My foodie friend Szeliang was so sweet to treat me to a belated birthday lunch here. He has sung its praises more than once, so you can imagine my excitement when the day arrived.
First things first. If you think, upon entering, that the space is beautiful, wait till you see the food. Each course in Chef-owner Koizumi’s Summer Menu, especially the Hassun (“expression of the season”) which is presented as a large tray arranged with immaculately-prepared bites and petite bowls of deliciousness amongst bouquets of blooms, is so achingly beautiful it renders most diners speechless. But I digress. Let me rewind...
So once seated, we were welcomed with a glass of complimentary sparkling white wine. Then we sipped, using both hands to lift the charming bowl, Chef Koizumi’s zest-tinged special Dashi with all the reverence it deserved.
The Monaka followed, its airy-light wafer shells sandwiching foie gras tourchon in port wine reduction, Japanese fig jam, fresh figs, a salad of Myoga (young ginger flower), Kinome and kaffir lime. This flavour combination was sublime to say the least.
Next, the aforementioned Hassun in all its splendour. Every item on that tray was as refined in taste as its exquisite looks hinted at. I loved each one of them but the Saba Bozushi (mackerel rice roll) and the multi-cut Ika (squid) topped with smoked caviar reigned supreme for me.
Summer’s bounty of vegetables took to the stage at this point. A selection was grilled and served with a rich hairy crab sauce and corn purée. The level of natural sweetness of them together was unbelievable.
Our main course was a ridiculously buttery Omi Wagyu sirloin. Hot off the charcoal, the beef was served simply with white Maitake mushroom and a sauce of aged Akazu (Japanese vinegar made from sake lees). Understandably, Szeliang and I didn’t talk much as we were lost in our own worlds of pleasure.
What he’s long considered the highlight of the meal arrived then. It’s Chef Koizumi’s Ochazuke with grilled Aji and a fish broth. Without a doubt, it is pure comfort food at its peak.
Before I was surprised with a Mont Blanc birthday cake made by Chef Sebastian, he also prepared our dessert - a swoon-worthy creation of thinly-sliced Japanese white peach from Yamanashi prefecture with Taiwanese oolong tea jelly, a yogurt and cream cheese ice-cream, and a cold peach soup.
Chef Koizumi’s lovely wife who runs the front-of-house, Maasa Kageura, brought our petit fours, a row of delightful fruity gems of which the honeydew mochi ice-cream proved to be my favourite.

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