This Japanese restaurant is located at Minden Avenue in TST, specializing in the preparation of prized wagyu beef in sukiyaki style. Coming on this Saturday evening, pushing open the noren at the entrance, we were greeted warmly by the staff, who showed us to our seats at the L-shaped counter.
Having pre-ordered the Omakase Menu Haruka ($1,480 each), I also had a bottle of Koshi no Kanabi 越乃寒梅 金無垢 純米大吟醸 ($1,680) from Ishimoto Brewery in Niigata. This was the pinnacle of the Junmai sake for brewery, with a refined taste that matched well with the different food on the night.
The starter was French Biscuits with Homemade Salty Beef and Porcini 自家製咸牛肉配牛肝菌法式脆餅. The minced beef and porcini were flavourful, and sandwiched between the biscuits, in the shape of a cow, with its rich buttery note of the biscuit matched well with the fillings, plus some edamame mousse as condiment on the side.
The other starter was Akagai with Mozuku and Tosazu Shaved Ice 赤貝刺身拌水雲醋配土佐醋冰沙. Together with sea asparagus, the raw ark shell was crunchy in texture, with nice umami. Mixing with the Okinawa algae and shaved ice got an additional layer of vinegar acidity and texture, with a refreshing coolness on the palate.
The Assorted Seasonal Sashimi 時令刺身 included Shima-Aji and Kinmedai. The striped jack had a balanced fattiness, having elegant mild flavours and a firm texture. The splendid alfonsino had a beautiful red skin which the chef had lightly torched, with good umami taste, with some soy sauce marinated kombu to accompany.
Next was Sea Urchin Chawanmushi with White Asparagus Puree 白蘆筍蓉海膽茶碗蒸. On top of the delicate and silky steamed egg custard there was a thin layer of white asparagus puree for additional texture. On top were some sea urchin, plus shredded spring onion, to enjoy together.
Today’s prime dish was Siphon Beef Consomme with Thin Slices of Beef 法式虹吸壺牛肉清湯配牛腿肉薄片. Using the siphon, which is typically used to brew coffee, the chef made a delicious consommé, infusing the stock with herbs and kombu, before using it for this one and the later shabu shabu. The beef was very tender and great in taste.
Then came the Grilled Wagyu Italian Style, with Sansho White Miso Sour Cream Sauce 意式和牛燒 配山椒白味噌酸奶油醬. The wagyu was juicy and wonderful in taste, with some asparagus in thin slices and cherry tomatoes mixed with olive oil for salad, together with the appetizing sour cream sauce to balance the fattiness.
The Sukiyaki Wagyu 特選和牛壽喜燒 used two different beef, with the first piece being the highest grade A5 Sendai Wagyu Ribeye 仙台和牛肉眼 with a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Paired with egg yolk and egg white mousse, together with pickles and different condiments, it was truly irresistibly good.
To balance the diet, the chef also prepared an Assorted Seasonal Japanese Vegetables 季節日本野菜, which contained eggplant, tomato, bell peppers, enoki mushroom, and tofu. Flavoured by the sweetness and savory of the sukiyaki sauce, the vegetables were good in taste and were perfect to match with the wagyu.
The manager also treated for a serving of Tanada la Grace Junmai Daiginjo from Nagano Meijo 信州銘醸. The flagship of the brewery, this sake had delicate white peach and sweet melon, plus nice floral notes. With sufficient depth and strength to pair with sukiyaki, the label was also a collaboration with contemporary artist Chihiro Koshi.
Finishing the sukiyaki the other piece of beef was Yamaguchi Wagyu Kirameki sirloin 山口縣 “燦” 西冷 with a fine marbling and tender. The chef also added some sea urchin on the beef for extra flavours. Together with the vegetables, green chili, and zucchini, the second rice serving was also KO in no time.
To ensure we were full to the burst, the menu also got Seasonal Egg Cap Udon 季節究極蛋蓋烏冬. The scrambled egg was prepared using olive oil on the sukiyaki pan, to pick up the flavours from the beef essences and a nice sweetness, with the udon noodles wonderful in texture. A satisfying completion on the menu for the night.
For Dessert 甜品 there was a Stawberry Ice-Cream with Matcha underneath, with some grapefruit on the side. Refreshing and not too sweet, it helped to cleanse the palate and offered a comfortable wrap up the meal.
Service was very good, with the staff friendly and attentive, and the chef explaining the food and the details behind, making the dinner both enjoying and informative. The bill on the day was $5,167. Considering the food quality and overall experience I would rate them a Good 70 points. Worth Trying.
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