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Chinese New Year is coming in less than a week. Are you getting excited? Being a Japanese food lover, it excites me to see Japanese delicacies incorporated into Chinese cuisines in conjunction with Chinese New Year. I have drawn two Japanese restaurants that not only offers delicious and also beautiful cuisines for this Chinese New Year. And not to miss, the gorgeous Yusheng offerings in this post!
Boruto Japanese Tapas and Sake Bar
Boruto Singapore, a modern double-storey izakaya, located at South Bridge Road. It is just a short distance from the Central Business District (CBD). Boruto Japanese Tapas and Sake Bar is established by Chef Patrick Tan. Besides Boruto, he also owns Tamashii Robataya, the premium Japanese robatayaki restaurant located nearby.
When the yu sheng gets too mainstream, here we have Truffles Infused Yu Sheng. You can already smell the fragrance of truffles upon served. Featuring Salmon and Yellowtail Yu Sheng at S$68. If you’re a truffle lover, definitely can’t miss this! The Yusheng is available for dine-in at Boruto Singapore. Take-aways are on pre-order basis on eve of CNY 27th January 2017.
From 23 January, you can expect to see these new creation dishes on Boruto Singapore Menu. Probably, you can only get from Boruto Singapore. Don’t miss it!
I have a habit of drinking bottled Ume wine at home. And to my excitement, I get to try freshly chilled and aged Ume Plum wine at Boruto. Sweet, fruity flavour without a strong alcoholic taste and ends with distinctively ume plum lingering in the mouth. I was an instant fan.
2 litre jar of Ume plums at S$288. Free storage at Boruto, it’s convenient as you get to pair with your meal on every visit.
What makes a delicious croquette? Crispy on the outside(check!) and fluffy on the inside(check!). Croquettes are yummy rolls of food mixed with crab meat, sweetcorn, poached onions, then breaded and deep-fried. There is extra blue crab meat topped on each croquette to impart the crab flavour.
Kani Croquettes at S$12.80.
Probably the hardest guess for this dish. Presenting Boruto‘s version of “Chai Tao Kuek”; also known as carrot cake. It’s always pleasant to see local flavours added to Japanese cuisines. Instead of the usual carrot cake, main ingredient flour, we see loligo squid here! These squids are sauteed with garlic, poached onions, Japanese pickles and egg. Squid has have absolutely no flavour, however they were filled with the concentration of the sauce imparting a tangy flavour. Psss, there is no black Chai Tao Kuek served here, only white Chai Tao Kuek at the moment.
Hotaru Ika “Chai Tao Kuek” at S$12.80.
Risotto gets healthier! Using black barley, with its bran layer intact, cooks up a crunchy and black dramatic looks with nutty taste. A degree of doneness that might seem underdone. That’s not all, fresh uni are added for the extra sweetness. This dish has totally won our hearts.
Black Barley and Uni at S$35.80.
Looking at the dish name, I get question mark. Well, it’s actually grilled sea bream. Charming and tasty white meat infused with red miso broth, Shiitake and minced pork. The red miso broth acts as a seal so the fish becomes succulent and tasty but not salty.
Madai a la Plancha at S$15.80.
Massive piece of pork shoulder carefully handled with effort. It is brined and sous vide for 24 hours. And finally roasted for an hour in the oven before served. It looks huge, but is appetising with garden greens and truffle green tomato chutney sauce. I would have enjoyed more if the skin is more crispy.
Roasted Pork Shoulder (1.6kg) at S$88.80.
This Nikka whisky is a gem and it tastes marvellous for the first time and again and again. You get a full bottle of Nikka whisky topped over the yuzu cocktail fantasticly in the classy martini glass. Basically, I’ve poured the entire bottle after a sip. Lovely mouth-feel and a citrusy yuzu finish with a touch of wood spice dryness.
Nikka Whisky and Yuzu Cocktail at S$22.
Fan of mochi can never miss this. Jelly- like mochi made from bracken starch and coated with kinako. Probably the softest mochi in Singapore. They have totally melt my heart!
Warabi Mochi at S$6.80.
Hot and cold desserts that are a real treat. Dessert heating up with half cake, half souffle and a surprise warm chocolate liquid at center. Love the simplicity of homemade vanilla ice cream with fragrance of vanilla seeds and crushed peanuts. It would be perfect if the chocolate is less sweet.
Chocolate Surprise at S$12.80.
Budget Per Pax
S$20-S$50
Address and Contact
Boruto Singapore
80 South Bridge Road #01-01 Golden Castle Building Singapore 058710
Contact: +65 6532 0418
Choubei Japanese Restaurant
Choubei Japanese Restaurant is situated at Changi Village Hotel, serving fresh and authentic Japanese cuisine. Head Chef Ong is one of the pioneer Japanese chefs in Singapore, with over 38 years of experience added to his repertoire. Most of the fishes are freshly imported from Japan. Don’t miss out sashimi at Choubei Japanese Restaurant, it’s one of my favourites!
Beautiful garden salad with a variety of mixed shredded vegetables and assorted premium raw fishes. Sashimi lovers will be delighted to receive salmon, tuna, yellow jack, tuna, swordfish and yellow tail in your yusheng. It is drizzled with Choubei‘s hand-made sauce, that is sweet and appetising. An auspicious dish specially eaten during Chinese New Year as it symbolises prosperity, ushering in the new year.
Sashimi Yusheng from S$68.
Ong Maki has made a hit and hot favourite dish of the day. This was my second favourite besides the savoury sashimi yusheng. It comprises of 4-5 types of seasonal premium fishes. Most of the fishes are imported from Japan regularly. Don’t you agree that fresh ingredients play a big part in delicious maki.
Ong Maki (8-9 pieces)at S$35.
The briny and sweet flavours of clams pair perfectly with the garlic and butter sauce and stir fry to perfection.
Asari Battayaki at S$18.
Not the typical agedashi tofu that you usually get at any Japanese restaurant. Choubei has reinvented agedashi tofu with assorted mushrooms. It has a very delicate flavor profile with fragrance from the mushrooms whilst outer shell is crispy.
Hand-made Kinoko tofu at S$8.
Crispy, airy, light, and non-greasy captures the flavour of what ebi tempura. 1 is definitely not enough,
Ebi Tempura (5 pieces) at S$19.
I guess Choubei made a wise choice to include sole fish. Sole fish tends to be consistently mild whilst delicate taste and firm-textured flesh; best for deep fried. It also comes with a special ponzu sauce that is light and you can even drink it by itself!
Mako Karei Kara Age at S$36.
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Budget Per Pax
S$30-S$50
Address and Contact
Choubei Japanese Restaurant
Changi Village Hotel, 1 Netheravon Road #01-03 Singapore 508502
Contact: +65 6542 6881
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