japanese restaurant

Kinki Restaurant & Bar Review – Dishes to Try in This Modern Japanese Concept at Customs House

March 13, 2021 by Bino Leave a Comment

Kinki is an urban Japanese restaurant and bar located at the 2nd floor of Customs House in Singapore’s Marina Bay, just a few steps from Fullerton Bay Hotel. Just from the name alone, it is not difficult to surmise the venue’s departure from conventional Japanese cuisine. Yes, you do get your sushi rolls, tempura and unagi but it all comes with a twist. This premise seems to be a hit with the local market, as Kinki has been standing in its present location for over 11 years now, outlasting many of the other tenants at Customs House that have come and gone.

kinki rooftop bar

The restaurant’s proximity to Raffles Place and the office crowd means that aside from serving good food, a proper drinks environment is also a must and Kinki fulfills that through its 3rd floor rooftop bar with breathtaking views of Marina Bay. If you are coming to Kinki for drinks, you’ll find that the food pairs well with alcohol – fortunately doing so by providing so much more than the usual nuts, fries or chicken wings that you’d find in other bars.

Kinki has relaunched in Feb 2021 with a slight change in the aesthetic. Gone is the sumo wrestler that used to grace the restaurant’s logo. This has now been replaced with a geisha which shows itself through the artworks in the walls and even in the names of the some of the drinks. Along with this, the restaurant has introduced some new items in the menu and I had the opportunity to try these for dinner alongside some of their popular evergreen dishes.

These are the top dishes to try at Kinki Restaurant and Bar:

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Review: Rockon Tokyo – Kyoto Style Homecooked Meals in Tanjong Pagar

February 8, 2021 by Bino Leave a Comment

Rockon Tokyo at Tanjong Pagar is an intimate 22-seater Japanese restaurant that serves traditional Kyoto homecooked-style meals with an emphasis on fresh seasonal ingredients without using MSG or preservatives. The type of cuisine is called obanzai in which at least half of the ingredients are supposed to be sourced from the Kyoto area. The cuisine is also usually identified by the heavy usage of vegetables and seafood.

rockon tokyo

Entering the venue for the first time, the homecooked style becomes palpable. It’s a quaint eatery and bar – and reminded me immediately of those charming family-run restaurants that I encountered during my trips to Japan – the types that have their menus purely in Japanese and cater mostly to locals. In Rockon Tokyo, all staff members are Japanese – adding more to that overseas vibe.

Although Tokyo is part of the name, the cuisine here is decidedly more in keeping with the Kansai region. The name “Rockon” on the other hand, is derived from the Japanese word for 6 – roku.

Rockon Tokyo has a number of dishes in its ala carte menu but for this particular visit, I tried their omakase menu which starts at S$88 and could go higher, depending on addons that one chooses.

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Review: Ginza Shinto – Sleek Japanese Omakase Venue at Mohamed Sultan

October 9, 2020 by Bino Leave a Comment

Ginza Shinto is a new Japanese omakase restaurant in Mohamed Sultan. Helmed by Chef Ron Newton Leo who has had over 30 years experience in preparing fine Japanese cuisine, this 50-seater luxury dining venue in a charming shophouse in Robertson Quay continues a string of unabated openings this year (despite the current situation).

ginza shinto

The space is evidently upscale the moment you enter. Everything is sleek and minimalist with an undeniable Japanese flair. I especially like the shade of beige used here. The bar counter seats take up quite a bit of space, allowing for large groups or multiple small ones to enjoy Chef Ron’s dishes while hearing his stories and humor. There is also a natural skylight on top of the preparation area, allowing one to dine in natural light especially when one comes for lunch.

Ginza Shinto offers lunch sets that start from S$30++, 5-course omakase at S$150++, 8-course omakase at S$220++ and 9-course omakase at S$300++. Ala carte menu items and sashimi platters are also available. I recently dropped by for a media preview before the Japanese restaurant officially opened.

You can also check out the full Ginza Shinto menu here

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Fat Cow – Best Beef Bowl in Singapore & Excellent Omakase

May 3, 2018 by Bino Leave a Comment

Mention Fat Cow and the first thing that comes to most Japanese food lovers’ minds are the venue’s famed wagyu beef bowls. Despite being tucked away in an unassuming location within Camden Medical Center – around 15 minutes walk from the nearest MRT station – Fat Cow has flourished during the past five years with its omakase usually listed as one of those that you simply must try in Singapore.

Entering Fat Cow for the first time, I found the aesthetic concept quite traditional with plenty of Japanese wooden touches and separate dining rooms for guests having the omakase and ala-carte dishes. The omakase counter is relatively intimate with just 8 counter seats that face the chef. I was there on a Monday evening but found 6 out of the 8 seats occupied for the omakase.

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Nami – Review of New Japanese Restaurant in Shangri-la Singapore (With Menu)

June 24, 2017 by Bino Leave a Comment

It had been a while since I last made a visit to Shangri-la Singapore. In a span of a few months, the hotel revamped their Tower Wing, refreshed the lobby and is in the midst of launching a few new food concepts. One of them is Nami, the fine dining Japanese restaurant which opened only on the 31st May 2017.

During my latest visit to the luxury hotel, I went to try the delights of Nami. It has received quite a few great reviews since it opened and I was not disappointed when I went to try it out for myself. The food, put simply, was a pleasure from start to finish.

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Iketeru at Hilton Kuala Lumpur – Sumptuous Japanese Cuisine

July 25, 2015 by Bino Leave a Comment

As with any major Asian capital, Japanese restaurants have somewhat become an ubiquity in Kuala Lumpur. Practically every mall has one with competition fierce for premium sushi and quality ramen. It is thus quite remarkable that Iketeru, which is housed inside Hilton Kuala Lumpur in KL Sentral remains jampacked with people even up to this day, around 11 years since it first opened its doors. I was there on a Wednesday night, traditionally quite slow as it’s midweek yet still found all tables occupied – practically unheard of for an upmarket Japanese restaurant housed inside a hotel.

A quick glance at its menu reveals just why Iketeru remains highly popular – the food offerings are subject to constant reinvention in line with the season and to diners’ preferences. The food items also read like a walkthrough to nature. For dinner, I chose to have Fubuki or “Snow Storm,” a special teppanyaki set menu. With dishes such as sushi, wagyu beef and foie gras within the set; it also served as a rundown of the house specialties all in one meal.

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