I would recommend the yakiniku mori which comes in a mix platter of rib eye and aged beef tongue.

Kushikatsu 4/5

A must-have here is definitely the Kushikatsu which has been deep-fried to golden brown that ranges from $1.20 to $2.80 per skewer. Some of the new golden skewers are Unagi Cheese ($2.80), Shitake Niku Tsume ($2.80) and Tomato Bacon ($1.80). Besides the new items, I also had some of the classic golden skewers such as the shrimp, bacon cheese and asparagus. It even has dessert skewer such as Cookie & Cream and Banana.

The revamped and expanded menu at Kushikatsu Tanaka means there is something for everyone. Besides its golden fried skewers, the menu also includes yakiniku and an array of Osaka-style street foods and sharing items.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Kushikatsu Tanaka
Merchants' Court Clarke Quay
Block A #01-01B
3A River Valley Road
Singapore 179020
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Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 230pm, 5pm - 12midnight
Fri & Eve of PH: 12pm - 230pm, 5pm - 2am
Sat: 11am - 2am
Sun & PH: 11am - 12midnight

Direction: 
1) Alight at Fort Canning MRT Station. Take Exit A. Turn right and down River Valley Road. Turn right onto Tan Tye Place. Walk to the end of the road. Turn left onto Clark Quay. Walk to destination. Journey time bout 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit C or G. Walk to the river front. Turn left and walk down the river. Cross the bridge. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.  [Map]

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
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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]