CBD

Happiness In A Bowl (Uni, Otoro and Ikura)

I'm pretty sure that using these three ingredients in the same dish would make most lovers of Japanese cuisine happy. This bowl was just full of sweetness!

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However, I would have preferred if the sweetness I tasted came from the Uni, Otoro and Ikura instead of the Japanese pickles sandwiched between the trio and the rice. I felt that the sweetness from the pickles easily overpowered the main stars of the dish. This also meant that both the Uni and Otoro ended up appearing like they were just there to provide contrasts in texture. Fortunately, the Ikura was able to hold up better than its counterparts. Each time a roe burst, I was reminded that Ikura was in mouth, and not just rice and pickles.

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For those who are interested, the type of Uni used was Bafun Uni. I'm not too sure whether this will be the same all year round as the taste of the different types of uni (Bafun, Aka, Kita-Murasaki, etc.), as with most ingredients, changes with the season.

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Also, don't expect to get the same quality as Shinji or the other top end places for the significantly lower prices that Ryo Sushi charges.

The Otoro Meshi (U.P $32.80++) at Kuro Maguro comes with 5 slices of Otoro (this is debatable) atop a bed of vinegared rice. The uni you see is an add-on.

If you examine my picture closely, you might notice that the slices of Otoro on the left appear to be different from those on the right, in that you can spot the familiar hue of red present in Akami. Apparently, this is because that particular slice of Otoro was taken from the part linked to the Akami. The difference in texture of the Otoro slices was thus evident. Some of the Otoro slices served to me also reminded me more of Chutoro than Otoro.

The takeaway is that not all Otoro cuts are created equal. A simple search of the Kuro Maguro location tag on Instagram will reveal the differences in Otoro cuts used in the popular Otoro Meshi, so your dining experience is highly dependent on your luck. Either that or some people were served cuts that would not fully qualify as Otoro.

Now, the main star of the Otoro Meshi is the Otoro. While I have no beef with vinegared rice, I was disappointed that the sourness from the vinegared rice somehow attached itself to the slices of Otoro even when consuming the Otoro on its own. The sourness severely reduced the fragrance and flavour of the fats in the Otoro.

I noticed that the restaurant had prepared numerous bowls of Otoro Meshi in advance and laid them out in the open, which helps reduce customer waiting time and table turnover. I felt that this could have been the reason why the sourness from the vinegared rice ended up spreading to the fish slices.

I am painfully aware that my review contradicts almost all the other reviews of the food at Kuro Maguro. Some might even call it an alternative fact. But as always, just providing my honest, sincere and humble opinion.

Was looking for a quick bite today whilst at work in the CBD area and chanced upon a shop called Baguette. Ever since my trip to Vietnam three years ago, I have been on the hunt for good Vietnamese food in Singapore but sadly, none have met my expectations. That is of course, until I bought the Saigon banh mi from Baguette. The freshly toasted baguette was fragrant, crispy and soft at the right parts. It was filled with "thinly sliced pickled carrots and daikon (do chua), cucumbers, cilantro, chili peppers, pâté, mayonnaise" and sliced ham. The contrast of the soft, slightly warm toasted baguette against the crunchiness of the cold vegetables and the savoury taste of cold ham against the lime dressing drizzled over the parsley, tantalised my taste buds and left me wanting more with every bite. I will definitely be going back for more soon. The future for Vietnamese food in Singapore looks really good from where I'm standing.

Red snapper with a tomato based sauce mixed with pine nuts, olives and potatoes. The advice of the waitress was to eat this fish without the skin as the skin would have been too salty for our liking. Even though Mozza is famous for their pizzas, the Pesce Al Forno was packed with flavour and while not spectacular, is still worth a try if you happen to be there. Also, this dish is only available on Wednesdays so plan your visit to Mozza in advance!