Takeshi-San @ Holland Village - A New Modern-Japan Restaurant With Stairway To Heaven Sushi Kaidan Sets

Takeshi-San is a new kid on the block in Holland Village, offering classic Japanese cuisine with an elegant interpretation. Its exterior doesn't look like a Japanese restaurant, more like a bistro or pub. Let's not judge a book by its cover. We will let the food speak for itself.

Mixed Carpaccio 4/5

I started with the Mixed Carpaccio ($16), which consists of tuna, salmon, hamachi and hotate. The addition of ponzu dressing brightens the whole enjoyment.

Ikura Chawanmushi 4/5

Next up is the Ikura Chawanmushi ($8). The steamed egg is flavourful with a chicken stock base topped with ikura. Digging into the creamy and smooth steamed egg, you can also find pieces of mushroom, chicken and prawn in it.

Incredible Hulk Roll 4/5

The sushi roll I had has an interesting name. It is called the Incredible Hulk Roll ($20). It probably comes from the green coloured avocado that is laid on top of the sushi roll. The sushi roll is stuffed with ebi tempura, cream cheese and baked eel, giving it a delectable textural contrast.

Garlic Fried Rice with A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Cubes 4/5

For something more substantial to fill up your tummy, go for the Garlic Fried Rice with A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Cubes. Fragrant egg and aromatic fried garlic accentuated the enjoyment of the fluffy rice.

Premium Takeshi Set (6pc of various assortments) 4/5

A popular dish on the menu is their Sushi Kaidan Sets. I noticed that almost every table has one of the eight sets or more on its table. I tried their Premium Takeshi Set ($26), which consists of 6 different sushi. Displayed in a wooden stair, I work my way up to the top, starting with the unagi foie gras sushi and finishing with chutoro sushi.

Overall I feel the food at Takeshi-San is unpretentious with a modern take of classic Japanese cuisine. Though the restaurant's interior does not feel like a Japanese restaurant, it brings me back to those Japanese restaurants I visit in Melbourne.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Takeshi-San
38 Lorong Mambong
Singapore 277694
Tel: +65 62480886
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 3pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Lorong Liput. Walk down Lorong Luput. Turn right onto Lorong Mambong. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

HotChic2 @ The Grandstand - New Pet and Kid-friendly Cafe Serves Exciting And Creative Fusion Dishes

Previously a hawker store at Bukit Batok known as HotChic, HotChic2 is the founding team's newest venture to offer a more diverse and experimental menu. Located within The Grandstand, the pet and kid-friendly cafe serves innovative fusion dishes inspired by cuisines all over the globe that are pleasing to both the eyes and the palate.

Build-Your-Own-Potion 3.8/5

We had fun exploring their fascinating drinks menu to kickstart the meal, with a customizable DIY-style Build-Your-Own-Potion ($9.50) to create your dream concoctions. I chose the vanilla butterfly pea for the base soda flavour, followed by a side of fruit (preserved oranges) and a mint leaf topping. While we enjoyed the refreshing and tangy soda, the drink's colour changing layers also make for a very instagrammable shot.

Hotchic Ceviche 4.2/5

The Hotchic Ceviche ($12) consists of fresh Norwegian salmon slices dressed in Hotchic secret marination and sambal mayo and comes topped with lychee boba and tobiko. I loved how the sambal mayo gives a subtle kick of spice and flavours to the fresh salmon, while the lychee boba brings a burst of refreshing fruity finish to the dish.

Sake Mussels with Truffles 4/5

The Sake Mussels with Truffles ($14) was also no less impressive with a rich umami-filled broth of "shiok" sake and generous amounts of fresh blue mussels. It is paired with furikake sourdough to mop up the remaining broth. If you're a fan of sake, this is definitely a dish to go for.

Mentaiko with Lime Fries 3.8/5

The Mentaiko with Lime Fries ($12) comes in a giant bowl of fluffy crinkle cut fries, doused in a generous amount of mentaiko sauce.

Oppa Su Dong Po 4.2/5

The Oppa Su Dong Po ($27) is a Chinese-Korean-Japanese fusion main, consisting of slow-braised pork belly accompanied by peach kimchi and a HotChic2 invention, TARO-yaki balls. The best way to enjoy the dish and savour the flavours entirely is to wrap the tender pork belly meat with some peach kimchi and sour plum mayo in a piece of lettuce.

Hot Chic Chicken Roulade 4/5

The Hot Chic Chicken Roulade ($28) features tender chicken thigh pieces stuffed with secret recipe braised rice with yam & mushrooms, Justin's cucumber, and served with foie gras pate with furikake sourdough. The dish also came with a small jar of strawberry grape jam to cut through the meat's richness. The refreshing sweet fruity flavour of the jam helped to cleanse the palate as well.

Prawn & Mushroom Aglio 3.8/5

From the pasta selections, we had the Prawn & Mushroom Aglio ($16). A classic dish done well, the pasta is cooked to a perfect al dente, and the fresh prawns used are also juicy and tender.

Pan Fried Crayfish with Goth Pasta 3.5/5

While we enjoyed the rest of the dishes, the Pan Fried Crayfish with Goth Pasta ($19) fell under expectations, as we felt that the pasta was a tad too dry and lacked the squid ink flavour.

When-Chef-Tries-To-Be-Atas - Starter 3.8/5

We also tried the WHEN-CHEF-TRIES-TO-BE-ATAS set menu ($68), consisting of a starter, main and dessert. We started with a Bacon Foie Gras Pate that comes with macerated cherry tomatoes, crushed nuts and Japanese musk melon to pair with the spiced furikake sourdough.

When-Chef-Tries-To-Be-Atas - Main 4.2/5

This is followed by the main dish of Pan-Roasted Shichimi rubbed Pigeon, with Hazelnut Mash, bacon soil, braised quail eggs, as well as a myriad of vegetables on the side. While the pigeon meat is soft and tender, it has a slightly gamier taste than chicken meat. However, we enjoyed this immensely, as the cherry tomatoes helped to cut away some of the gaminess.

When-Chef-Tries-To-Be-Atas - Dessert 4/5

We ended the meal with a Turkish-inspired dessert. It was named "It's a secret" on the menu, as the desserts are meant to be a surprise and changes with the season. Besides the gorgeous presentation, the desserts scored in terms of taste as well - the bitterness of the creamy coffee custard complemented well with the pistachio crumbs and the sweetness of the crushed honeycomb and fruits.

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.


HotChic2
The Grandstand
200 Turf Club Rd
#01-14
Singapore 287994
Tel: +65 94780347
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Sixth Avenue (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 10pm
Sat: 930am – 10pm
Sun: 930am – 7pm
(Closed on Tue)

Direction:
1) Alight at Sixth Avenue MRT station. Take Exit A. Use the overhead bridge to exit B. Walk to Turf Club Road. Continue on Turf Club Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Sixth Avenue MRT station. Take Exit A. Use the overhead bridge to exit B. Walk down Dunearn Road towards Turf Club Road, to bus stop opposite Sixth Avenue Centre (Stop ID 42019). Wait for The Grandstand Shuttle Bus. 15 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Sixth Avenue MRT  station. Take Exit A. Walk down Bukit Timah Road. Walk to bus stop at Sixth Avenue Centre (Stop ID 42011). Wait for The Grandstand Shuttle Bus. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]