Loving their natural-tasting Double Scoops ($9), Muted’s vibrant Uji Matcha (+$1) was pretty umami with a pleasantly grassy and mildly earthy aftertaste. I think one which matcha fans will certainly enjoy. While the Lychee Sorbet (+$1) was a juicy, floral-fruity, summer-y flavour that was smooth (not icy at all) and studded with teensy bits of fruit. 

Rather intense in its sweetness, the homemade cheesecake could definitely use less of that Okinawa brown sugar caramel. However, the taste was certainly enhanced and a pleasant dessert option if you like that distinct bitterness as well as that nutty somewhat roasted flavour. The caramel crumbles, like a honeycomb toffee, found scattered on the plate were a nice touch too - crunchy and light.

I didn’t care for the overly lean charcoal pork but the springy al dente ramen noodles were surprisingly good. The umami dipping sauce prepared with sea urchin paste made it more slurp-worthy with its briny seafood-y sweetness and that touch of tanginess from the squeeze of calamansi in the bowl saved the day.

Cooked with dashi and gently perfumed with truffle kombu, their Donabe was pretty good too! The top sirloin ichibo had a nice marbling and really pleasant beef flavour - juicy and succulent. The short-grain Japanese rice alone was very moreish with a nice moist texture and umami aroma.

A snack/side that I would highly recommend if you are at Torasho would be this. More fatty than lean, the melty texture of the short rib was amazing. Grilled over the charcoal, the smokey charred edges were great but the sauces and seasoning really elevated the flavours. The savoury wagyu vinaigrette, spiced Texas dry rub and punchy diced shallots just go so well together.

And no meal is complete without dessert, the warm Coconut Milk Pancakes were pleasantly perfumed. Not the fuwa fuwa type but decently pillowy and soft with a good amount of moisture locked in. Crowned with fresh sweet mixed berries, cream cheese and drizzles of maple syrup, it was a more than satisfying treat that is perfect for sharing.

We can’t leave without having one of their rice dishes and got the Nasi Goreng Iga Hitam. Packing a flavourful punch, the squid ink fried rice was nicely seasoned with spice and held a lingering umami, seafood-y kick together with a smokey kiss from the wok. So shiok but a tad too much heat for me as it does build up. The 6-hour braised beef ribs were great, not too gamey and sufficiently tender. The main also came with sambal, prawn cracker and a sunny side up. (Psst it is on Burpple 1-for-1 at selected outlets!)

Lohei season comes and goes way too quickly!

More than just their speciality blends, Tanamera Coffee also delivers a solid Traditional Lohei (starting from $45.80) for the festive period (with pre-orders available on their website). Crunchy fresh shredded vegetables, savoury smoked salmon slices, sweet mandarin orange wedges, crispy golden crackers and well-balanced plum sauce all prepared in-house. One of the better CNY prosperity toss salads I had as I prefer their lighter-tasting condiments and a generous amount of salmon.

Thanks @burpple for the invite and @tanameracoffeesg for feeding us~ Will need to be back for that bomb peanut sauce (they blend it with cashew, ingenious)!

Whilst my pictures don't do justice to Chef Makoto’s intricate creations, I have to document the intriguing and scrumptious omakase experience at Ami Patisserie. Available at the 8-seater Tsudoi private dining room, the Chef’s Table Discovery Experience (worth every penny) would set you back by $118++ per person.

To start, the 2-bite Piedmont Hazelnut Financier was more than lovely - a good sign of what is to come with a glorious balance of butteriness and plenty of roasted nuttiness with the aromatic hazelnut shaving on the top. Then came the bread course with butter and amazing sourdough - don’t you dare skip on the exquisite Iwa Nori Escargot Bun which dreams are made of.

Next, a decadent number with his signature craqueline choux which came crisp, crumbly, and savoury. Piped a la minute, the Japanese egg mayo was bangin’ not sure what is in it exactly but yums. Embellished with crème fraîche, Schrenckii caviar (all that briny flavour without being salty), hanaho and Sudachi zest (that refreshing tang was chef’s kiss).

Followed closely behind was the beautiful Shizuoka Tomato Tartelette which came at the perfect time to somewhat refresh the palette. Think sweet Japanese Amela tomato with umami cheese flavour, and a herbaceous touch from the basil, all on one sugar cookie dough base. A favourite. After which, a rich Japanese Uni Brioche arrived with cake-like textured brown butter bread, lime cream, finger lime pulp and vibrant sea urchin.

Deep fried and then grilled on the charcoal, the Nasu Brulee was complete with miso caramel and miso ice cream. Perfectly sweet and savoury - a good introductory dish for eggplant haters. The deceptively simple La France Pear was nicely done too with pear sauce, chamomile mint gelee, yuzu and pear granita.

A fun take on tiramisu, the Marble Dark Chocolate was so delightful as well - not too boozy or rich with a wonderful medley of textures; the Chef can do no wrong. And right before we end the pastry-led tasting menu with a flakey wedge of Kumquat Pineapple Pie, the Ichigo Milk allowed the sweet juicy fruit to shine.

What a delicious mouthful, Chū and Co’s “Cacio & Pepe” ($9.50) had such a fun and tasty (tbh foolproof) combo - with slightly charred Japanese sweet corn, Camembert, Candied bacon and Pecorino cheese. The sweet-savoury toppings were truly the highlight for me but the dough acted as a great vessel as well. The base was relatively light, not all that dense or greasy. Felt pretty premium as I was surprised by the small edges of soft Camembert hidden under the strips of cured meat. I also got the “Ham & Cheese” ($9.50), crowned with sliced Sweet Potato, Honey Baked Ham and Brie de Meaux. Lacked that oomph for me but a great buy on a whole as well~

The meal I was looking forward to most at this start of the year, Mustard Seed really delivered a comforting and delicious line-up. Having tried more than a handful of times to get a coveted reservation slot, I was so glad that I finally got it at the end of last year!

And so a little throwback; the January/February menu ($190) was a fun mix of local and Asian (Japanese and Korean) flavours. A truly enjoyable meal.

Scallop + Guava - A refreshing starter to kick off the whole experience, mine was a special replacement as I don’t take oysters. The light guava granita was so lovely with the sweet scallops, juicy pulps and I love that you get that zesty lime flavour lingering in the cooling mix.

Squid Rojak - The tender mollusc was done exceedingly well. Together with the tangy rojak sauce, spices, crushed nuts and sweet sliced pineapples, it really whet one’s appetite. Got to love the deceptively simple combination.

Superior Stock Chawanmushi - Like a fish maw soup on steroids, the egg custard made with chicken and dried scallop stock was delightfully silky. Using ingredients found in a typical banquet-style soup, it was so comforting and savoury. Giving the LNY vibes, the sauce also had black moss and a few drops of vinegar.

Turmeric Frog Legs - Dusted with herb salt made from dehydrated curry and laksa leaves, the finger-licking-good legs were uber succulent. Wonderfully plump and moist - way better than chicken. The batter was perfect too, not soggy at all and not too thick.

Hakka Radish Meatball - My favourite at the table and at this point, I don’t want the meal to end. Swimming in that tasty pool of pork trotter and coriander seed gravy that was seasoned with aged tamari soy sauce, the radish meatball was placed with braised cabbage, shiitake and their house-made abacus seed. Kinda like a mini pen cai. Made from stir-fried Kurobuta pork collar and belly bound together with tapioca starch, house-made fish paste and shredded daikon, the meatball flavoured with dried cuttlefish and shrimp was the best - amazingly supple.

Penang Hae Mee x JJamppong - Turning up the heat, this marriage of Penang prawn noodles and Korean seafood noodles sees bouncy ramen noodles with wok-fried vegetables, sweet prawns in an aromatic concoction of lip-smacking prawn broth enriched with rempah.

Duck & Burdock Rice - Right before dessert, a surprisingly light rice dish seasoned with a bit of sansho pepper and on the side a marinated stir-fried lotus root.

Kuri Kinton, Rum Jelly - Very nicely balanced, the slightly boozy rum jelly went so well with the earthy roasted sweet potato ice cream and candied chestnut.

Strawberry Kuih Lapis - Following the instruction to have it layer by layer, the steamed dessert was exceptionally good. Love the natural fragrance of the fresh coconut milk and the fruity red layers infused with strawberry juice.

Only had Gyutan less than a handful of times and am not too much of a fan due to the distinct chewy-crunchy texture but Gyutan-Tan’s Sumiyaki Gyutan Combo was pretty satisfying. Served with a sauce of choice, the dinner set comes in a sizzling hotplate with beansprouts and onions. The mixed cut, thin and thick beef tongue were nicely grilled and seasoned. Great even without any dips, each slice of the charcoal-grilled tongues had a pleasant smokiness from the charred edges. However, I am more partial to the thin cuts as the aroma of the grill seems to be more pronounced and the bite from the succulent leaner slices felt a tinge more manageable. Whilst the thicker ones were more juicy, they gave the jaw a little more workout. Best to eat them hot and with their lovely Mugimeshi - fluffy steamed rice with pressed barley; so good!